As with adults, therapy with children and teenagers consists of talking with a trained professional in a private setting, with high standards for safety and trust. There are a couple of important differences from adult therapy. First, children experience relationships through play, and therefore play therapy techniques are vital for helping children make positive changes. Second, parents or guardians must be involved with a child's therapist for practical and psychological reasons, thus the child's privacy is somewhat limited. Teenagers are in-between on both accounts.

THERAPEUTIC PLAY TECHNIQUES WITH CHILDREN

If you have children you know that the way they interact with others is usually through play. They always want to involve you in some sort of game, sport, or imaginative drama. Experts in child development generally agree that children's minds develop through play. Many therapists who work with children use various play techniques to help children with their distress. I have expertise in a type of play therapy that has proven successful in helping children change and grow in positive ways. This non-directive play method focuses on how the child interacts with the therapist. The child makes use of available games and toys to show the therapist areas of distress. I facilitate mental and emotional growth through methods that clarify the meaning of what the child presents. Teenagers shift back and forth between play and talk therapy. I have helped many young people move from having high levels of conflict and distress to happier states of mind, improved relationships, and better behavior.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parents and guardians are needed in the process of helping children grow in therapy. Parents must feel confidant in the therapist to entrust them with their child's mental and emotional wellness. In practical terms, they bring children to appointments, sign permission forms, and communicate about how the therapy is going. My work with children also supports family members by giving recommendations about to help the child. Parental involvement in the therapy helps struggling children make changes.

Privacy with child and teenage clients can be tricky. On the one hand, the child's private relationship with a therapist is often the main thing that supports positive change. On the other hand, it is important for parents and guardians to know what is going on with their children. Parents and guardians of my child clients are involved with the therapy in supportive, non-adversarial ways that promote improved family relationships. We set boundaries and actively negotiate privacy issues.