How do you provide therapy to children?
This is a common and important question when you are looking to put your trust in any mental health provider. First and foremost, we spend time developing a relationship with your child. How can we expect any progress or change to come before they feel safe and comfortable with us in the office? Every child is different in their pacing, and we believe it is our responsibility to follow their lead.
Part of following them is understanding that children naturally communicate through play. When children are struggling, whether it be emotionally, psychologically, or physically, they need a way to share this with others. Play looks different for different children (and different developmental levels), so whether it’s through pretend play, art, sandtray or games, I am following them. For the entirety of my practice with children, I have been using child-centered play therapy as a mean to assist children with sharing their thoughts and feelings.
An important part of the work we will do together is family sessions. We can provide a place for you and your child to improve your relationship and impart techniques through play that you will be able to utilize outside the therapy room. We look forward to sharing more with you about this model of therapy and how we will work collaboratively.