I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist living in northern California. I have spent almost two decades providing a safe space for children and families to grow, heal, express feelings, build attachments, learn respectful communication skills, and fill their toolboxes with coping strategies. My approach is down to earth, compassionate and non-judgmental. It is my deep belief that healing happens through connection. You and your family don't have to do this alone.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
Our first session together will focus on creating a positive connection in a safe environment while we get to know one another to determine if our therapeutic relationship will be a good fit for you and/or your child's current path of personal growth.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
As a therapist, I feel my greatest strength is creating a sense of safety for both children and caregivers. Feeling safe is the most vital component in a therapeutic relationship; it allows for opening, connecting, expressing, expanding, and sharing thoughts and feelings necessary for growth and healing. I also bring curiosity, stability, warmth, and playfulness to our sessions.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
I work with children of all ages and their families to strengthen family relationships, personal growth, and well-being through improving communication, resolving conflict, and treating mental health and behavioral conditions.
About Katie Nerelli
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VirtualMy treatment methods
Child Parent Psychotherapy
Child Parent Psychotherapy supports young children ages 0-5 and their caregivers heal and grow after a stressful experience. When difficult things happen, children need their caregivers to be able to make sense of what their family went through, know what to expect in the future, and learn to cope with challenging negative emotions. I help parents and children to better understand each other, talk and play about difficult experiences, respond to difficult feelings and behaviors, and create a family story that leads to healing. CPP may help when children have been through a scary or painful event such as loss of a loved one, separation, serious medical condition, abuse or violence in the home or community, family members have physical or mental health difficulties, or when children experience a change in placement or caregivers.
Play Therapy
When we feel safe, we can play! Combine fun and a skilled therapeutic container and you've got the potential for major growth. Play therapy is used to help clients ages 3-12 to better express themselves and resolve their problems in a way of being with the child that that honors their unique developmental level and looks for ways of helping in the language of the child - play.
Trauma-Focused CBT
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a structured approach to healing trauma experienced by children ages 3-18. TF-CBT typically lasts 8-25 sessions and involves caregiver participation. TF-CBT is appropriate for children with a known trauma history and are currently experiencing symptoms related to the trauma such as emotional reactions (intense fear, sadness, irritability, numbness, or they may seem hopeless, helpless, withdrawn), behavioral changes (clinginess, aggression, problems with eating, sleeping or paying attention), repeat themes of trauma in their play, school refusal.