IN PERSON

Play Therapy for Children

AGES 3 AND UP

Being a parent is truly the hardest job in the world.

It becomes even more difficult when:

Your strong-willed child is not listening, getting in trouble at school, flipping out when things do not go their way or for what seems to be no reason.
Your sensitive quiet child is crying a lot, is scared and refusing to go to school, refusing to sleep in their own bed, worrying about things a child shouldn’t worry about and complaining about stomach aches.
Your once happy and social child is quiet, moody and complains about not having friends and feeling like no one loves him.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD

You have been trying to get a handle on this on your own but nothing is working and you just don’t what else to do. Teachers are concerned and friends and family are starting to notice something is wrong. You are frustrated and worried. You stay up at night reflecting on the day and feel guilty for losing your patience.

You never pictured yourself looking for a child therapist. But looking for help makes you a good parent. After all, when they are sick you take them to the pediatrician when their tooth hurts you take them to the dentist, when they struggle with a class you find a tutor. You want your child to be happy and healthy, taking care of their mental health is equally if not more important.

When LITTLE ones are struggling with BIG emotions, they don’t TELL us with words, they SHOW us with behavior.

Children are still developing, and growing and often have a hard time communicating their feelings verbally. They also have a short list of coping strategies and easily run out of ways to manage emotions.

We believe that your child’s treatment outcome is most successful when the people in their lives are included in the process. A collaborative team approach is ideal when children are in counseling.

HOW PLAY THERAPY WORKS

Play Therapy is known to be the most effective treatment modality to use with children ages 3-12 years old.

Play Therapy understands the developmental needs of young children. While adults communicate verbally, a child’s natural way of expressing themselves is through play. Children learn and practice better ways to behave, problem solve, relate to others and overcome life challenges through play.

Andrea Vargas is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Registered Play Therapist- Supervisor® and her associates are trained in Play Therapy.

Play Therapists have specialized training in observing children’s play to obtain valuable insight on how they view themselves and their world. Their expertise involves utilizing therapeutic play interventions to help your child better cope and heal.

Our play therapy room offers a warm inviting playful space with carefully selected therapeutic toys, allowing children to process their toughest feelings.

Therapy can help your child:

Learn to manage frustrations
Confront worries and fears
Cope with family or life changes
Improve self-esteem
Communicate needs and feelings

FAQS

Common questions about therapy for children

During parent feedback sessions, parents discuss their observations, and note their child’s progress and other areas of concern. We feel it is important to keep parents informed of the strategies and techniques their children are learning so that they can help them practice at home.
In family play therapy sessions, parents can discover how family dynamics may be impacting their child, with role-playing, and learn techniques to help their child at home.
Our children spend the majority of their time at school and the very challenges your child is facing are occurring in school. With parents’ written permission, we communicate with your child’s teacher and work with them to help your child in school. We are also available to attend IEP meetings, provide recommendations for 504 Plan accommodations and perform classroom observations upon request.
If your child receives services from other professionals, it helps if everyone is on the same page regarding your child’s treatment. With written permission, we can consult with pediatricians, psychiatrists, or occupational therapists, etc.