Therapeutic Services

In my practice, I work with Children, Teenagers, Families, and Adults.  I work with my clients to find their inner pace, so they in turn can live a fuller life.  We work on managing emotions in a world that is constantly moving.  I have witnessed that one is in tune with ones emotions, it helps them to develop their own inner voice and feel more confident and empowered, and allows them to heal the wounds that might keep them emotionally stuck.

Counseling for Children

I am trained in a number of methods for providing counseling to young children, non-verbal children, and children with special needs.  These methods include Art Therapy, SandTray Therapy, and Play Therapy.  Children often struggle to communicate - whether its communicating about their emotions, or something that is impacting their well-being, young children and children with special needs need different methods for communicating their struggles.

Expressive Arts Therapy allows for the expression of a child's imagination and creativity.  SandTray Therapy can be used as an adjunct to talk therapy.  Children use symbolic objects to portray difficult feelings without verbalization in the Sand tray.  In Play Therapy we use the natural language of children - play - as a means for encouraging communication of struggles and ideas that children would otherwise have difficulty expressing.   

I offer specific counseling services to children for:

  • Children in the Autism Spectrum
  • ADHD / ADD
  • Anger Management
  • Behavioral Problems
  • Self Esteem Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Coping skills for life transitions
  • Coping with Grief or Loss

Counseling for Families

Every member of the family is an integral part of the family system - which is why when one family member is struggling, that family member can have an impact on the entire family.  In working together in Family Therapy, I will help the family examine how each one solves problems and expresses their thoughts and opinions.  The way in which others not only express their opinions, but also the way in which we listen and hear them can have a dramatic impact on how the family interacts.  Do we hear what our family members are saying, or do we make assumptions about what they are saying?  Do members of the family express themselves in a way that allows others to hear, and promote conversations, or do they communicate in a way that closes down the conversation and makes everyone upset?  Together we will explore roles, rules, and behavioral patterns to help your family move towards a path of open communication, rather than hostile communication.

Family Therapy may benefit you if your family is having difficulty with:

  • Constant yelling or arguing
  • Misbehavior, and lack of respect
  • Consistency and follow through by parents and children
  • Parenting Skills
  • Divorce or Separation 
  • Major life changes within the family
  • Relocation
  • Empty Nest Syndrome - finding a purpose after the children have left the house

I offer specific counseling services to Families for:

  • Parent / child relationship difficulties
  • Divorce for Children and Parents
  • Family Issues
  • Parenting Skills 
  • Military transitions and adapting to changes

Counseling for Teens

Teen counseling can help you and your teen understand why your teen is rebelling and acting out.  Teen counseling is focused on creating closer and more trusting family relationships.  Teen counseling can help improve their self esteem, improve their self confidence, and reduce destructive behavior.  Teenagers often experience worry, anxiety, and stress.  Much of this happens because of the walls or shields teens put up around themselves.  We work to bring down these walls.  We also work on recognizing anger as an emotion, and learning methods for not letting the anger control you.  In learning to recognize Anger, there are a couple of personality styles we also learn to recognize:

Anger Avoidance - fear of your anger or anger in others can cause you to lack assertiveness.  Learning to recognize this helps you to be more assertive, and to stand up for yourself more effectively.

Paranoid Anger - if you believe that people are out to get you, if you always blame others for your struggles, then you view others through a lens of anger.  One will tend to feel insecure, and to mistrust the motives of others.  It is important to look at the whole picture, to understand your own pain and anger.  By understanding your own pain and anger, you can then become more secure in how you interact with others, and can learn to trust other people.  

I offer specific counseling for Teens:

  • Teen Issues (Social issues)
  • Mindfulness in your daily life
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Panic Attacks
  • Anger Management
  • Self Esteem Issues
  • Stress Management
  • Grief and Loss 
  • Self Identity

Counseling for Adults (and Teens) - Becoming the Best Version of You!

When you believe in yourself, the possibilities are endless.  William Shakespeare said it best, "Nothing is good or bad, only thinking makes it so."  Our thinking drives what we believe.  Life happens and things happen that we have no control over, however, ultimately you have the choice on how you let life's challenges affect you.  One's thoughts eventually become our reality, they become ingrained as a pattern.  What we believe can either make us happy or can break us and make us feel sad and depressed.

Changing your definition of failure

When you have failed or made a mistake, it is not always a bad thing.  It means your are engaged in life, taking risks to achieve a goal.  To create a life filled with purpose requires making mistakes and venturing into the unknown.  What individuals struggle with is the unknown or undefined parts of life, and recovering from setbacks that the unknown creates.  Individuals learn more through making mistakes - if they have a mindset oriented towards growth, and this is where working with a therapist can be a great asset to one's process in self-growth!

I can help you take steps towards becoming the best version of you - here are some steps we work on:

  • Stay in the moment, don't focus on the past or future.  Be mindful of the present.
  • Decide what you want out of life and what you stand for.
  • Love, nourish, and support yourself
  • Focus on the good, not the bad
  • Believe in yourself!

 I offer specific counseling for Adults:

  • Mindfulness in your daily life
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Panic Attacks
  • Anger Management
  • Self Esteem Issues
  • Stress Management
  • Grief and Loss