Play Therapy for Children, Adolescents and Families In-Person & via Telehealth (online/phone). 

Children

"You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation." Plato

When children have experienced a considerable change in their lives or have survived traumatic events they need to express and understand their feelings. Through the therapeutic use of play, children are given the opportunity to express their feelings naturally, and safely, therefore enabling the healing process to begin.

Common issues addressed:

  • Excessive anger, worry, sadness or fear
  • Aggressive behaviors
  • Separation anxiety
  • Grief and loss
  • Attachment issues
  • Depression
  • Excessive shyness
  • Behavioral regression
  • Low self esteem
  • Academic difficulties
  • Difficulties with peers
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Postpartum Stress Disorder
  • Sleep, eating or elimination problems
  • Preoccupation with sexual behaviors
  • Difficulty adjusting to family changes
  • Physical symptoms (headaches or stomach aches with no medical cause)

 

Play Therapy

Child therapy incorporates the use of play therapy, which includes different activities that help children understand behaviors, emotions, relationships, and related post-traumatic event symptoms. Children learn to process what they are going through, instead of acting out, by adopting useful, healthy behaviors. Children therapy includes active work with parents to help them understand their children's behaviors and teach them parenting tools to assist them managing such behaviors. As a child-centered play therapist, the focus is to provide the child with unconditional positive regard, empathy, congruence and fun. Parents/caregivers are helped to better understand their childs’ needs.

For more information about Play Therapy, visit www.a4pt.org

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

When families are in need of help with behaviors of their children as well as their feelings and thoughts, this form of therapy is often the best form of treatment.  CBT allows you and your children to understand what is going on and how improve your communication wish one another. Children learn from what they see and hear on a daily basis.

Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT)

This form of therapy assist children and their parents who have gone through terrifying experiences such as sexual abuse or other traumas.  The goal is to work closely with you and your child to develop a safe and secure self and environment within the family.

  • “It is a happy talent to know how to play.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • “Time spent playing with children is never wasted.” - Dawn Iantero
  • “Play is the most natural method of self-healing that childhood affords.” - Erik Erikson
  • “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - George Bernard Shaw
  • “Play is the highest form of research.” - Albert Einstein