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Specializing in Play Therapy for Children, Couples Counseling, and Individual Therapy

Parents and Children

We’ve all heard that parenting is hard, and when your child is struggling, you might be feeling blindsided, hopeless, confused, completely at a loss for what to do. Maybe your child is anxious, hyperactive, angry, aggressive toward you, siblings or peers. Perhaps they are shut down and don't seem to be able to tell you what’s wrong no matter how hard you try. Your child could be clingy, irritable, or they could be trying to push you away. You might be asking yourself what you’re doing wrong, and maybe you’re even saying to yourself, “am I just a terrible parent?” If your child’s behavior is frustrating and concerning to you, you’re not alone. There’s nothing worse than the feeling that you can’t “fix” the problems your child is experiencing. I want you to know that it’s possible to have a secure, joyful, connected, and easier relationship with your child. There is hope!

YOU are the most important person in your child’s world. That’s why when I provide play therapy to children, I make sure to include parents at every step of the way. When children engage in play therapy, they are “playing out” their inner world and using the toys in the playroom, and finding ways to solve their problems symbolically or literally. Another important part of play therapy is the special and unique relationship between the child and the therapist. As a play therapist, I take time to get to know each child I’m working with and I am able to see each of them in a positive light by understanding their emotions and behavior through the right lens. . I practice research-backed approaches called Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and Theraplay.

Below are some great explanations of both types of therapy.

Child-Centered Play Therapy

Developed over 50 years ago, and practiced around the world, Child Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) was created to help children learn about themselves, engage with others, and fully communicate by talking about their thoughts and feelings. First, the therapist invites the child into a carefully organized and stocked playroom with different types of toys with various symbolic meanings to a child. While playing in this environment, the child is able to to organize their experience, gain a sense of control and learn coping skills they need to improve. In CCPT, we believe children are resilient, unique, worthy of respect and capable of positive self-direction. Because of this, the therapist provides a space for the child to feel seen, heard, cared for and understood. The CCPT approach is used with children 3-10 years old for a variety of concerns. These concerns might look like anger, anxiety, non-verbal communication, ADHD, or aggressive behavior. Most importantly, the therapist uses the relationship with the child as a foundation for change, while maintaining a calm, predictable environment with appropriate limits.

Theraplay

Developed over 50 years ago, and practiced around the world, Theraplay was developed for any professional working to support healthy child/caregiver attachment. Strong attachment between the child and the important adults in their life has long been believed to be the basis of lifelong good mental health as well as the mainstay of resilience in the face of adversity. Modern brain research and the field of neuroscience have shown that attachment is the way in which children come to understand, trust and thrive in their world. In treatment, the Theraplay Practitioner guides the parent and child through playful, fun games, developmentally challenging activities, and tender, nurturing activities. The very act of engaging each other in this way helps the parent regulate the child's behavior and communicate love, joy, and safety to the child. It helps the child feel secure, cared for, connected and worthy.

"Play permits the child to resolve in symbolic form unsolved problems of the past and to cope directly or symbolically with present concerns. It is also his most significant tool for preparing himself for the future and its tasks." Bruno Bettelheim

"Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning....They have to play with what they know to be true in order to find out more, and then they can use what they learn in new forms of play." Mister Rogers

Couples Therapy

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My clients often feel very alone when seeking counseling for themselves and their spouse. They are tired, burned out, sick of being angry. They tend to feel hurt, unimportant, sad, like they don’t matter at all to the person they agreed to spend their life with. They might also feel inadequate or like they’re constantly failing or disappointing their spouse or partner. The strategies they use to survive the day to day struggle, like distraction, confrontation, withdrawing into other activities or numbing out, end up causing more conflict and disconnection. It’s incredibly painful and defeating to get stuck in these negative cycles with loved ones. Before seeking counseling, many of my clients have tried countless self-help books, podcasts, advice from friends and family, and nothing seems to really get at the heart of the matter. Perhaps they’ve even tried counseling before and it just wasn’t the approach they needed. I let my clients know that they don’t have to live with relationship distress – there is still hope. I have expertise in helping people build more secure bonds with those who matter most to them.

Adult love relationships are built on attachment bonds that are actually as essential to us as air, food and water! By taking attachment into account, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) helps shift people out of negative cycles or “dances” that keep them stuck, by changing the “emotional music.” When the music changes, so does the dance. EFT teaches people to reach for their partner in small yet positive ways that create safety and connection. I have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy and I am currently working with a supervisor and several consultation groups to consistently hone my skills and give my clients the best experiences they can possibly have in therapy.

Here’s a great explanation of EFT from the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy:

What makes EFT stand out is its focus on emotions and how we manage and use them. This approach helps people understand their feelings and the feelings of those around them, leading to healthier and more fulfilling relationships. It’s not just about finding quick fixes; it’s about getting to the heart of the matter and creating lasting change.

If you’re looking to deepen your personal connections, manage emotional challenges, strengthen your sense of self as a confident and competent person, and improve your family or romantic relationships, Emotionally Focused Therapy will be a transformative choice. It’s about building stronger connections, understanding self and each other better, and fostering emotional health, all of which are key to a happier, more fulfilling life.

