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Child & Adolescent Behaviors
When working with children and adolescents, I take a comprehensive look at the whole picture including the child's or adolescent's behaviors at home, school and daycare; medical history; family history and patterns; and the parents' understanding of parenting. I believe it is important to coordinate treatment with other professionals when appropriate such as the pediatrician or primary care physician, teachers, day care providers, caretakers, or other family members.
Play Therapy
I offer play therapy for young children, which includes sandplay, puppets, games, and art. Play therapy focuses on the child's need to express herself through the use of play and toys. Children like to play, it comes naturally to them. Play becomes therapeutic as they give expression to their experiences and emotions. Children can recreate, in play, their anger, fears, sadness or frustrations, especially when there is a trusting relationship established between the therapist and the child. Play therapy may be a long process, depending on the developmental stage of the child and the age of the child at the time of the emotionally stressful experience.
Adolescents
My work with adolescents includes establishing a safe, trusting environment, listening attentively, giving support, being non-judgmental, and helping them to individuate so they can begin to establish a healthy self-identity. I help adolescents learn to identify triggers to anger and to express themselves to others in positive and more productive ways.
Behaviors
Is your child experiencing any of the following?
- Acting out of control
- Aggressive behavior
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Extreme shyness
- Fears
- Feeling sad
- Forgetfulness
- Isolating themselves from others
- Issues with food or eating
- Learning difficulties
- Low self esteem
- Oppositional attitude
- Overactivity
- Poor academic performance
- Problems with peers
- Other behaviors that trouble you
Other Factors
The following factors may be influencing your child's behaviors:
- Beginning or returning to school
- Bullying
- Divorce
- Family conflict
- Family illness
- Job loss of a parent
- Loss of a family member
- Return of a military parent
- Separation
- Substance abuse
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