Therapeutic Approach
What I have discovered over the years in working with families as well as parenting children of my own is that our work in nurturing the inner lives of our children, especially in today’s world, calls for increased care, education and support. I firmly believe that we were not intended to parent alone, yet we often hesitate to expand our circle of support, particularly as our children get older. Instead, we choose to take on the heavy weight of parenting as if we should know naturally what to do all the time. If we are to continually deepen and refine our awareness and abilities as parents, we must recognize that for all the instinctual wisdom we draw upon, there are also layers of wisdom and support that lie outside of ourselves. I work to create a space that is supportive and nurturing, where therapy is recognized as a resource and collaboration between therapist, child, and parent. I believe that it does take a village and am honored to be invited into so many families' lives to offer support.
Therapy sessions are individualized and several factors are taken into consideration when determining which therapeutic modalities are best for each individual child. Most children struggle with sitting and talking for an extended period of time so creating sessions that are engaging and where learning is experiential is key! Art-based activities, music and movement provide a means for children to learn and can sometimes help them convey what may be difficult to express with words. In general, cognitive-behavioral therapies can help the therapist and child discover how thoughts and feelings and behaviors are all interconnected. Mindfulness-based interventions are an experiential way for children to practice cultivating greater self-awareness. By learning to pay attention to their present moment experiences with a curious eye and with kindness, children can learn to extract themselves from the cycle of unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Yoga and breathwork are also tools that can heighten awareness, teach self-regulation and help tune into the mind-body relationship. With practice, children can learn to make friends with their body and breath, empowering them to find refuge within.
Many of the skills learned in-session are encouraged to become a regular practice through what we call home practices. Home practices provide your child with opportunities to build more awareness and coping skills to help support them in everyday experiences. Like most things in life, we become more skilled and well-versed in something that we put into practice. Practice is a key agent to change! Parents are often invited into a portion of our scheduled sessions to learn how to best support their child with home practices.
Therapy sessions are individualized and several factors are taken into consideration when determining which therapeutic modalities are best for each individual child. Most children struggle with sitting and talking for an extended period of time so creating sessions that are engaging and where learning is experiential is key! Art-based activities, music and movement provide a means for children to learn and can sometimes help them convey what may be difficult to express with words. In general, cognitive-behavioral therapies can help the therapist and child discover how thoughts and feelings and behaviors are all interconnected. Mindfulness-based interventions are an experiential way for children to practice cultivating greater self-awareness. By learning to pay attention to their present moment experiences with a curious eye and with kindness, children can learn to extract themselves from the cycle of unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Yoga and breathwork are also tools that can heighten awareness, teach self-regulation and help tune into the mind-body relationship. With practice, children can learn to make friends with their body and breath, empowering them to find refuge within.
Many of the skills learned in-session are encouraged to become a regular practice through what we call home practices. Home practices provide your child with opportunities to build more awareness and coping skills to help support them in everyday experiences. Like most things in life, we become more skilled and well-versed in something that we put into practice. Practice is a key agent to change! Parents are often invited into a portion of our scheduled sessions to learn how to best support their child with home practices.
the First Few Sessions...
The first session (called an Intake Session) is scheduled with the parent(s) in order to gather information about your child. It provides an opportunity for open dialogue, where parents can express their thoughts and concerns, desires and hopes for their child. Prior to your scheduled Intake Session, you’ll receive an intake form to be completed. If you prefer, you can arrive 15- minutes early for the Intake Session to complete this questionnaire. Depending on the age and comfort level of the child, the second session typically starts with child and parent and then child and therapist. The purpose of this session is to build a rapport between the therapist and child and to learn a little more through the child’s perspective; their interests, strengths and challenges. By session three and four, a treatment plan will be created. This is when we write down what the focus of our sessions will be. The treatment plan outlines what areas the parent and child would like to see change or growth. The plan is comprised of measurable goals and objectives and will help guide us in the remaining sessions as we work towards achieving these goals. We will revisit the treatment plan often to help us decide if/when goals need to be changed or added or when they have been achieved.
