Play Therapy is an approach to counseling utilized for children. Children learn to understand the world through play. Play Therapy embraces play to facilitate therapeutic interventions. Play can include games, dolls, art activities, sports, make-believe, or any other activity that fits a child developmentally and emotionally.
Play Therapy can be beneficial for children with behavioral issues. Because these children might not have the words to communicate their feelings or might not want to, this allows them a space to express themselves and share their feelings through play.
Play therapists get to know the child’s specific interests and can tailor their counseling space to make it unique for each child. As the counselor observes and interacts with the child, they can understand the emotions that lead to their behaviors. Over time, therapists can encourage children to use play to express feelings instead of expressing them through inappropriate or harmful behaviors.
Play Therapy can also be used for adults to help them connect with their inner creativity and facilitate child-like joy.
Life is filled with times of transition and times of change. This couldn't be more true than for the life of a child or an adolescent. School stressors, personal identity, family separations, forming healthy friendships, and an overwhelming desire for acceptance are all things that a child or adolescent may deal with regularly. In these moments it is crucial for a young person to feel understoo...
**Accepting Telehealth Clients **"To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.”- Pema Chödrön Throughout my life, I’ve discovered the beauty of continually being thrown out of the nest. I’ve had many difficult struggles in my own life including intense trauma and grief. I believe that in order to heal we must embrace all parts of our self and...
I have experience working with several populations including adolescents and young adults. I mostly use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Person Centered Therapy. However, I believe therapy is most helpful when it is holistic and customized for each individual. I often add aspects of other treatment models to my treatment plan and tend to include creative/expressive activities t...
First, let me say kudos to you on taking a huge step in seeking counseling, whether it is for yourself or your child. It can be scary to be vulnerable, but this is the first step in the journey towards healing. No matter the age of a person, we all can benefit from a listening ear to help us gain insight about ourselves. Whether you are seeking therapy for yourself or your child, my goal as a...
ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS!!! My approach to counseling is guided by the values and principles of psychiatric rehabilitation; which in essence, honors and respects the dignity, rights, strengths, uniqueness, and beauty in all individuals. The healing process is rooted in establishing a foundation of trust, hope, and safety. Once the foundation is laid is when the healing can begin. I have great resp...
ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS!!! As a counselor, it is my job to see and understand people as individuals. To help people find the strength within that can so easily become forgotten. There are various schools of thought that I pull from such as REBT, CBT, and DBT depending on the needs of the individual. My approach is humanistic in nature, which means that the sessions are client driven. I believe th...
There are times that someone cannot fight a battle on their own. Although, they have tried continuously and feel that they have gotten nowhere. I want to assist you in getting to where you want to be at and illustrate that it can happen. Si se puede! Therapy is a healing process that requires the participation and investment from the client and the therapist, but in the end, making small...
We all need to feel understood and accepted for our own uniqueness and individual ways of learning, doing and being our "personal best". We need courage to find ways to try again when things don't go as planned despite our efforts. Counseling provides a safe haven for the release and expression of our thoughts and feelings without judgement . My life and 30 years of career experiences in the...
I have experience treating individuals and couples with depression, anxiety, attachment and trauma. I have worked extensively with children, teens and young adults and believe my relationship with my clients is a partnership working to achieve the clients goals. I strive to assist clients with identifying and building upon their strengths and growing through their challenges. I am an eclectic...
Serving as a minister and earning a PhD in Counseling Psychology equipped me to care for people in crises. Working with vulnerable children and their families or caregivers, also proved to be a valuable foundation for clinical care. In a medical academic setting, training residents in the use of spirituality and psychology as they cared for their patients, deepened my own understanding of just ...
To preserve everyone’s safety during COVID-19, all sessions are currently conducted via Zoom/telehealth. I offer comprehensive testing and assessment services via telehealth for learning, attention, executive functioning, mood, and anxiety concerns for children, adolescents, college students, and adults. I also offer weekly telehealth therapy sessions. My approach to teletherapy is an empatheti...
Hurting? Worried? Anxious? Sad? Are you in trouble? How about your child, family, marriage, or loved one? Life can be tough, it is much harder when you are hurting. Have you checked out of life, your friendships, work, or school? Life at times will slap even the most determined person around. You are reading this because some aspect of your life is no longer working like you want it too. It...
Touched by Adoption? The Barker Foundation recognizes that adoption is a lifelong journey, with normal developmental challenges and tasks. We will walk with you through and support you through your journey. Whether you are an adoptive parent with a child that is struggling emotionally or academically; a birth parent who is seeking understanding, reflection, or search and reunion; or an adoptee...
Wanda Is only providing Tele-therapy at this time. Clinical Supervisor Wanda Montemayor is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPC-S-AT), a Registered Art Therapist (ATR-BC, ATCS) , a Registered Play Therapy Supervisor ( RPT-S) with a specialty in EMDR and animal-assisted therapy. In addition to her traditional counseling and therapy (talk therapy) methods, she integrates art therapy ...
As a licensed professional counselor, my goal is to provide clients a caring environment of safety, support, and growth. I specialize in counseling approaches for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Working towards wellness, I strive to join clients in identifying goals and developing an action plan that supports growth towards a positive sense of well-being. I earned a master’s degree...
