Therapeutic play honors children’s developmental stage and allows children to be helped in their ‘language.’ It helps children better express themselves and resolve their problems in a natural way. Research has shown using play therapy and expressive arts is an effective therapeutic approach that works best when parents or caretakers are involved in the treatment process. Through the child’s treatment, I will also work with parents to provide psycho-education and help them learn skills to support their child’s journey of wellness.
My goal with adolescent clients is to improve self-esteem, self-efficacy and social/family relationships. This can be done through processing feelings, self-esteem activities, practicing positive self-talk, expressive arts, and social skills training. Through these techniques, adolescents can feel comfortable expressing themselves, build resiliency to overcome all the challenges that they face and develop healthy friendships.