LPC, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
Hi there! Are you looking for therapy for children & adolescents? Great, that's my thing! I work exclusively with children, teens, and young adults (think "college kid" age). I'm a “kid-person” at heart, and I know it shows in my ability to connect with and support my young clients. Working with this special age group is more than a job; it is both a calling and an honor.
First sessions will always take the form of an "intake appointment" where we will have the opportunity to discuss your/your child's psychosocial history, current symptoms, and goals. I have an intake form that I will talk through with you/your child to help me get a better idea of the situation. Please note: for children under 14, the intake session must include a parent/guardian; for those over 14, you can decide whether or not it would be helpful for me to speak with your parent/guardian first.
There are countless approaches and modalities of therapy. Different things work differently for different people in their different situations. I like to use something I call the "best of the best" approach; I pull the "best" or most impactful/relevant bits from many modalities and apply them to your/your child's individual needs. My go-to approaches to pull from include: CBT, DBT, Child-Centered Play Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Art Therapy, Solution-Focused Therapy, Strengths-Based Therapy, Feminist Therapy, and Gestalt.
My ideal client is a child, teenager, or young adult who is comfortable with, and capable of having meaningful conversations via telehealth. I don't like to use an exact age limitation because everyone is unique. I have held impactful virtual sessions with children as young as 8, but have also struggled to keep an 18 year-old engaged in the session. You know your child/yourself best, but generally speaking my telehealth clients are between the ages of 8-22. Some of the most common themes in my work with clients include: building self-esteem, self-reliance, and self-advocacy; coping with family stressors like a move or a divorce; exploring one's identity; managing depression, anxiety, stress, and anger; processing difficult or traumatic events; and addressing feminist issues and concerns.
All health professionals should be looking at their work with patients through the lens of Trauma Informed Care. Trauma is defined as any experience big or small, that causes feelings of significant distress, fear, anxiety, or shame. We can carry trauma for years after the event; it lives in our bodies and minds, and can affect our physical health and the way we behave and think. In my work with young people, it is an honor to support them in processing trauma so that it does not follow them into adulthood.
CBT is an amazing "toolbox" for any child or adolescent. The core principle of CBT is that our thoughts directly impact our feelings. CBT helps us recognize unhelpful patterns in our thinking that may be contributing to feelings of anxiety, frustration, anger, and depression.
Child-centered Therapy is the cornerstone of every interaction I've ever had with my young clients.