As a child/teen, you can feel as if each year, month, and sometimes, even each day, you are learning, growing, thinking, & feeling in new ways that you had not been aware of previously. You may experience situational difficulties that are time-limited, or experience major life changes that will prove to be life-long, and at times even positive encounters can cause stress.
The way I work with children is not one in which the child can be dropped off for a session with me and s/he gets “fixed”. There will be times in which the child’s caregiver(s) will join in the session to work on the family dynamic (how the caregiver(s) and the child interact & communicate with one another). During these specific sessions, at times, I may seem to be a "translator"…If there is a moment within the session I can assist with “translating”/aiding the conversation towards healthy communication with different coping skills, I will. This is with the ideal end result being one in which the caregiver(s) and child/teen can speak without the use of myself, by utilizing the coping skills you attain within session.
Child/Teen psychotherapy is considered anyone 17 years of age and under. Child/Teen psychology encompasses a wide array of topics, from the genetic influences on behavior to the social pressures on development. It focuses on the mind and behavior from prenatal development through adolescent. Child/Teen psychology deals with not only how children & adolescents grow physically, but with their mental, emotional, and social development, as well.
Initially, I will begin with an Integrative theoretical stance, from which I will then branch out to a Child-Centered approach. Person/Child-Centered therapy believes, first and foremost, for successful therapy to occur the relational climate/rapport created by my (the therapist’s) attitude towards your child (the client) is of the utmost importance. We will work on exploring the use of research-based external coping skills, to use in conjunction with counseling strategies, to achieve a greater level of emotional and behavioral regulation. Some examples of coping skills include, but are not limited to, breathing techniques, nature sounds, laughter, and sensory stimulation.
Working with children has always been a passion of mine throughout my life whether it be as a teenager volunteering and in a CNA program on the Pediatric floor in a hospital. Or during college and beyond, being a dance instructor, a cheer coach, nurturing/having a watchful eye as a nanny, or one of the many other ways during my life. It makes sense that my journey has led me to help/aid children attain a positive self-esteem/image & sense of self, release & move forward from past traumas, and more, via their own mental wellness & well-being.
