Children
Approach
We want nothing more than for our children to experience happiness and success as they navigate the special years of childhood. Yet, sometimes kids have big feelings and confusing behaviors that leave parents at a loss for how best to meet their child’s important needs. Kids oftentimes feel stuck and misunderstood.
My approach with children is multi-dimensional and has evolved over the past 20 years since my training at Boston Children's Hospital, the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School. I work in a playful way, encouraging children to be curious about their emotions and to identify the messy and often unpleasant feelings that drive unproductive behavior. Children learn to build new language skills to express feelings and communicate in healthy ways. Through art, games and play (the medium through which children learn best), I teach children strategies to better cope with the demands of childhood.
Parent Focus
I authentically partner with parents to understand the values of their family system and the expectations, hopes, and dreams that they have for their children. Within this framework, I support parents in better understanding the internal landscape of the child so that parents can respond in ways that help kids feel "safe, soothed, and seen". Parental understanding of the child’s temperament and developmental stage is key for nurturing the child’s abilities and potential. We want our kids to be their very best selves and I am here for parents too!
Together, when needed, we advocate with other important caregivers in the child’s system. We adjust the goodness of fit between the child and their environment so that kids feel encouraged and guided in meeting healthy milestones.
Challenges I Can Help With
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Social challenges: withdrawal, isolation, lack of friends, overly dependent, peer conflict, bullying
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Attention or Hyperactivity: can’t sit still, difficulty concentrating and organizing, acts before thinking, constantly “on the go”, difficulty completing school work
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Anxiety: fears, phobias, worries, needs to be perfect
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Depression: lonely, feels sad and depressed
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Behavioral problems: tantrums, doesn’t follow rules at home or school, low frustration tolerance
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Loss: from death, illness or other life changes such as divorce
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Witnessing or experiencing trauma
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Gender identity confusion or discontent
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Coping with medical conditions within the family
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Navigating a neurotypical world