There is no shortage of advice available to parents. Books, magazines, teachers, in-laws and other parents all have something to say. Sifting through that advice and finding solutions that work for your family can be daunting. Parent consultation is an opportunity to look at problem behavior through the lens of your values, your skills and […]
Preschoolers and adolescents have a lot in common. At each of these stages, children are attempting to understand who they are and how they fit into the larger world. Often they define themselves clumsily as “not you.” This creates problems for parents, who often feel hurt and rejected by their formerly very loving children. How […]
As parents, we are pretty clear on the basics of raising physically healthy children (nutrition, exercise, sleep, hygiene). But we receive relatively little information about supporting children’s emotional health. This is unfortunate because emotional health is key to living a stable, happy and successful life. In the absence of guidance, we as parents tend to […]
A play therapy group for siblings of disabled children
Sibling relationships are always complex. When one of the siblings is disabled, the many layers of emotion can be difficult for the non-disabled sibling to negotiate. Feelings of love and family loyalty compete with feelings of frustration, anger and embarrassment. “Of course I love my brother/sister, but […]
I meet with the child in my office usually once a week. I have a wide range of toys, games and activities available to assist in understanding and communicating with the child. Individual play therapy creates a safe place for the child to heal and grow. I meet regularly with parents during this process to […]
Family dynamics may be holding unwanted patterns of behavior in place. Family therapy can help family members to understand these patterns, and to open up the lines of communication. Through this process, family members can learn to take on more open and authentic roles. Family therapy is often used to help family members adjust following […]
In filial therapy the therapist teaches the parent the skills used in non-directive play therapy. Filial therapy is used to strengthen the relationship between parent and child, and help the parent better understand the child’s world. The skills taught in filial therapy can then be used to address everyday conflicts between parent and child.
I use a relational approach of deep listening and reflection to assist with developing a better understanding of self. Sand tray and art materials are available to help patients of all ages to get in touch with thoughts and feelings at a pre-verbal level. As these are brought to the surface we can work together […]