My Therapeutic Approach

I provide therapy that is gender-affirming, neurodiversity-affirming, and both culturally and trauma-informed. I prioritize creating a safe, supportive environment where each child’s unique identity, neurodevelopmental profile, and cultural background are respected and celebrated.

Foundations of Play Therapy

In my work with children, I use Non-Directive Play Therapy to create a safe, supportive space where your child can naturally explore and make sense of their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Grounded in psychoanalytic principles, this approach gently honors the deeper, unspoken feelings that shape a child's inner world. At the heart of this therapy is our relationship—a trusting, secure connection that allows your child to heal and grow through the natural language of play.

In our play sessions, your child takes the lead. By choosing how to interact with the materials in the room, they naturally begin to express the deeper thoughts and feelings they might not have the words for yet. I provide a rich variety of creative tools—including LEGOs, dolls, action figures, animals, miniatures, puppets, a sandtray, art supplies, and games—to support their unique communication and sensory needs.

My role is to meet your child where they are. If invited, I will gladly join in their play; otherwise, I sit with them, quietly observing and offering gentle, reflective comments. This supportive space allows us to build a strong bond, helping your child express themselves fully and work through internal challenges in a way that feels safe and natural to them.

Core Elements of Play Therapy

• A Trusting Relationship (The Therapeutic Alliance): I prioritize building a warm, secure relationship with your child. This connection serves as a safe base, allowing them to comfortably explore big emotions and difficult experiences.

• Expressing Feelings Through Play (Symbolic Expression): Children often communicate their worries, fears, and conflicts through play rather than words. Observing how they play helps me understand their inner world and what they might be struggling with unconsciously.

• Exploring Emotions Together: Within our secure therapeutic relationship, I help your child gently navigate and make sense of their feelings. This relational, attachment-focused process helps them grow, heal, and understand their emotional lives.

• A Safe, Non-Judgmental Space: The therapy room is a dedicated, secure environment where your child is free to express themselves fully, which is essential for emotional healing and development.

Who Can Benefit?

Non-Directive Play Therapy is highly effective for children ages 3 to 10. I support children navigating a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental challenges, including:

• Anxiety and depression

• Autism, ADHD, AuDHD and sensory sensitivities

• Attachment disruptions or family changes

• Complex trauma, PTSD, Sexual Abuse Recovery

• Grief and loss

• Social and behavioral challenges

The Potential Benefits of Play Therapy

Through this supportive process, children can experience:

• Better Emotional Regulation: Learning how to manage and express big feelings constructively.

• Healthy Self-Expression: Finding safe ways to communicate thoughts and emotions.

• Deeper Self-Understanding: Gaining clarity around their own behaviors and relationships.

• Stronger Problem-Solving Skills: Developing the confidence to navigate conflicts and challenges.

• Boosted Self-Esteem: Building self-worth as they work through difficulties in their play.

• Healing from Trauma: Safely processing and recovering from painful or overwhelming life events.

• Stronger Relationships: Improving their ability to form secure, healthy connections with others.

The Caregiver’s Role: Partnering in Your Child’s Healing

Because children are deeply connected to their family system, therapy is most effective when the healing work done in the playroom is supported by attachment-focused or connection based parenting at home.

This journey requires a commitment to your own self-regulation, deepening your understanding of your child’s unique developmental profile (including neurodiversity, sensory needs, or trauma responses), and collaboratively working together to understand and meet your child’s needs.

Monthly Parent Consultations

To support you, I schedule monthly to every other month parent sessions, depending on your child’s needs to provide guidance, education, and engage parents collaboration. These meetings are a dedicated space to discuss your child’s progress, address your questions, and collaborate with you on how you can help your child to feel connected and work towards goals set in therapy.

To protect your child’s therapeutic space and privacy, all parent-therapist discussions take place during these scheduled parent sessions, never during your child’s play therapy time.

Your Commitments as a Partner in Therapy

• Active Collaboration: Attend monthly to every other month parent sessions, communicate openly about changes at home, and share relevant developmental or educational history.

• Consistency at Home: Try to implement the parenting strategies we discuss during our parent sessions and focus on connecting with your child.

• Modeling Healthy Behaviors: Practice self-regulation, healthy coping skills, and calm conflict resolution in the home.

• Respecting Therapeutic Boundaries:

  • Avoid asking your child to "report" on what they did in therapy.

  • Please do not instruct your child to do or say specific things during their session. Allowing your child to engage organically respects their process and clinical progress.

• Protecting Your Child’s Privacy: Trust that while I will always keep you informed of overall themes and progress, some specific details of your child's play remain private to preserve their trust in the therapeutic process.

• Openness to Growth: Remain open to reflecting on your own parenting patterns and emotional responses as they relate to your child’s needs.

• Advocacy: Collaborate with other professionals (such as teachers or pediatricians) to support your child’s well-being across all areas of their life.

How to Get Started

If you believe your child could benefit from play therapy, please visit my Contact page to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation. Together, we can discuss how to best support your child and family.