Treatment Focus and Approaches

With my extensive experience I can help children, teens and their families address and resolve challenges such as:

• Academics: Low grades, poor attendance, learning difficulties, inattention, school anxiety; transitions from pre-school through college; stress and academic overwhelm;
• Social Difficulties: Bullying, difficulty making and keeping friends, fighting and aggression, choosing friends that are a poor influence, setting healthy limits with peers;
• Developmental Transitions: Separation anxiety, accepting limits, developing a healthy self-image; separating and individuating from family; understanding and exploring sexuality and how to set healthy limits; age appropriate risk taking;
• Family Changes: Adapting to divorce or remarriage and the creation of a blended family; coping with illness, stress, or death and loss in the family;
• Family Relationships: Conflict with parents or siblings, lack of cooperation, breaking rules, argumentative or aggressive behavior;
• Trauma: Coping with a recent or past trauma. What is experienced as a trauma will differ from child to child and from child to adult; children are very resilient but they can be traumatized by events that adults may not view as traumatic and this can lead to a variety of symptoms in children that don’t necessarily look the same as in adults.

I use a variety of therapeutic approaches to meet each child’s unique needs. Young children can have difficulty verbalizing their feelings so using non-verbal therapeutic approaches such as play, art and sandplay therapies can help to bring children’s emotions to light in a way that is gentle and non-threatening. I am also trained in EMDR, a trauma-focused therapy that does not require the client to talk directly about a trauma they have experienced. I use non-verbal therapies along with talk-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma Focused CBT, and psychodynamic therapy as children become more able to use insight and verbalize. Mindfulness is an approach I utilize to teach children and teens to soothe themselves and become more aware of their mind and body feelings and how they are impacted by them. This awareness can help clients learn to slow down and respond consciously instead of reactively. Family therapy is generally incorporated into a child’s treatment plan.

As appropriate, I work collaboratively with other service providers such as your child’s school, doctor, psychiatrist, speech or occupational therapist. I have experience working with schools and other providers for students that have IEP’s or may be just starting in special education. I can support families as they navigate special education and I am available to attend meetings if needed to advocate for the services your child may need. I am also available to conduct observations at school or daycare.

Don’t wait any longer! To find out more about how I can help your child and family, or to schedule a free consultation, please contact me or call (408) 772-0065 today.