Background:
For over 35 years I have specialized in helping children with anxiety, trauma, special needs, giftedness, adoption issues, OCD, peer and social issues, depression, neurodiversity, addiction in the family, and grief.
My graduate studies were in Family Systems Theory from Phillips Graduate Institute, a foundation that assists me to this day in valuing the entire system around a child. Inclusive of the child's immediate family, and any other supportive or integral partners in the child's daily experience, such as their school, OT, Psychiatrist, Neuro Testing provider and/or MDs, when requested by the parent. I am often involved in the development of IEP and 504 plans. I am an adoptive parent and have 10 years of experience providing foster care to special needs children. I was an expert witness for the Attorney general's office in WA state regarding parenting and the welfare of children for over 15 years.
Types Of Evidenced Based Therapy I Provide:
- Child Centered Play Therapy (humanistic, non-directive therapeutic play therapy)
- Filial Therapy (family based, client centered play therapy)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) (behavioral)
- EMDR (somatic, trauma treatment)
- Gestalt Therapy (client centered, experiential)
- Flash Therapy (somatic, trauma treatment)
- Theraplay (directive therapeutic play therapy)
- Sand Tray Therapy (experiential therapy)
- Expressive Arts (experiential, client centered therapy)
These Different Therapies Can Help Your Child To:
- express complex feelings while remaining emotionally safe
- boost their self-esteem by building confidence in their own choices and problem-solving skills
- strengthen their emotional regulation through Therapeutic Play which is a safe outlet to work through big feelings
- build their coping capacity
- support their processing of trauma without the pressure necessarily of talking
- make the connection of how their thoughts affect their feelings, which then effect their behavior; and then learning how to identify and change those patterns while taking proactive steps towards change
- create more understanding about themselves which can lead to an increase in acceptance of self
- reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of negatives states
- strengthen their relationships in the family
- access the joy that is resident in them
- connect deeply, because it is through relationship that lasting change is made
More information:
I provide Filial Therapy to train parents to provide Therapeutic Play at home which increases the parent and child bond, improves parenting skills, increases the child's self -regulation, decreases aggression and power struggles, and improves the child's sense of competence and self -esteem. I trained with the originators of Filial, NIRE Institute
In the area of Child Centered Play Therapy, I had the privilege of training with Dr. Byron Norton and was mentored by Ken Schwartzenberger. I am a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S) which is extensive post graduate training specifically for Play Therapy for children ages 3-11
My EMDR training is through EMDRIA where I am Certified with a specialty in treating trauma in children
I am SPACE trained (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) by Dr. Eli Lebowitz from Yale
I am fully trained through The Oaklander Institute for Gestalt Therapy with children, whose founder was
Dr. Violet Oaklander
I have advanced training in Flash Therapy and am in a consult group with its originator,
Dr. Phil Manfield
I trained with the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute (BTTI) in adult and pediatric for OCD with supervision originally from Dr. Katia Moritz and then Dr. Aureen Wagner, with ongoing consultation with
Dr. Wagner
I am Level Two trained in Theraplay and am trained in providing the MIM
I have had the privilege of training from Dr. Ross Greene (Collaborative Problem-Solving Method) and
Dr. Russell Barkley for ADHD
I have extensive experience in the area of Addiction
I make referrals for children of separated and/or divorced parents and I do not provide therapy where litigation is likely.
