INDIVIDUAL THERAPY

I offer therapy for children, adolescents, and adults. My work with children and teens is oriented towards helping them to name and recognize their feelings, to look at how those feelings might be affecting them, and to improve their relationships with others.  We also do a lot of work on developing coping strategies to handle the frustrations that might come up in their day.  For children, I use a play-based approach, and incorporate art, writing and role-playing into our sessions, in order to make it easier for children to share their thoughts, worries, fears and hopes. 

My work with adults focuses on relationships, parenting, divorce, grief/loss, as well as depression and anxiety that might accompany various issues. 

I also utilize hand-on/somatic approaches in my therapy, utilizing a client’s interests with the therapy process.  This could include art, piano, kickboxing, or whatever helps the client make the mind and body connection.

My approach is strengths-based – helping individuals of any age to uncover, develop and utilize their strengths. I focus on communication skills to help my clients build and support strong and meaningful relationships. 

FAMILY THERAPY

As part of any issue that an individual might be experiencing, the impact on other family members, and the family as a whole, can be significant. In order to help regain a sense of balance, often seeing the family together can be a place to express concerns, renegotiate roles, and discover new, more effective communication patterns.

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

I am available to provide information and to coordinate care with school staff, including teachers, social workers, psychologists and the special education team in order to support children’s success at school.

PARENT EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS  

I am available to present education on parenting and mental health topics at support groups, advocacy groups, PTA meetings, teacher trainings, and church/synagogue meetings.  

STRATEGIES FOR HOMEWORK AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING

I work with students and parents on strategies to help with homework and planning/organizing.

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

School-aged children spend 30 hours a week in school – a significant portion of their waking hours.   As parents, the hope is that our children will be motivated by school, motivated to learn, discovering interesting subject matter, making friends, behaving well, and learning to solve social problems with peers and adults.

While this process goes very smoothly for some, for many children it is a daily struggle.   Whether your child’s school has brought a problem to your attention, or you are initiating the conversation, making the right contact for the array of services available can be confusing.

Getting special help or resources for students – be that General Education support, Special Education support, or Section 504 plans – can be an overwhelming process.      What is an IEP, what is a 504 and how are they different?  What does it mean to be in Special Education?   What does mainstreaming mean if my child has an IEP?

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified School Social Worker, I can help navigate the educational arena and create a support plan to help build success at home.  I have spent much of my career working in schools and I have a deep understanding of the school environment and how students can THRIVE rather than just survive.  Whether students’ challenges are in academic areas, or the social-emotional realm, I work with parents to figure out how to best support their child’s success both inside and outside of the school environment.

I support children/adolescents and parents in several critical ways:

• Working with parents to help them understand how the school is approaching their child’s issues.
• Working directly with the child/adolescent in a therapeutic environment to help with issues of ADHD, executive functioning, learning disabilities, social skills, bullying, friendships, school refusal, anxiety and homework.
• Helping parents to help smooth out relationships at home that become stressed from homework, and from frustrations that their child might be experiencing.
• Speaking with the school (teachers, social workers and psychologists) about strategies to optimize student success.

As an educational resource working in support of your child, your family and your goals, let me help you to insure that your child’s needs are understood and met.