Psychological Services

Here it is possible for children and their parents to develop more rewarding styles of interactions; for teenagers and their parents to improve communications skills; for adults working individually to get in touch with their own needs and directions; for couples to find better ways of working together and resolving differences; and for mental health and educational professionals to extend their skills and knowledge about working with children and families.

Philosophy
People who consult us as clients are having some kind of struggle within themselves or between themselves and other people. Sometimes it is necessary to bring together the various people involved (as in family therapy or school consultation), and sometimes it is better for a person to find his or her own way.  While each situation is different, the general approach we take is to:
- Define reasonable goals  
- Utilize the clients' strengths
- Engage outside resources, if appropriate (e.g., school, family, or friends)  
- Understand (when helpful) how present difficulties have their roots in past situations  
- Work toward positive action to resolve struggles and reach goals  
- Every effort is made to help clicents work as quickly as possible to achieve meaningful change

Frequently Addressed Concerns
People consult us about a variety of concerns, for example:
- Anxiety  
- Depression 
- Adjustment problems (divorce, life transitions)
- Behavior problems in children (overactivity, shyness, oppositionality)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Developmental Disabilities  
- Personality problems
- Developing bonds in adoptive and stepfamilies  
- Marital difficulties  
- Making and keeping friends (for children and teens)
- Consultation regarding school needs
- Training and supervision in play therapy

How We Can Help
We use a variety of  approaches to help people, including:
- Psychotherapy (talking about problems)
- Family Therapy (often with teenagers)  
- Play Therapy, including Theraplay® (primarily with children)
- Behavioral contracting (often for couples working on their relationships and as part of parent-child therapy)
- Hypnotherapy (exploring concerns while in a state of  hypnosis; also for stress reduction)  
- Psychoeducational Groups (for parents)
- Consultation with schools and agencies
- Group Play Therapy (for children and teens)