Therapy for Children (7-12 years)
Helping Children Feel Safe, Understood, and Confident
Children often communicate their struggles through behavior rather than words. Big emotions, anxiety, meltdowns, perfectionism, withdrawal, or difficulties at school may be signs that your child is feeling overwhelmed and needs additional support.
I provide therapy for children ages 7+ in a warm, gentle, and supportive environment. My goal is to help children better understand their emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and build confidence in themselves.
I believe meaningful therapy starts with a strong foundation of safety, especially for kids. I focus on building trust and safety in the relationship first. I hope to create a space where children can explore their inner world at their own pace. I like to follow the child's lead, trusting their natural capacity for growth and healing. Through play, children can express feelings that may be difficult to put into words, work through challenges, and build a stronger sense of self.
There are a variety of ways I like to help kids better express and understand their internal experiences through play, art, storytelling, and sand tray. I also use EMDR with kids, offering a gentle way to reprocess any difficult experiences and negative beliefs.
Common Reasons Families Seek Therapy
I work with children experiencing any of the following concerns:
Anxiety and excessive worry
Low self-esteem or self-criticism
Difficulty with transitions
School-related stress
Friendship or social difficulties
Family changes or conflict
Difficulty with emotions and/or outbursts
Grief and loss
Trauma or stressful experiences
Chronic illness or medical challenges
My work with children is grounded in attachment-focused, trauma-informed care. My goal is to create a safe, supportive space where children can explore their emotions, experiences, and inner world at their own pace.
I view behaviors and emotions not as problems to eliminate, but as important communication about what a child may be experiencing internally. In session, I hope to create safety and connection so children can develop the capacity to navigate their emotions with greater confidence and flexibility.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps children process difficult experiences that may continue to affect their emotions, behavior, or sense of safety. Through the use of eye movements, tapping, or handheld pulsars (sometimes called “buzzies”), EMDR supports the brain's natural healing process, allowing upsetting memories to become less overwhelming over time.
Child-Centered Play Therapy
Child-Centered Play Therapy provides a safe, supportive space where children can express themselves through play, creativity, and connection. By following the child's lead and building a trusting relationship, therapy helps children develop confidence, emotional awareness, and healthy ways of coping with life's challenges.
Sand Tray Therapy
Sand Tray Therapy allows children to express thoughts, feelings, and experiences using miniature figures and a tray of sand. This creative, hands-on approach can help children communicate and process emotions that may be difficult to put into words, while fostering self-understanding, emotional healing, and resilience.
If you're here, there's a good chance you're concerned about your child and wondering how to best support them. Parenting children with big emotions, anxiety, behavioral challenges, or difficult life experiences can feel overwhelming. You don't have to navigate it alone, and together we can work toward helping your child feel better.
Parents and guardians are an important part of the therapeutic process. I like to collaborate with parents to better understand what may be happening beneath challenging behaviors and big emotions. As a team, we explore ways to strengthen connection, support emotion regulation, and better respond to your child’s needs.
My goal is to provide a safe, supportive space where your child can grow, heal, and build confidence while partnering with you along the way. If you'd like to learn more about therapy for your child, I'd be happy to connect and answer your questions!