I have always loved working with children. My early professional years were focused on child development and play therapy, and I have continued to learn and grow as a therapist. I have been a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor with the Association for Play Therapy since XXXX. I also regularly provide trainings and clinical supervision focused on child and family therapy. Children never cease to amaze me by what they can understand and share with us when we know how to speak their language. I utilize several different play therapy approaches when working with children, including directive approaches intended to teach children social and emotional skills and nondirective approaches that allow the child’s play to communicate the child’s experiences and needs.
Whenever possible, I actively include parents as much as possible in their children’s therapeutic process, with the goal of empowering parents to be the primary therapeutic agents for their children. Parents or guardians are central to the long-term effectiveness of child-focused therapy, because children cannot assume responsibility for many of the changes needed for the child at home and at school. I work closely with parents to support parenting practices that fit the child’s temperament, age, and level of development.
Common issues presenting in therapy for children:
Behavior problems at home and/or at school
Anxiety
Depression
Family conflict
Divorce adjustment
School refusal
Traumatic experience
Grief and loss
