From a psychoanalytic framework, I specialize in helping children ages 3 to eleven navigate anxiety, attachment struggles, behavioral challenges, depression, and trauma. My goal is to help them find connection, balance, and relief through therapeutic exploration and understanding.

I prioritize understanding children’s unique internal world, personal history, processing style, and sensory preferences rather than pathologizing their experiences.

My Approach and Framework

Psychodynamic Non-Directive Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach designed to help children explore and understand their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. This method is grounded in psychoanalytic principles, focusing on the unconscious processes that influence a child's emotional and psychological development. It prioritizes the relationship between the therapist and the client, building a trusting foundation from which connection and play can occur.

Unstructured Play The child leads the play sessions, choosing how to engage with the provided materials. This unstructured play is crucial for allowing unconscious thoughts and emotions to surface. A wide variety of mediums—including LEGO, dolls, action figures, animals, puppets, sandtrays, art, and games—are offered for communication. I will join in the play if the child invites me, or alternatively, observe and offer reflective comments and questions to deepen trust, enhance the therapeutic process, and increase understanding of the child’s internal conflicts and struggles.Therapeutic Alliance: I prioritize building a strong, trusting relationship with children as a fundamental component of treatment. This alliance serves as a secure base, enabling children to explore their emotions and experiences within the clinical setting.

  • Therapeutic Alliance Building a strong, trusting relationship is a fundamental component of treatment. This alliance serves as a secure base, enabling children to explore their emotions and experiences within the clinical setting.

  • Symbolic Expression Play is utilized as a medium for children to symbolically express fears, anxieties, and conflicts. This process provides insight into the child’s internal world and underlying unconscious processes.

  • Emotional Exploration I observe and guide children as they explore emotional experiences within the therapeutic relationship. Through this relational and attachment-focused process, children gain insight into their emotional lives, fostering growth and integration.

  • Safe Environment The therapy room is maintained as a secure, non-judgmental space where children can express themselves freely. This environment is critical for fostering emotional development and psychological healing.

Potential Benefits

  • Improved Emotional Regulation: Helps children learn to manage and regulate emotions effectively.

  • Enhanced Self-Expression: Encourages the healthy expression of thoughts and feelings.

  • Increased Insight and Understanding: Provides clarity regarding internal thoughts, relational patterns, and behavioral responses.

  • Developed Problem-Solving Skills: Enhances the child's capacity to navigate challenges and conflicts.

  • Boosted Self-Esteem: Increases self-confidence and self-worth through the resolution of issues in play.

  • Healing from Trauma: Provides a safe environment for children to process and recover from traumatic experiences, including abuse, loss, and other adverse events.

  • Strengthened Relationships: Enhances the ability to form secure attachments and healthy interpersonal connections.

Who Can Benefit? Psychodynamic Non-Directive Play Therapy is effective for children ages 3 to 10 dealing with:

  • Anxiety

  • ADHD

  • Attachment disruptions

  • Complex Trauma

  • Depression

  • Grief and loss

  • Social challenges

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

How to Get Started If you believe your child could benefit from therapy, please reach out to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation.