20 Min Free Phone Consult with Tracy M

Service Description

I’m a play therapist, which in a nutshell means I’m trained to use a child’s play instead of their words to work through their big feelings and presenting issues. Think of it this way, a wise man once said, “play is the language and the toys are their words.” A child’s brain isn’t developed enough yet to sit down and verbally process their big feelings and thoughts the same way an adult can; some adults don’t have that ability! Even if they did, that can be some pretty vulnerable stuff to lay all out on the table to a stranger. Am I right? So, my job is to interpret their play, help them process, gain insight, facilitate growth, creativity, courage, capability, and collaboration. Each child and family is different, so I don’t use a cookie cutter approach. Although I have magic wands in the playroom, there are no magic wands to “fix” your child. I am a huge believer in treating children with respect: their session is their time and we, as the trusted adults, are there to support them through their process. As a team, WE will work together towards healing and understanding together. This means collaborative parent sessions on a regular basis mixed in with your child’s individual sessions. At the end of the day, sure I might have a degree, but you are the expert in your child. For the older kids and teens, my approach is more talk based. I meet them where they are. Remember that magic wand thing I mentioned earlier? That applies for teenagers too. Developing our therapeutic relationship is of the utmost importance. For kiddos and teens, this can take at least 5-6 sessions of trust building before we get into the “meat” of why they are here to see me. Sometimes other kids take much longer, so be patient with the process. I use a prescriptive approach depending on each individual’s needs. I draw upon cognitive behavioral, art based techniques, sandtray, motivational, and client centered approaches.