Individual therapy is provided for children as young as four years old, adolescents, and adults in a soothing, comfortable office environment.  Particular areas of focus include: reducing stress and enhancing coping skills related to trauma, life transitions, anxiety, and depression.  Mindfulness and self-awareness techniques enhance relaxation and improve thought process.  Counseling is a collaborative process where the counselor and client work together to facilitate healing, improved relationships, and personal growth.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is a treatment model that addresses issues related to PTSD and other effects related to traumatic life events.  This model is evidence based and has shown to be particularly effective in children and adolescents, reducing symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, sexualized behaviors, and feelings of shame in traumatized children [1].

TF-CBT involves the following components [2]:

·       Psychoeducation and Parenting skills

·       Relaxation

·       Affective Expression and Regulation

·       Cognitive Coping

·       Trauma Narrative Development and Processing

·       In Vivo Gradual Exposure

·       Conjoint Parent-Child sessions

·       Enhancing Safety and Future Development

In additional to providing children with cognitive coping strategies and relaxation techniques, TF-CBT has been shown to improve parenting skills and relationships through enhanced parent-child communication [3].

[1] Cohen, JA; Berliner, L; Mannarino, A (Apr 2010). "Trauma focused CBT for children with co-occurring trauma and behavior problems". Child abuse & neglect. 34(4): 215–24.

[2] Cohen, Judith A. (2006). Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents ([Online-Ausg.]. ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

[3] Cohen, JA; Mannarino, AP; Knudsen, K (Feb 2005). "Treating sexually abused children: 1 year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial". Child abuse & neglect. 29(2): 135–45.

Play therapy techniques are most often used in children ages 4 to 12 years old.  Play therapy techniques are evidence-based strategies that allow the therapist to help children address and resolve their own problems through play.  Through play , children learn to communicate with others, express feelings, develop self-efficacy and self-confidence, and learn problem solving skills.  In this setting, children are encouraged to face fears and find solutions that allow them to change the way they think, feel, and behave to resolve issues.