Individual Counseling and Expressive Therapies

I may work with your child using Play Therapy. This may or may not be the best approach given your child’s presenting issues. I utilize various techniques, but the fundamental approach I employ is Child-Centered or non-directive. Toys and play are the innate forms of communication and problem resolution for children. If the child’s natural ability to resolve stressors is inadequate for any number of reasons, misbehavior and emotional dysregulation often result. Creating a safe, child-friendly and child-directed process often results in a strengthening of the child’s resiliency and ability overcome obstacles, build healthy self-confidence, assertiveness, and conflict-resolution skills.

Children as young as 3 years old may be seen alone for Play Therapy. Typically, Play Therapy isn’t utilized solely for children above the age of 12. However, I do utilize forms of expressive therapies, including Play Therapy, for adolescents and adults.

See:

It is possible that some type of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy will be useful given your child’s presenting issues. I often utilize a mix of Child-Centered and Cognitive-Behavioral Play Therapy. With older children and adolescents, a variety of other approaches may be utilized as well.

I also work with children with complicated or atypical neurology. These conditions often require more involved treatment planning. Difficulties that fall into this category include:

Sensory processing disorders
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Tourette’s Disorder (tics)
Autism spectrum disorders
Obsessive-compulsive
Highly anxious
Other mood disorders

I also provide therapy to children who are adopted and have mental health issue that relate. Some of these children have some type of attachment problems or Reactive Attachment Disorder. Again, this presenting issue is complex and requires involved treatment planning, as individual therapy is rarely helpful in facilitating significant improvement.