- Magic Johnson -
All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and somebody who believes in them.
- My Approach -
Childhood and adolescence are important stages of social, emotional, and physical development. The experiences and relationships we have during these years can shape how we understand ourselves, connect with others, cope with challenges, and navigate the world around us.
I may be a little biased, but I believe children and youth are learning skills that can serve them throughout their lives. At the same time, parenting provides plenty of opportunities for adults to reflect on and sometimes unlearn patterns they may have picked up along the way. Supporting a child can create opportunities for growth within the whole family, including developing new ways of understanding emotions, communicating, connecting, and coping together.
When working with children and youth, my role is ultimately to not be needed when all is said and done. I work alongside children, youth, and their families in different ways throughout the therapeutic process to help navigate challenges, strengthen existing resources, develop new skills, and support meaningful growth and change. My hope is that the skills, understanding, and confidence developed through therapy continue to serve the child and family well beyond our time together.
I may be a little biased, but I believe children and youth are learning skills that can serve them throughout their lives. At the same time, parenting provides plenty of opportunities for adults to reflect on and sometimes unlearn patterns they may have picked up along the way. Supporting a child can create opportunities for growth within the whole family, including developing new ways of understanding emotions, communicating, connecting, and coping together.
When working with children and youth, my role is ultimately to not be needed when all is said and done. I work alongside children, youth, and their families in different ways throughout the therapeutic process to help navigate challenges, strengthen existing resources, develop new skills, and support meaningful growth and change. My hope is that the skills, understanding, and confidence developed through therapy continue to serve the child and family well beyond our time together.
Common Reasons Families Seek Help
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Anxiety
OCD Tic Disorders Depression Self Harm Suicidal Ideation Addictions Loss & Grief PTSD |
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ADHD
Academic Stressors Self Esteem Peer Pressure / Bullying Body Image Eating Disorders LGBTQ+ Relationship's Family Conflict / Divorce |
- Therapeutic Interventions -
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
I view the core concepts of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) life skills. You cannot unknow just how powerful your thoughts are once you start to notice the ripple effects that they have on your day to day life.
However, there is a caveat within this modality, as we need to be present in our lives to notice what is going on not only around us but more importantly what is going on within us. This is why I support clients in developing a mindfulness practice at the onset of treatment.
However, there is a caveat within this modality, as we need to be present in our lives to notice what is going on not only around us but more importantly what is going on within us. This is why I support clients in developing a mindfulness practice at the onset of treatment.
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Both adolescents and adults can benefit from learning Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) skills and putting them into practice. Topics found within DBT encompass Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.
One of the most powerful concepts found within DBT is Walking The Middle Path. This is where we learn to value and honor our experience while at the same time valuing and honoring someone else's experience... even when we do not see eye to eye.
One of the most powerful concepts found within DBT is Walking The Middle Path. This is where we learn to value and honor our experience while at the same time valuing and honoring someone else's experience... even when we do not see eye to eye.
Biofeedback
Seeing Is Believing |
Shift from big emotions, overwhelm, dysregulation and incoherence to self-regulation and coherence. Unlock your heart’s natural intuitive guidance to better manage stressful emotions and increase resilience. Sensors provide real-time, visible evidence that children, teens and adults alike can control their thoughts and emotions.
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EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy can help children and teens work through experiences, worries, or beliefs that continue to feel “stuck” and show up in their thoughts, emotions, or body responses. EMDR Therapy uses dual attention stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps, as part of the therapeutic process.
With children and teens, EMDR Therapy is adapted to fit their age, needs, and comfort level. Sessions may incorporate play, art, imagery, storytelling, movement, and metaphor rather than relying only on talking.
An important part of EMDR Therapy with young people is resourcing, which focuses on strengthening internal resources and building their capacity to feel calm, grounded, and better able to manage difficult emotions. This may include connecting with personal strengths, developing calming or supportive imagery, noticing positive body sensations, and practicing grounding and regulation skills. Dual attention stimulation can also be used to help strengthen and reinforce these resources.
With children and teens, EMDR Therapy is adapted to fit their age, needs, and comfort level. Sessions may incorporate play, art, imagery, storytelling, movement, and metaphor rather than relying only on talking.
