Age Groups

Hey there! Dealing with life can be a struggle and sometimes it’s hard for us to find someone to talk to about things we go though, even family members that we trust. For whatever reason, it can feel difficult to get some of these things out and we can feel alone in what we’re going through or sometimes just want an outside perspective on how to handle things. I am here to listen and to give you the floor to express exactly how you are feeling, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m down for all of it and it’s more than okay for you to be yourself and to express yourself however you wish to.

So, you’re wondering what therapy will be like? It’s normal to be nervous if this is the first time you’ve had therapy. In fact, it’s normal to be nervous about any new situation. We’ll have the chance to meet and talk about what’s going on that you might want a bit of help with. You’ll have a chance to get to ask any questions and we’ll get to know one another some. We’ll think about what it is we can work on together and make it a point to make a goal towards working on that. We’ll meet weekly and work towards whatever goals you’d like to work on. Some things I have helped other children and teens in therapy with:

- High anxiety and panic attacks, learning how to recognize what makes you anxious and learning ways to relax and calm down

- Depression, feeling down or hopeless, having crying spells, loss of motivation, withdrawing yourself from other people

- Hurting yourself or thoughts of hurting yourself and working through these thoughts and/or actions

- Difficulty communicating with other people such as family members, friends, or people in class

- Have a hard time dealing with a change in family dynamics such as divorce, family members moving away, or a family member passing away

- Stress related to school or extracurricular activities

- Processing trauma such as emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, an assault, or an event that has occurred that you can not stop thinking or having nightmares about

- Questions or issues with yourself or others regarding sexuality/LGBT+ concerns

- Low self-esteem, low self-confidence, or having negative thoughts about yourself

- Grief and loss of a loved one

- Issues with poor concentration and hyperactivity

- Sexual behavior problems or concerns

- Anger and irritability

Everyone needs someone to talk to, I can be that person to help you get through what life is throwing at you!

As I work with your children or teens in therapy the role of parents or caregivers in therapy is that of a supportive role. I offer family sessions for caregivers both jointly with your child and non-conjointly on an individual basis with the parent/caregiver. The goal of sessions are to provide you with education on the mental health symptoms your child is exhibiting, how to recognize them and how they may present at different age ranges, and teaching you the coping skills that I am teaching your child so you may be able to help them at home to practice skills learned in sessions. Another goal is to facilitate communication between yourself and your child and learning how to communicate with one another about mental health, but of course this depends on the individual child I am working with.

It is very true, parenting absolutely does not come with a manual and every child is different even if they’ve grown up with the same parents in a similar set of circumstances. Young children often do not know how to identify and verbalize what they are experiencing and often times problems such as anxiety, peer problems, depression, difficulty communicating, trauma, can be masked by overt behaviors such as anger and irritability, school refusal, bet-wetting, somatic symptoms, isolation and withdrawal from others, crying spells, or other behaviors. With teens, it can also be the case that they do not have the proper language or education to be able to express exactly what they are going through. And if they do, they may not know the tools on how to cope with their feelings or behaviors.

If any of the above rings true about your child, I’d love the opportunity to work with them in individual and family therapy. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is to provide a nurturing environment where your child can learn skills to better navigate their mental health and to improve their overall well-being.

If you have a teen, I greatly encourage you to have them read the section above. I look forward to working with you and your child!

Nowadays more young adults are getting comfortable with the idea of therapy and chances are you know someone who has been in therapy before or you yourself have been in therapy in the past. I’m grateful that the negative stigma around mental health is changing and you and this generation are part of that reason so, thank you. With that being said, I’m glad you’re searching for someone to assist you in what you are going through. This time in your life can be specifically stressful with all the big life changes; finishing school, getting a job, going to college, trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, starting to pay bills and learning how to juggle finances, romantic relationships, losing and making friends, your family not understanding the stress you’re under, getting exercise in, and finding time to sleep. On top of that all, trying to better your mental health, it’s a lot and I understand that.

It’s important to prioritize our mental health to be the best selves we can be. When something is affecting us, it can spill into our relationships, be it family, friendships or romantic relationships, affect our ability to concentrate on work (school or job), affect the beliefs we have about ourselves and our self-esteem, and even affect our sleeping habits. Sometimes we judge ourselves in relation to other people (“some people have it worse” etc.) but you’re not other people, you’re you. No situation is bigger or smaller than another, it’s what you’re experiencing and it’s your truth in the current moment and your feelings are valid.

“And I knew exactly what to do. But in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” – Michael Scott, The Office. That’s how life goes sometimes, let's figure out together what to do so you can be more comfortable in life!

You know that feeling when you put something off for a while and hope it goes away on its own but then it lingers on the back of your mind? That’s a common feeling and you may be deciding whether or not it’s the time to start therapy services. Life can certainly be trying with the myriad of challenges it throws from job stressors, healing from trauma, family dynamic changes, communication difficulties with partners, family, or friends, supporting a child or an adult family member who may have a physical, cognitive, or terminal diagnosis, to experiencing daily feelings of depression, chronic pain, or fatigue, it can be a lot to handle.

We will do our best to find a time that works best for your schedule to tackle some of life's stressors and learn how to thrive in life!