Services
Play Therapy
The very last thing a child wants to do is sit around and talk about his or her problems! Play therapy is a way of creating a healing environment which is:
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Child-focused
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Completely accepting
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Predictable
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Safe
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Fun!
We have a variety of inviting toys in our offices, and part of the work of the therapy involves playing out and coming to an understanding of important emotional issues in story form. However, the real changes happen because of our unique therapeutic relationship with the child. Knowing the child’s history and using skills honed over years of study and experience, we can be the exact playmate the child needs at any moment.
Many children are anxious about coming to therapy, however in a very short time they begin to count the hours until their next session. Spending 50 minutes with someone who is completely focused on you can be addictive!
Like any important life experience, play therapy has a beginning, where we start to form our relationship, a middle, where we work through problems, and an end, where we gradually let go of the relationship which is no longer needed. The timing for this is individual and can range from six weeks to six months to six years, depending on the severity of the emotional issue and the amount of “hard-wiring” involved.
Individual Therapy
We offer individual counseling for children, teens, and parents. Our therapists are trained in a variety of different treatment modalities, including specialized techniques like DBT and CBT, which we tailor to the needs of each individual. Most clients come for their therapy appointment weekly. The length of treatment varies tremendously from 6 weeks to 3 years for others, depending on what each client needs and wants.
Family Therapy
The most efficient way to resolve relationship issues within a family is to have all of the players in the room at the same time. Our therapists will often work with some or all family members individually, then bring them together to discuss important issues that involve the whole family. Most families come in weekly, or bi-weekly, and most family issues can be resolved within a relatively short time frame.
Parent Coaching
Many parents just need a few sessions of education and encouragement to turn around discipline problems with their children. Because parents need time to practice new skills, most parent coaching appointments are scheduled bi-weekly or monthly. Often parents just come on an as-needed basis, as they learn skills and situations evolve.