People come into therapy for different reasons. Maybe you are trying to solve a problem, address anxious or depressed feelings or improve relationships. Maybe you are trying to move forward in some way. Life transitions can present significant challenges which lead to additional stress. Stress management is a very important part of a healthy life and specific approaches have been shown to be extremely helpful. I will work with you to better understand yourself and figure out how to make choices going forward so that you can feel happier and stronger. The treatment plan components will depend on your needs and will be adjusted based on the issues that emerge as well as the progress made.
Adolescents face many challenges as part of their development. They are adjusting to changing social concerns and family relationships as well as to changes within themselves. Teenagers are working through many different kinds of questions at once and experiencing important transitions. These shifts can be stressful at times, and contribute to periods of anxiety or low moods. In therapy, adolescents have an opportunity to address their fears and worries and develop approaches that help them face concerns in a positive way. Therapy can also help adolescents better understand themselves and their choices and make conscious decisions about how they want to move forward.
For toddlers and school-aged children, I offer play therapy as it is a natural way that children express themselves. Play is the most powerful way that children learn about their world and their relationship with others. Through play therapy, children can process their experiences and feelings as well as learn and practice skills that help them cope with their difficulties, regulate their behaviors and enhance their development. This approach also can help children better express their feelings and concerns to their parents. Parents play an extremely important role in their childrens’ well-being. Thus, I also work with parents to increase their understanding of their child’s development and help them to support an environment at home that allows for better connection and cooperation between family members.
For toddlers and school-aged children, I offer play therapy as it is a natural way that children express themselves. A child’s ability to think abstractly and express feelings using words is not yet fully developed. My approach is to connect to children through play since this is the most powerful way that children learn about their world and their relationship with others. Through play therapy, children can process their experiences and feelings as well as learn and practice skills that help them cope with their difficulties, regulate their behaviors and enhance their development. This approach can also help children better express their feelings and concerns to their parents. Parents have an extremely important role in well-being of their child. Therefore, I also work with parents to increase their understanding of their child’s development and help them to support an environment at home that allows for better connection and cooperation between family members.
Parenting can be an amazing experience, but it is also often hard work; it requires a great deal of time, effort, and patience. When children act out, it can feel like that investment is not paying off. I help parents cope with the challenges of child-rearing. I offer strategies to help parents deal more effectively with common childhood difficulties, such as defiance, inattention, and hyperactivity. I also provide ways to relieve family tension and stress.
Couples often come into therapy seeking support to improve their communication skills and address difficult situations. Over time, couples can fall into repetitive patterns that are hurtful to one another and the relationship. I work with couples dealing with difficult situations such as communication issues, power struggles, sexual problems, infidelity, chronic illness, and financial issues. Therapy can help couples understand their conflicts from a different perspective and establish new patterns of interacting, thereby gaining closeness and connection, and strengthening their relationships.
Assessments are conducted for various reasons: to help in choosing a school or college, to gain a better understanding 
of developmental difficulties, to address concerns regarding attention and organization, to determine the nature of learning difficulties, to understand poor achievement in school, to document necessary accommodations, to understand the impact of behavioral/emotional issues on daily functioning and to provide recommendations for tutoring, coaching or other types of help.
An assessment can discern areas where the individual may be struggling and in need of greater support. In the assessment process, I meet with parents (if the client is a child), speak with teachers (as needed) and provide feedback based on the information gleaned from the testing results so that a helpful plan can be made. Specific recommendations for the classroom, home and other environments are made in order to support the individual in his or her goals. In addition, other interventions, such as therapy, coaching, and mindfulness-based strategies may be helpful in improving academic or work functioning as well as social-emotional development.
ADHD and executive functioning coaching can help students and adults in the workplace to improve skills such as goal-setting, organizing time, materials and schedules, prioritizing, sustaining effort on tasks so they can meet goals, and building a sense of competence and confidence. Coaching can involve a variety of interventions and level of weekly contact in order to better implement strategies and make the changes he or she desires.