In my work, I help:
- Parents become more confident in their ability to understand and handle their child’s emotions and behavior
- Children exhibit less anxiety and fewer instances of tantrums/aggression
- Parents experience less stress and more satisfaction with their parenting
- Spouses have happier marriages
- Families experience more joy, connection and peace in the home.
My services include:
Family Consultations
I consult with parents to learn about their hopes for their families and children and how I can best support them. For some families, parent consultations are the primary form of support while others also pursue child and/or family therapy. Family consultations are also held throughout the course of individual child play therapy to track progress and recommend specific strategies to be implemented at home.
Individual Child Play Therapy
Many children need individual support when facing the challenges that accompany childhood. As play is a child’s primary form of communication, the best way to help children access and understand the issues and emotions they are struggling with is through play therapy. I personalize each child’s play therapy experience to fit his/her needs, but all of my work is rooted in a child-centered approach. Most children are seen once a week for 30-50 minutes depending on the age and needs of the child, and family consultations are held on a regular basis in conjunction with play therapy.
Family Therapy/Family Play Therapy
In order to fully support an entire family it is sometimes most helpful to have everyone meet together. The family works as a group to handle the issues that arise and meet the needs of everyone. This can be accomplished through traditional talk therapy/strategies although, when working with children, it is usually most helpful to incorporate family play therapy interventions as well.
Child/Parent Relationship Training ®
Child/Parent Relationship Training ® is a 10 week group program created by Gary L. Landreth and Sue C. Bratton aimed at strengthening the parent/child relationship through special playtime. In this program, parents meet weekly as a group to discuss their struggles and learn how to respond to the needs of their children. Parents are taught play therapy skills to be implemented during special playtime sessions at home. Specific topics are covered each session, including reflective responding, basic principles of play therapy, appropriate limit setting and self-esteem building.
Presentations/Workshops
Presentations and workshops are provided to schools, parent groups, community organizations, religious centers and social service agencies.
Topics include:
- Mindful Parenting
- Strengthening the Parent/Child Relationship
- Enhancing the School/Family Connection
- Infant/Toddler Mental Health
- Handling Sibling Conflict
In addition, I am a facilitator of Montclair State University’s “Keeping Babies and Children in Mind” training program, which is a series of workshops in infant and early childhood mental health that is offered at no cost to professionals who work with infants, toddlers, young children and their families.
More information on this program can be found here.