-Are you worried about your child?
-Can you tell that your child is really troubled, but no matter what you do you just can’t seem to get to the root of the problem?
-Are you feeling unsure about how to talk with your child about what is troubling them?
Children’s emotional distress, including depression or anxiety, often manifests differently than it does in adults. Some children display their distress outwardly, while others withdraw, become more “moody” or agitated or get excessively engaged with an inner fantasy world that others don’t have access to. As a parent, it can be heartbreaking to see your child suffer and not know what to do.
Play therapy is an effective, gentle and non-shaming tool to help children overcome such emotional distress. Just like adults, children need a safe and private space where they can be deeply understood and met.
Some signs that your child may benefit from play therapy are:
-Significant difficulties during transitions (between activities, places, caregivers or life events).
-New “difficult” behaviors such as temper tantrums, bed wetting, power struggles over food or sleep.
-Excessive aggression or unusual submission towards peers or adults.
-Academic or behavioral difficulties at school.
-Lack of friends or frequent conflicts with peers.
-Nightmares, preoccupation with death or other fearful ideas and images.
I have specialized training and experience working with children ages 0-10. My work with children is based on the idea that children use play to express their emotions, thoughts and experiences. Where with adults I use words to understand their experience, with children I use the language of play. Using toys and games that are selected especially for this purpose, I communicate with a child my understanding of their experience. Through this shared communication of words, gestures and meaning, profound change can happen, even for very young children.
I work closely with parents to collaborate around our understanding of the child and what might help them outside the therapy, at home or at school. Although all therapy is confidential, I do share with parents my understanding of their child’s struggles and the main themes that emerge in the therapy. My approach is that of fundamental respect for parents’ understanding of their child, as well as a deep appreciation for the difficulties and complexities parenting itself presents.
Some of the particular areas in which I help children are:
-Healing and resolution of early trauma
-Attachment and relationship difficulties with parents or guardians
-Distress over parental separation or divorce
-Difficulties at school with peers and/or academics
My clinical training was at the UCSF Infant-Parent Program, a yearlong intensive training program focused on supporting the relationships between infants, toddlers and their caregivers. I also completed another yearlong intensive training with the Child Trauma Training Institute, in which I received further specialized training in supporting children ages 0-5 and their parents in resolving difficult traumatic experiences. Professionally, I have worked for several years at the TALK Line Family Support Center, where I enhanced my knowledge and experience of both everyday and extraordinary challenges that parents and children face together.
I am Israeli-American and my services are available in English and in Hebrew. I also offer therapy for parents, helping parents grow to become the parents they want to be. The best way to assess what kind of help would be most appropriate for your family, would be for us to talk on the phone and schedule an initial appointment. I listen very carefully to your perspective and understanding of your child’s struggles, as it is an essential gateway into my understanding of your child and their life with you.
