My focus for individual and family therapy is to look at both the individual child and the family dynamics to help support through different modalities.  

My area of focus include:

• Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) helps improve a child's moods, anxiety, and behavior by examining confused or distorted patterns of thinking. CBT therapists teach children that thoughts cause feelings and moods which can influence behavior. During CBT, a child learns to identify harmful thought patterns. The therapist then helps the child replace this thinking with thoughts that result in more appropriate feelings and behaviors. Research shows that CBT can be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including depression and anxiety. Specialized forms of CBT have also been developed to help children coping with traumatic experiences. Please note that I also have a specific focus on CBT with 3-5 youth population.  CBT for younger children is framed through play as well as teaching education to enhance emotional literacy in a developmentally appropriate manner.

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• Play Therapy involves the use of toys, blocks, dolls, puppets, drawings, and games to help the child recognize, identify, and verbalize feelings. The psychotherapist observes how the child uses play materials and identifies themes or patterns to understand the child's problems. Through a combination of talk and play the child has an opportunity to better understand and manage their conflicts, feelings, and behavior.​​

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My goal is to individualize therapy to meet the needs of children of all ages regarding their own specific challenges.  I believe that building on strengths if the core foundation for early learning and development for children in terms of supporting them in recognizing their emotions, their behaviors and allowing them strategies to find ways to successfully communicate their needs in safe ways.  

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