Child & Teen Therapy

Many parents notice their kids developing the same patterns they struggle with: perfectionism at school, difficulty managing big feelings, trouble sleeping, or withdrawing when stressed.

Maybe your child or teen is dealing with:

• Anxiety about school performance or making mistakes

• Big behavioral changes after divorce, moves, family stress, or a parent's substance use

• Difficulty with transitions or changes in routine

• Perfectionism that makes homework take hours or creates paralysis

• Acting out because they can't articulate feelings

• Withdrawing from family or friends

• Social anxiety, friendship challenges, or feeling like they don't fit in

• Depression, self-criticism, or feeling inadequate

• Experimenting with substances or risky coping behaviors

• Processing a parent's recovery or ongoing substance use

• Worry that mirrors your own anxiety patterns

Play is a child's natural language. Play therapy allows them to process emotions and experiences through action rather than words.

Common goals for children:

• Processing emotions they can't name yet (anxiety, anger, grief)

• Developing regulation skills naturally

• Working through family transitions

• Building confidence without needing to be perfect

• Learning it's safe to make mistakes and feel big feelings

• Understanding that a parent's substance use or recovery isn't their fault

Teens get direct, honest conversations that respect their autonomy while providing structure. Concrete strategies for managing school stress, friend drama, family tension, and the pressure to perform.

What teens work on:

• Managing anxiety and stress without being controlled by it

• Building identity separate from grades and achievement

• Navigating family dynamics, divorce, or communication breakdowns

• Understanding emotions instead of pushing through

• Developing healthy relationships with work, school, and peers

For neurodivergent children or those transitioning ages 10–13, I blend play therapy and talk therapy, adapting to whatever works best for your child.