Puppets are therapy helpers

Child & Youth Therapy

teal colored tree for iconTime to Play

PLAY THERAPY

I believe children are best served in the language of play, and over 50 years of research tells us that play therapy is an effective way to help children manage stressful events and feel better (see Canadian Association for Play Therapy at cacpt.com). Art forms such as drawing and stories that offer relatable or teachable moments can also be part of my sessions. (And sometimes we draw just for fun).

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Children’s Sand Table Therapy
Stony Plain

Sand play and sand tray work are types of play therapy and they are central to the children’s therapy I offer. Miniatures (small toy-like figurines) placed in the sand can be thought of as words in a story.

They can also be a type of avatar for the child. Children’s experiences will appear in the sand tray, and here they have the opportunity to “replay” or manage an experience in a way that is comforting or makes them more successful, for example, they can make themselves bigger or stronger, or a helper can be brought in, where there was no helper before.

This imaginative play can help children tell their story and bring resolution or feelings of peace to a child.

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EMDR Child Specialist

I hold an EMDR Child Specialist Certificate and I use EMDR with children and combine play therapy of all types with EMDR.
EMDR and Play Therapy have strong research support for trauma treatment and can both be implemented in a highly child-centred and child-led way. I believe children have an amazing and underestimated capacity to heal and it is my privilege to be a part of their process.

Youth Therapy

teal colored tree for iconProviding a safe space

Youth benefit from a therapist who will provide a safe space to confide, to support, to problem solve, to cheer and to attend to their mental health and safety. Peers can change and even become untrustworthy, and sometimes peers offer well meant but inaccurate advice, or advice with a limited perspective, simply because of their life stage. It can also be difficult for youth to speak freely with their parents. This can be because part of their developmental task is to start to grow away from their parents and grow toward adulthood. Therapy can provide a venue to practise independent exploration with a trusted adult.

Integrated Therapy

I use an integrated therapeutic approach that draws from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to work with youth.

Story and Art

I also use artwork, story and poetry with youth, if it suits them.  Some youth enjoy sand tray work as much as children, as it helps them express their creative side and “speak” in metaphor.

EMDR and ART are also available, especially for teens who have experienced trauma.