Andrea
Helping kids on their healing quest is of the utmost importance to me.
With more than 20 years experience working with kids and their families, I have witnessed the transformative process of play therapy first-hand. With care and tenderness, I employ child-directed Experiential Play Therapy (a type of non-directive play therapy) which gives kids a safe space to express feelings and experiences.
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPT-S), and a Certified Experiential Play Therapist Supervisor (EPT/S). I am also Level 2 trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS), with a focus on the use of IFS with children.
About Play Therapy
Our world is not without hardship and whether your child has experienced trauma or adverse experiences, they can greatly benefit from play therapy.
Play is a natural way children practice life’s interaction and has three primary purposes:
- • Cognitive development
- • Motor development
- • Emotional resolutions
Experiential Play Therapy was developed by Doctors Byron and Carol Norton of Greeley, Colorado. This therapy encourages children to be the directors of their play while a trained play therapist meets them where they are at emotionally and developmentally.
Children naturally create play that resembles the emotional experiences they are struggling with; as play progresses, the therapist follows, tracks, and reflects the various emotions and metaphors that the child is expressing.
With a trained play therapist, a child’s play becomes focused on emotional processes leading to understanding and re-establishment of balance and well-being.
Results
Children who are given the space to express themselves through play therapy may experience higher self-esteem and greater enjoyment in their relationships and experiences. This can lead to a higher quality of life for them and their families and may empower them to become adults with greater ease and assurance.