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.
As a Certified Play Therapist, my passion is working with children, adolescents, and adults dealing with a variety of needs including depression, trauma, autism, and other behavioral issues. My work focuses on developing healthy coping skills and a positive sense of self to incorporate in daily living in order to enhance each individual's well-being and overall family dynamics. My focus of...
As a Certified Play Therapist, I enjoy primarily working with individuals, children, & their families. I believe in empowering individuals to realize their full potential and that establishing a secure attachment foundation is vital for healthy emotional growth. As a teacher for over 20 years, I have developed my passion for working with various school related concerns, including anxiety,...
*NOW ACCEPTING TELEHEALTH CLIENTS ONLY* I am a licensed clinical social worker with years of experience counseling families, couples, adults and children of all ages. I specialize in helping clients navigate the challenging symptoms of the adjustment process. I work with clients suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, anger, chronic or terminal illness, marital issues and LGBTQIA+ issues. I ...
Dr. Dainery Fuentes is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and their parents. In addition, she also treats individual adults. She assists in the process of exploring and building the inner strength to allow for the growth that is necessary to transition successfully through the stages of life. Dr. Fuentes completed her Ph.D. at Yeshiva...
Scotts Valley Counseling Center is a non-profit agency dedicated to bringing high-quality therapy to the communities of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties. We offer compassionate, judgment-free counseling for individuals, adults, teens, and children, as well as couples, families, and groups. We also provide free counseling and life skills groups to children in Scotts Valley schools. Our...
My passion has always been to help children overcome both their inner emotional conflict as well as outward behavioral struggles. My professional and life experiences of working in foster care, school settings, and eventually abroad in a residential setting have equipped me to meet both you and your child wherever you find yourselves on your healing journey in dealing with trauma, abuse, neglec...
I work with clients through the lifespan. I believe in meeting clients where they are to achieve goals and find more contentment with their lives. While I do work with people struggling with mental illness, I also work with those who would just like to gain perspective and increased effectiveness in their lives. I am a believer in evidence based practices and use them to work with all clients, ...
( English | español ) Hello! Please call me Yaro. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and I have a doctorate in Psychology. I am also a professor and speaker for trauma and clinical topics. It is a difficult decision to seek therapy. My role as a therapist is to participate in healing wounds, restoring hope, and creating comfortable meaning from stress or painful experiences. If you are...
I strive to provide a safe and confidential space in which my clients can explore habitual beliefs and behaviors that have been causing personal distress and/or relational problems. I attempt to help them find ways of re-directing their energy towards more effective and satisfying ways of being and interacting. The goal of therapy as I see it for people to develop an understanding of themselves...
I enjoy working with kids, youth and adults of all ages who may be experiencing some anxiety, depression and adjustment issues. I enjoy using the expressive arts in sessions, including journaling, painting, and drawing, as well as music, and movement. Sometimes I think it's difficult for us to know exactly how we are feeling or how to fix it. Bringing in different modalities, can connect us in...
Our practice is founded on the principle that every individual is capable of change. We have combined our unique expertise, both professionally and from our distinct fields, to develop a safe, therapeutic environment that is capable of servicing an array of needs such as: anxiety, depression, trauma, childhood and adolescent issues, marital and couples struggles, sexual identity issues among ma...
I specialize in comprehensive psychological evaluations for children and adults. This includes assessment and diagnosis of learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism Spectrum and other developmental disorders, as well as behavior, mood, and anxiety disorders. I also complete evaluations required for inclusion in gifted or special education programs, pre-adoption, pre-surgical, and court-ordered...
When you are worried that your child is not at their best and may be suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety or behavioral problems, it can be difficult to know what to do. Making the decision to put your child in therapy can be a difficult one that comes along with fear of judgement, failure and anxiety. At the same time, we want what is best for our children and we want them to grow an...
I have a desire to assist people through tough challenges they have encountered in life. I believe challenges are inevitable but can be worked through by creating healthy supports, gaining insight into ourselves, and learning stress management. I want to help individuals find or use their inner strength to work through distress. Working jointly with patients to provide skills and support to wor...
Do you feel stuck and overwhelmed? Do you feel like life has no meaning or purpose? Life can be difficult when walking through the valley of challenges. Be encouraged, there is hope! While there are many ways to overcome obstacles and live a fulfilled life, therapy is one way. As your therapist, my goal is to partner with you in a therapeutic alliance and tackle life's challenges as a team. My...
