Is childhood bumpier than you expected? It’s never too early for your child to have a special place to learn healthy ways to express their emotions.
When did childhood become so complicated?
Your child’s days have more challenges than carefree moments. Their reactions to stressful situations are painful. I help your child build stronger flexibility, resilience and communication muscles. I see children for many reasons:
* Angry outbursts (verbal and/or physical)
* Bullying (Offender or victim)
* Change in family structure (new sibling, parental separation, etc.)
* Difficulty with peer relationships
* Excessive worrying or sorrow
* Fiercely competitive
* Persistent argumentative familial relationships
* Resists engaging in new activities/friendships
What does child therapy look like?
First, I will ask you and your co-parent to share your parenting experiences. I will ask about your child’s strengths and challenges, familial and peer relationships, academics and extracurricular activities and the behaviors about which you are most concerned.
For the initial weekly sessions with your child, my goal is to build a bridge of trust between us. I want them to sense my genuine desire to understand their perception of the world. When this happens, they will be open to exploring alternative points of view and learning new skills.
How I engage with your child depends on their age and communication style. Younger children typically leverage play to express themselves. Older children and preteens are more likely to sit on the couch and talk. Sometimes, a session can be a combination of both discussion and activities.
And, I will meet with you at least once a month for parenting sessions where we will exchange thoughts, observations and questions.
Play In Therapy
Children can’t always express themselves verbally. They may not have the vocabulary or their inner world is too scary and confusing to say out loud. When this happens, toys are their words and play is their language.
* A child who fears abandonment by their parents because of an upcoming birth of a sibling, enacts fight scenes between two characters, who are siblings.
* Before starting a board game, a child says they are lucky at games but unlucky for the “important stuff”.
* A child who feels sad and scared about losing a close relative repeatedly creates scenarios with characters (stuffed animals, dinosaurs, etc.) where the adult leaves the child behind.
Play in therapy provides windows into your child’s thoughts and feelings and offers me many openings for further exploration.
Therapy will help your child
Early intervention has a very powerful impact. Let’s help your child now to ease their growth into a person who can weather adversity and experience joy. It’s never too early to give your child an extra helping hand.