An important part of EMDR Therapy with young people is resourcing, which focuses on strengthening internal resources and building their capacity to feel calm, grounded, and better able to manage difficult emotions. This may include connecting with personal strengths, developing calming or supportive imagery, noticing positive body sensations, and practicing grounding and regulation skills. Dual attention stimulation can also be used to help strengthen and reinforce these resources.
Play Therapy
Play is a natural way for children to communicate, explore their experiences, and make sense of their world. Through play therapy, children can express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to put into words while building confidence, emotional awareness, coping skills, and connection with others.
My practice focuses on understanding each child within the context of their relationships, experiences, strengths, and unique way of seeing the world. Through therapeutic play, creative activities, storytelling, and sandtray, children are supported in exploring patterns, practicing new skills, and developing more helpful ways of navigating challenges.
The therapeutic relationship is central to this process, providing a supportive and encouraging space where children can feel understood, develop a sense of belonging and capability, and build on their existing strengths.
My practice focuses on understanding each child within the context of their relationships, experiences, strengths, and unique way of seeing the world. Through therapeutic play, creative activities, storytelling, and sandtray, children are supported in exploring patterns, practicing new skills, and developing more helpful ways of navigating challenges.
The therapeutic relationship is central to this process, providing a supportive and encouraging space where children can feel understood, develop a sense of belonging and capability, and build on their existing strengths.
- Play Therapy Techniques -
Expressive Arts
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Sandtray Therapy
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Theraplay
Theraplay is a relationship-focused, play-based approach that uses playful, interactive experiences to strengthen the connection between children and their caregivers. Guided by the areas of Structure, Engagement, Nurture, and Challenge, Theraplay-informed activities support trust, co-regulation, confidence, shared enjoyment, and a child’s sense of safety within relationships.
My practice may also incorporate the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM), a structured, play-based observation of a child and caregiver together that helps identify relationship strengths and better understand patterns of connection, communication, nurture, and support.
My practice may also incorporate the Marschak Interaction Method (MIM), a structured, play-based observation of a child and caregiver together that helps identify relationship strengths and better understand patterns of connection, communication, nurture, and support.
Alderian Play Therapy
Adlerian Play Therapy looks beyond a child’s presenting behaviour to understand the unique ways they experience themselves, their relationships, and the world around them. Play can provide insight into a child’s strengths, temperament, patterns of coping and relating, and the beliefs that may be shaping their responses to everyday experiences.
The approach emphasizes encouragement, belonging, and helping children develop a greater sense of connection, capability, significance, and courage. This understanding can guide therapeutic interventions that build on the child’s strengths while supporting new ways of thinking, feeling, relating, and responding.
The approach emphasizes encouragement, belonging, and helping children develop a greater sense of connection, capability, significance, and courage. This understanding can guide therapeutic interventions that build on the child’s strengths while supporting new ways of thinking, feeling, relating, and responding.
Sandtray Therapy
Sometimes words are not enough to capture what we are feeling or experiencing. Sandtray therapy offers another way to explore our inner world through imagery, symbolism, metaphor, and story. Using sand and a collection of miniatures, clients create a scene that can bring thoughts, emotions, relationships, memories, and experiences into view in a different way.
There is no right or wrong way to create a sandtray, and clients do not need to know what something means as they choose it. The process allows space for meaning and connections to emerge naturally, often offering a new perspective on experiences that have felt difficult to understand or express.
Sandtray can be used with children, teens, and adults and may support reflection, emotional processing, insight, and a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s experiences.
There is no right or wrong way to create a sandtray, and clients do not need to know what something means as they choose it. The process allows space for meaning and connections to emerge naturally, often offering a new perspective on experiences that have felt difficult to understand or express.
Sandtray can be used with children, teens, and adults and may support reflection, emotional processing, insight, and a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s experiences.
Enter into children’s play and you will find the place where their
minds, hearts, and souls meet.
minds, hearts, and souls meet.
- Virginia Axline -
A Place to Begin...You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Sometimes noticing that your child or youth is struggling, that something feels different, or that the strategies that once helped aren't working anymore is enough of a place to begin.
For new children and youth, I typically begin with a parent/caregiver intake appointment. This provides an opportunity to talk about current concerns, your child's strengths and needs, relevant history, and what you are hoping therapy might support. A child or youth intake appointment follows, allowing us to begin getting to know one another and establishing comfort and safety in the therapeutic space. Not sure if I might be the right fit for your child or family? I offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to briefly connect, discuss what you're looking for, and see whether working together may be a good fit. |
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