Art and Play Therapy
Art and play in the therapeutic process have a purpose. Children communicate better using their imagination through art and play, as they often have not acquired the ability to verbalize abstract emotions though standard talk therapy like adults. During your child’s art and play sessions I will integrate art, play, behavior, verbal, and non-verbal body language to help your child express or communicate their feelings and thoughts. I use toys, puppets, props, sand, art, and structured games to stimulate the child’s creative expression and encourage therapeutic engagement. I welcome your child to join me in the natural act of playing without constraint in a safe space.
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), is an evidenced-based treatment intended to support both children and parents or caregivers after experiencing a traumatic event in the family. This model is generally geared towards younger children between the ages of 0 and 5 who have experienced a traumatic event such as but not limited to; maltreatment, the sudden or traumatic death of someone close, a serious accident, sexual abuse, exposure to domestic violence. CPP is a relationship-based treatment for parents and young children, meaning that the majority of sessions include both the child and their parent/caregiver, as we work to restore the attachment relationship that may have been negatively impacted by the traumatic event.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a treatment effective for; depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and severe mental illness. CBT is geared to help the client become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking so that they can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way. Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety generally focuses on specific problems, using a goal-oriented approach. As you go through the therapy process, I may ask you to do homework activities, reading or practices that build on what you learn during your regular therapy sessions and encourage you to apply what you're learning in your daily life. The goal of CBT is to help you learn about your mental health condition and leave with techniques such as relaxation, coping, resilience, stress management and assertiveness.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety (DBT) is useful in treating mood disorders, suicidal ideation, and change in behavioral patterns such as self-harm and substance use. DBT teaches skills to cope with, and change, unhealthy behaviors. DBT is divided into four stages of treatment. Stages are defined by the severity of your behavior and/or symptoms. The ultimate goal of DBT is to help you live a life you feel good about.
Mindfulness and Relaxation Exercises
Mindfulness and Relaxation Exercises can help ease trauma, anxiety, and depression while improving your relationships and overall well-being. I offer several mindfulness and relaxation exercises that help calm awareness of your own thoughts, emotions, and experiences in the moment. These exercises include but are not limited to, breathing methods, guided imagery, and other practices to relax the body and mind and help reduce stress. Mindfulness practices are generally thought to work by changing your brain’s responses to stress. With mindfulness practices you can strengthen the part of your brain that manages your emotions and decrease the neurological “fight or flight,” response that can cause anxiety. Mindfulness exercises will help the client focus on being deeply aware of what they sensing and feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment.
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is an evidence-based treatment approach shown to help children, adolescents, and their parents/caregivers overcome trauma-related difficulties, including child maltreatment. TF-CBT involves teaching you and your child about the type(s) of trauma your child experienced, relaxation strategies, how to identify feelings in self and others, how to cope with negative feelings, helpful versus unhelpful ways of thinking, and safety skills. Storytelling is great and efficient way to heal from trauma. As your child progresses with TF-CBT they will tell the story of their trauma to their parent/caregiver including their thoughts and feelings about the trauma. I will teach the parent/caregiver how to best respond to the child’s story. The goal of TF-CBT is for the family to move forward beyond the trauma, having integrated it into their life story, rather than excluding it. Research studies suggest that by the end of 12-16 treatment sessions, TF-CBT can resolve PTSD, depression, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, shame, and other problems.
