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I work with a very diverse group of clients from any cultural background, ethnic group, sexual orientation, or age group. Children Adolescents Adults (all ages) Families children Children often lack the ability to verbally express inner conflict, so their struggles manifest as behavior problems such as defiance, anger, crying, clinginess or tantrums. Children communicate best through play, music, art, games and movement, so I use creative combinations of these mediums to help them communicate troubling thoughts and feelings. I help parents learn to better understand their children’s language. My work with children also requires a fair amount of family involvement and occasionally “coaching” sessions with the parents. I can explain this process further during our initial consultation. The types of issues I most often address with young children are: Sadness Crying Anger or Tantrums Being Bullied or Bullying Others Defiance Difficulty Focusing or Paying Attention Difficulty Developing Friendships with Peers Self-Esteem Issues Nervousness or Anxiety School Problems Parent-Child Conflict Traumatic Experiences Death, Grief and Loss Family changes, such as divorce, separation, or remarriage
adolescents The teenage years are undoubtedly the most difficult for teens and their parents alike. As adolescents struggle to navigate the road from childhood to adulthood and develop beliefs, identities and personas separate from those of their families, they may find themselves stuck in some stage of the process. Many teens feel misunderstood and isolated. More often than not, teens and parents find themselves equally frustrated by the other party’s apparent lack of understanding. I work to help teenagers overcome the difficulties inherent in this developmental stage, while also striving to reconcile any conflicts that may exist in the family as a result of this process. I work with a variety of issues unique to adolescents, but a majority of my teenage clients arrive in therapy for the following reasons: Fears and Worries Stress or Exhaustion Social Pressures Bullying or Being Bullied Parent-Child Conflict Peer or Relationship Difficulties Sadness or Depression Eating Disorders Poor Self-Esteem Family changes, such as divorce, separation, or remarriage School Problems Defiance Anger Traumatic Experiences Risk Taking Death, Grief and Loss adults Adults often come to therapy by their own free will and in response to dissatisfaction or pain in some area of their lives. Perhaps that pain has already consumed every aspect of your life. Perhaps you exert great energy to ignore it as you present a façade to the world, all the while feeling yourself deteriorate on the inside. Perhaps you have exhausted every possibility in trying to deal with a difficult situation. Maybe you just feel stagnant in your life. Whatever your personal motivation for seeking help, I will strive to develop a thorough understanding of who you are and what your goals are in coming to therapy. Our work will focus on helping you access your own internal strengths and resources, whether you believe you have them or not, in order to meet your personal goals. Adults come into therapy with a wide range of issues, but the following are some of the most frequently addressed: Friend or Relationship Difficulties Sadness or Depression Loneliness Emptiness Anxiety, Fears, Phobias Grief and Loss A Desire for Insight Marital Problems or Infidelity Sexual Orientation Issues (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender) Poor Self-Esteem Traumatic Experiences Difficulty with the Aging Process Parenting or Family Concerns/Step-families families Families typically come to therapy due to difficulty navigating an important change or transition. I do not allow a family to place blame on any individual member for disrupting the system and creating whatever problem brings the family into therapy. I work with the family as a whole to improve the life and happiness of each individual person. When an entire family is willing to engage and actively participate in therapy it often becomes one of the most rewarding and positive of all the therapeutic experiences. Most families come in due to difficulty with one of the following transitions: Divorce or Separation Remarriage Stepfamilies Death, Loss, Grief