Parents

You know your child is struggling. You hear it from the teachers, see it at the playground, and notice it around your home. It seems like the tears are coming more often. Your child just hasn't been the same lately. They want to be with you but also push you away. Even though you've tried to help, you're at a loss for what to do next. It seems like they just really don't want to talk to you about it. Or maybe they don't know how? Even that is confusing. This is where play therapy can come in as a tool to support your child in understanding their emotions, identifying what they need, and communicating with you effectively.

Big Feelings

You see your child is getting overwhelmed. When these feelings start to feel too big, kids shut down. It seems like they aren't themselves. In therapy, we work to start experiencing bite-sized amounts of emotions that your child can handle. Then, we give words to these feelings so they can share them with you. And we work on processing and skills to help their bodies get through tough times.

Connection

You know your child is sweet, goofy, and imaginative at their core. You get glimpses of who they are, but it seems like that person is lost in the dark. They seem disconnected. Therapy will help your child learn to connect to themselves so that they can be genuine. They will then begin to be more comfortable connecting with you and others. Family therapy and parent coaching will also help you as a parent to be your most authentic self around your child. We'll talk about what is working and what isn't for your family. We'll also help you build skills to pass on to your child.

Inner World

Children often struggle to talk about their inner world. They often won't talk about things because they don't know how, which is normal for their age. As as a parent, this feels super frustrating. You're trying to help them, but don't know how. Things like art, sand, and play can create an avenue for them to share their inner world and process what they're experiencing. I can then work with you to help understand what it is that they need to help settle that inner world.

Common challenges

I often help children with the following difficulties:

listening to their bodies
taking breaks
what to do with overwhelming sadness, worry, and/or anger
school stress (boredom, following instructions, talking with teachers)
difficulty making or keeping friends
stress related to big changes (divorce, death of a loved one, moving, new siblings)
disconnection from family and friends
learning to communicate what they need

Therapy for your child seems like a good fit for your family and now you're wondering about how to talk them about getting started. Head over to the "children's" page to show them my style. Then have them check out the "space" page and "about me" page so they have more information about who I am and what my office looks like. It is important that your child agrees to therapy. If you need help talking to them about it prior to a first session, please let me know!