If you're here, it means you have questions. Below, I've provided answers to some of the common questions that parents have when they are considering therapy for their children. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions that aren't addressed here.
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What is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)?

I'm a licensed professional counselor (or LPC). An LPC is a mental health professional who provides therapy. All LPCs must complete a Master's degree or higher, pass a national exam, complete a 3,000 hour internship, and be approved by a state board in order to practice. LPCs are held to high ethical standards in how we treat our clients and maintain confidentiality. We are trained to work with adults, children, couples, and families in order to diagnose and treat a wide variety of concerns. LPCs choose our own particular way of practicing, and may follow different theories about mental health—that's why it's important to choose someone who's a good fit for you.

It's important to note that an LPC is not a psychiatrist, which means we do not hold medical degrees and cannot prescribe medication.

Does counseling really work?

The short answer is yes. If I didn't believe that, I would not be in this profession! Therapy is a field that has constantly submitted itself to observation and research in an attempt to ensure that it remains effective. (If you want to know more about the efficacy of play therapy in particular, you should check out the Evidence-Based Child Therapy website.)

But just because it works doesn't mean it's easy. Most of us are uncomfortable with the idea of inviting a stranger to listen to our struggles, to hear about the places where we have trouble figuring out the right way to go, to help us hold our secrets or frustrations or shame. What if they judge us? What if they tell other people? That's why it is so important to choose the right person to walk alongside you. If you'd like to know more about whether I'm the right fit for you, feel free to read about me or give me a call.

Do you have a specialty?

I welcome all clients from ages three and above, including children, teenagers, and adults. I have certain areas that I feel especially passionate about—such as helping people who are depressed, anxious, have trouble fitting in, or have low self-esteem; teenagers who are trying to figure out their identity or their purpose in the world; people who have experienced trauma; people with ADHD or other neurodiverse conditions—but I am happy to work with nearly any situation that you might be facing.

That being said, If I do feel that I might not be the best fit for your family, I will let you know and I will refer you to someone who is in a better place to meet your needs.

Do I need therapy?

In the end, that decision is up to you. In my experience, a lot of people who ask this question have other questions in mind too. Questions like, "If I go to therapy, does that mean something is wrong with me?" And the answer to that question is no. More likely, you're dealing with a tough obstacle in the best way you can. I'm convinced that everybody wants to be the best version of themselves as often as possible. And if we don't feel like we can be that person, then it's because something is in the way. People come to therapy for big, life-altering problems and little, day-to-day ones. Some people even come to therapy before they see any problems just because they want to take care of themselves or be prepared for something stressful.

Therapy is the most appropriate treatment for helping you work through difficult times, for gaining perspective, and for learning to manage difficult emotions. If you feel challenged in dealing with a situation, then it couldn't hurt to give me a call.

How long can I expect to be in therapy?

Every situation is unique, so it depends. But here is how we will know when we are done:

• When I first meet with you, we will talk about your goals.
• I will work toward those goals in therapy, and share tools to help you work toward them in the rest of your life (or your child's life).
• We will update each other on progress toward those goals.
• When your initial goals are met, we will review them. If necessary, we will adjust them or add new ones.
• When goals are met—when you (or your child) are feeling capable and doing better, and when you feel confident in handling new obstacles that might come up—we will move toward "graduation."
• After graduation, you are always welcome to come back in for "tune-up" appointments as needed.

What is play therapy?

Play therapy is therapy which is developmentally appropriate for children.

If you'd like a more technical definition, the Association for Play Therapy (APT) defines play therapy as "the systematic use of a theoretical model to establish an interpersonal process wherein trained play therapists use the therapeutic powers of play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties and achieve optimal growth and development." 

Either way, this is what it comes down to: kids work through emotions and experiences differently than adults do. They need to act things out, either by telling stories, taking on roles, or even just making a big mess. You've probably seen this in action before. When a child has a hard day at school and then comes home and plays teacher with her siblings, that is emotional processing in action. Play therapy gives children an environment designed to help them work things out in the way that makes the most sense for them.

​There are different types of play therapy, just as there are different types of therapy for adults. Some approaches prioritize giving children space to do what they need to do. In other approaches, therapists take on more of a teaching role. I typically use Child-Centered Play Therapy, which trusts that children naturally have the resources to work things out under the right circumstances, and gives them space to find their own way. Child-Centered Play Therapy has been shown to help children:

• Learn to respect themselves
• Learn to accept their feelings and express them responsibly
• Learn to assume responsibility for themselves
• Learn to be creative and resourceful in confronting problems
• Learn self-control and self-direction
• Learn to accept themselves
• Learn to make choices and be responsible for their own choices

(The above list is from Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (2012), by Garry Landreth)

If you have more questions about what play therapy is and how it works, feel free to send me an e-mail.

If you want to know more about the efficacy of play therapy, you should check out the Evidence-Based Child Therapy website.

How are parents involved in play therapy?

I personally believe that therapy is most effective when I can work together with parents as a team. I will keep you up to date about the progress of therapy in regular meetings, and I invite you to keep in contact whenever you have questions about situations that come up in between our meetings. I try to be very flexible with parents. The way I see it, you are the most important people in your child's life—much more important that I'll ever be. So if you're not involved in the process, then I'm missing a very important piece of the puzzle. What happens in your child's therapy should never be a mystery to you.

If it's appropriate, I also do family sessions in which both parents and children are involved.

Also, for some families, Filial Therapy might be a good fit. In Filial Therapy (also called Child-Parent Relationship Therapy), I teach you the basic principles of play therapy so that you can use them yourself, in your own home, in order to strengthen your relationship with your child.

How much will it cost me?

I offer a free 10-minute phone consultation for new clients. After that, I charge $120 for a session, which is typical for the area. That's a flat fee that includes intake appointments, individual, couple, family, and play therapy sessions, and extra administrative work. I can accept cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. I also accept Paypal. Sessions are typically 50 minutes long, aside from play therapy appointments, which are 45 minutes long. (The shorter appointment for play therapy is due to the necessary cleaning time afterward.)

Do you take insurance?

I currently do not accept insurance, but I would be happy to help you file for Out of Network benefits. I've put a lot of thought into this decision. The problem with insurance is that, in order to file with an insurance company, I am required to give a diagnosis. Sometimes they will accept a "soft" diagnosis such as Adjustment Disorder (which basically just means you (or your child) are adjusting to a difficult situation). But more and more, companies are requiring more serious diagnoses to clear payment. If I stick a diagnosis on your someone, it can follow them for a long time, and could affect them negatively for years to come. Individual pay is more discreet, and doesn't require your child to carry around a label. If you are worried about my fee, please give me a call. I will do the best I can to either meet your needs or refer you to someone who is a better fit.

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