Expressive Arts & Play Therapy Studio

I have had many referrals from Kids First, since children and their parents need help in adjusting to the new family configuration. In addition to grief, often ongoing or recurring parental conflicts cause children to experience pain and confusion from torn loyalties. Play therapy allows children to use their natural language to express their feelings and learn the words they need. I work with the whole family to find the best ways to ease the transition.

Because a child a part of a family, I include parents to the degree that is useful in each case. I believe that a child's behavior is a form of communication, driven by emotions he has no words for. It is necessary to understand and translate this and, with the child, create more appropriate language while facilitating interaction with parents.

Expressive Arts and Play Therapy helps to identify the emotions behind the stress and to devise strategies that minimize distress.

Living with (or without) a family member with addiction brings very specific problems that are more easily dealt with once understood. Children as young as 6 can benefit from airing their own feelings and understanding the distortions caused by misuse of alcohol or drugs.

Each of these, and the many variations being identified, has its own issues, and at the same time, each person in each category is an individual first and requires personal understanding. As a six-year-old transgender child said recently, "transgender people are regular people". Facing, of course, complex societal and familial dynamics.

I have been in practice since 1991, as an Expressive Arts Therapist trained at Lesley College (now Lesley University). My training was Intermodel, flowing from visual art, to movement, to sand tray, to writing, whatever modality seems useful to elicit or clarify or enhance self-understanding. I am qualified to supervise any student or practitioner using these modalities. I am also available to teach and supervise the use of sand tray play for children and adults.