I genuinely find so much joy in working with children and their families. Children express themselves best through play and I enjoy encouraging that communication in the therapy sessions. I work closely with caregivers to help build that bridge of communication by encouraging and guiding therapeutic play in session between caregiver and child. In learning the language of play, we can discover the hurts or confusion that our children are carrying around without the language to express it effectively. I can then guide play with the goal of improving connection, self-esteem, and emotion regulation. I aim to help families create the skills they need to navigate the stressors of life, long after therapy has ended.

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The therapeutic process takes time. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand for therapists to wave, so mental health issues aren’t cured; they are managed. For a child or adolescent to learn counseling strategies to manage thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, it takes time. The child will not be learning these strategies immediately. This is because the first few sessions are focused solely on building a relationship. Therefore, the parent can’t expect major changes right away. With that said, research shows up to 50% of success in therapy is the therapeutic relationship, so it’s important the child feels comfortable with the therapist.
 

A common misconception is that the therapist will help the child be happy. Therapists actually aren’t trying to help the child be happy all day long; rather, therapists help the child cope with emotions that are disproportionate to the event in more effective manners. Remember, people are supposed to experience uncomfortable emotions. What’s important is how the child manages the emotion so they can continue to function in their environment.

If the child is in therapy due to the distress from an environmental circumstance, be aware that their issues may not just resolve when their situation changes for the better. The long-term effects of a situation may still require treatment after the actual problem has been solved so they can continue to function optimally across settings.

Also, as an attachment-based therapist, I view the parents as the expert in their child and primary resource for the kiddos. Parents or caregivers are required to participate throughout treatment in order to create the best opportunities for healing.

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