In therapy, the goal is not to “fix” who a child or teen is, but to understand what they are experiencing beneath the surface.

We work together to help them identify and express emotions in ways that feel safe and manageable. This may include learning emotional regulation skills, building distress tolerance, and developing language for internal experiences that previously felt overwhelming or unclear.

For neurodivergent children and teens, therapy is affirming and flexible, supporting sensory needs, communication differences, and unique ways of thinking and experiencing the world.

My work with children and teens is grounded in a relational, trauma-informed, developmentally attuned lens that honors both emotional experience and nervous system functioning. I focus on understanding what behaviors, emotions, and reactions are communicating rather than trying to quickly change or suppress them.

Sessions are adapted to meet the developmental needs of the child or teen, which may include play-based expression, creative modalities, conversation, or somatic awareness practices. For teens, therapy often includes more collaborative dialogue that supports emotional insight, identity development, and coping skills.

Caregivers are an important part of the process, and when appropriate, I include support and guidance to help strengthen connection, co-regulation, and communication at home.

Parents and caregivers are often an essential part of a child or teen’s healing process, and I aim to support the relationship between young people and their families as part of the work. When appropriate, I help caregivers make sense of what their child may be communicating through emotions, behaviors, or withdrawal.

Support may include learning ways to respond that increase connection, reduce conflict, and support emotional regulation during challenging moments. The intention is to strengthen understanding within the family system while supporting the child or teen’s emotional growth and sense of safety at home.