welcome

My mission is that each child has the support, tools, and trust to explore their fullest potential. I work with children and their families—supporting the social-emotional needs of youth and deepening the quality of family relationships. Additionally, I often collaborate with community partners in the medical, educational, and legal arenas to advocate for the mental health needs of children in my practice.

Areas of focus are:

• Trauma and attachment needs

• Foster care and adoption issues

• Anxiety/Depression

• Attention/Focus

• Separation/Divorce

• Life transitions (moving to new home, school entry, family changes)

• Grief and loss

what’s next

Although much of my work with children is individually-oriented, caregivers are routinely involved in the process and participate in sessions along the way to learn effective parent-child communication strategies and determine how to translate successful interventions in the playroom to their natural environments.

This work is dependent on creating a therapeutic rapport with the child that is grounded in trust toward the provider and a sense of safety/security during sessions. As the relationship grows, the child is encouraged to engage in play-based activities that promote authentic communication related to his or her real-life experiences. Based on this feedback, I help the child develop a comprehensive narrative that serves as a platform for expressing his or her wants and needs. Finally, I offer opportunities for the child to develop practical yet effective techniques to express emotions and build positive life skills.

tools

Therapeutic play can serve as a fundamental tool, addressing social-emotional challenges and generating alternative ways to manage needs by building on one’s strengths and natural support systems. Optimizing these skills is a critical component to the foundation of children’s physical, academic and social development. Developmental research shows that play is a powerful mechanism for enhancing brain development in the early years and children, impacting learning, moral development and self-esteem. By partnering with families and community agents to foster such skills in young children, we prevent future health, social and economic challenges later in life.

LINKS:

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry >

American Academy of Pediatrics >

American Psychological Association >

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network >

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration >

Association for Play Therapy >

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy >

Social Thinking >

Online Safety >

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

New clients are encouraged to contact their insurance company before scheduling an appointment to be aware of their financial responsibility prior to seeking therapeutic services. I also have an out-of-pocket rate and am able to offer a sliding scale fee based on income. Payment options include cash, personal checks or credit cards. Telehealth appointments are also available through the platform Zoom.com. These services are approved and paid for by insurance companies. Deductibles and co-payments remain the same as in-office appointments.

I am contracted with multiple insurance companies within Vermont and New Hampshire. These include:

• Medicaid (including select managed care plans)

• Blue Cross and Blue Shield

• Aetna

• Cigna

• Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare

• United Healthcare

• Humana

• Tricare

Contact

The best first step is for us to have a conversation about your particular concerns, needs, and hopes. To facilitate this, please fill out the form or you may call or email me directly. Know that I’m often working with a client so you may need to leave a message if you call. I look forward to meeting with you and your child. In the meantime, take it easy on you and be generous in your love for each other.