Play Therapy:

For children, play is the safest and most effective way to practice their life skills. From understanding their own complex feelings, to learning how to tolerate disappointments or distress, play is where it all happens. It is also where parents can join in and learn a bit more about their child’s unique perspectives. 

In my practice, I help children use their play to tell their grown-ups what they have been finding challenging. Once we are able to see what the play is showing us, most grown-ups start to come up with their own creative ways of how to support and respond to their child. This process strengthens not only the child-parent bond, but also develops a skill that can grow with the child and the parent as they face new challenges in the future.  

• Challenges with regulating emotions, managing transitions and distress tolerance.

• Difficulty with attending school, social connection, peer relationships.

• Exploration of gender identity and sexuality.

• Recovery from trauma experiences, including medical trauma, family violence or sexual abuse. 

• Working on increasing flexibility and ability to tolerate uncertainty.