Individual Adults

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I work most effectively with those struggling with emotional injuries incurred in past and current relationships. I also treat anxiety, depression and trauma. I believe that people are capable of tremendous growth and change when provided with the right conditions of safety, attunement and encouragement. I see my clients within the context of their most important relationships and I find ways to help people turn toward others in their life in new ways to understand and manage their emotions.

Maybe you are in a tremendous amount of emotional pain due to estrangement or loss. Maybe you had a difficult childhood and are looking to heal by making sense of it. Perhaps you walk around with a nagging voice in your head telling you that you are “too much” or “not good enough.” You may be looking for better ways to handle anxiety, stress, depression, or life transitions. You might even have people in your life who you care about tremendously, but the relationship is more challenging than you would like it to be. I offer a unique way of helping people have corrective emotional experiences that change their view of themselves and their views of others. I guide people toward powerful change as they experience their emotions as less foreign, confusing, frightening, unacceptable. I give my clients the experiences they need to develop a more whole, coherent sense of themselves, while feeling more alive, worthy, and competent.

As mentioned in the couples section, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a research-backed approach and in fact it has been adapted for use with individuals. In EFT, the therapist offers ways to make sense of inner experience including emotions. Then, the therapist helps the client to shift patterns of relating to those who matter most, or the individual as a younger self. It’s a powerful process that will get you to the heart of the matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you take insurance? What do I need to know about using my insurance in therapy?

Yes. I take several commercial insurances: Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UHC. I am in the process of getting paneled with Aetna. I also take Mississippi Medicaid (UHC Community Plan and Molina).

In order to bill therapy sessions to insurance, I will collect some demographic information from you, including but not limited to your full legal name, date of birth, home address, as well as a picture of the front and back of your insurance card. Then, I will verify your benefits with your insurer. I require that each prospective client call their insurance company themselves, using the member services number on the back of the card. I ask everyone to do this because sometimes the insurance company gives inaccurate information to therapists and other providers. When calling your insurance company, you should make sure you obtain the following information:

1. Your individual and family deductible and how much you have already spent toward that deductible

2. Your co-pay or coinsurance percentage for "mental health outpatient therapy"

3. The limit to the number of sessions that can be billed in a calendar year

4. Whether both in-person and telehealth services are permitted

Once I have the information needed, claims will be billed to insurance after each session. Co-insurance and co-payments are due at the time of service. I ask each client to keep a card on file which will be charged after each session. Please note that if you haven't met your deductible for the year, you are responsible for the full cost of the session, a rate which varies by insurance company. If your insurance is not covering your sessions, I will discuss your various options with you.

If you are not using your insurance and are paying out of pocket for sessions, my rates are as follows:

Initial session/intake assessment: $150

60 minute individual therapy session: $130

45 minute therapy session: $115

60 minute couples or family therapy session: $130

How long will I need to be in therapy?

Great question! The answer: it depends. The following factors are likely to influence the amount of time you might spend in therapy: the problems you are experiencing and their complexity, the length of time you've been struggling, the amount of social support you have from family and friends, your use of self-care and coping skills outside of session, and your personal readiness for change. Typically, clients are able to choose the length of time they spend in therapy. Some people might want their treatment to be brief and very specific, and others might want to spend a longer amount of time exploring their early life experiences and past trauma. You can choose to stop therapy at any time if you no longer feel you need it. When you come to therapy with me for the first time, we will talk about what you'd like to gain from therapy, what goals you have, and how long it might take to reach them.

How long do sessions last?

An initial session or intake assessment lasts 60 minutes. Depending on what you need that day, therapy sessions can last between 30 and 60 minutes. Most sessions last about 50-60 minutes.

I'm not ready to schedule an appointment yet. Do you offer consultations?

Yes, I do. I offer a free consultation for up to 30 minutes via telephone or online telehealth platform, Doxy. During that time, you can describe the issues bringing you to therapy, and we can discuss whether I would be a good fit for you. If I think another professional might be able to better assist you, I will typically be able to give you some suggestions of who to schedule with instead. During the consultation, we can also discuss insurance and payment. You are welcome to ask questions of me about my training, experience, and style of therapy.

What is a therapy session with you like?

I do everything I can to create a relaxed, warm, comforting environment where you can talk about vulnerable topics without being judged. I consider myself down to earth and easy to talk to. In therapy sessions with teens and adults, we typically explore your past relationship history, including your family of origin and what it was like to grow up in that environment. Then, we talk about how important relationships have shaped the way that you view yourself and the way that you view others. We will spend time talking about negative cycles "within and between" yourself and others. We won't just focus on the negative though, and I will help you craft a more positive cycle with yourself and others that you can experience in session with me, and practice outside of session with those who matter most to you.

In therapy sessions with children, I start with an information-gathering session with one or more parents. I will ask about the current problems that your child and family are experiencing, in addition to their functioning at school and at home, their developmental history, and their strengths. Then, I do a further assessment on the relationship between you and your child which highlights both the strengths and the areas of need. After that, I will give feedback on a specific treatment plan that includes you and your child. Just like with adults, I am down to earth, easy to talk to, and I use the power of play to help you and your child have a stronger, easier bond. Sometimes I work with your child independently in my state-of-the-art play room, or I work with the parent and child together on activities that help create new experiences together and new "ways of being."

Below are some pictures of my space.