Child or Adolescent Issues

Most children and teens, even those who seem very well adjusted, will face bumps in the road occasionally. As part of growing up, they may go through tough periods of atypical behavior. Sometimes, there may be an underlying issue that the child or teen has trouble managing on their own. Things like divorce, adoption or bullying can be difficult for a child to work through without help. Additionally, children and adolescents can suffer from many of the same problems facing adults, including depression, insomnia, anxiety, poor self-esteem or eating disorders. A qualified therapist can help a child or adolescent to develop healthy ways to cope with whatever issue is on their mind.

Local experts in Child or Adolescent Issues

Lucas Wenker MS LPC (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have experience working for an intensive experiential wilderness therapy program in Washington state. The average student in our program struggled with chemical dependency, behavioral problems, communication, and high levels of family conflict. I have years of experience working with all parties to help heal and seek resolution.

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Irma E. Llanes (she/her/ella)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

My extensive training includes working as a Child Advocate for court involved youth, co-facilitating art therapy groups, working 1:1 with 'at risk' youth, facilitating a girls life skills group, teaching an anti-violence & domestic violence curriculum in elementary thru high school classrooms, as well as seeing young clients in my office with adjustment, and behavioral/emotional issues.

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Laina Yoswein (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

For over ten years I have specialized in supporting youth and their families through various hardships including anxiety, depression, grief, life transitions, trauma, and self-esteem issues. I have extensive experience working with young people and it's also something I genuinely enjoy.

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Caroline McGrath LPC, NCC (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

Certified Master Jungian Life Coach, Certified Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator, Certified TRE® Provider, Certified Yoga Calm® Youth Instructor, Holistic Health Practitioner

I support teens, college students, and young adults who are struggling with the stressors and anxieties of post-pandemic struggles, school, friends, families, life, and self. Many teens and young adults may also be experiencing other emotional or behavioral responses to the challenges they are enduring, as well as past traumas. Add in a pandemic and todays youth’s lives have been flipped upside down. Together we work collaboratively as we navigate through the up's and downs.

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Bryanna Goodman

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Kids face unique challenges as their identities emerge and they start to figure out who they are and how they fit in. Refresh Therapy is here to support kids as they work on becoming their best self and prepare for teen years.

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Firefly Institute

Licensed Professional Counselor

Children frequently have difficulty talking about what is bothering them or talking about events that have occurred in their lives. Our approach to counseling children and adolescents is to use a prescriptive method of play or expressive arts therapy (using the best fitting evidenced based practice that meets the needs of your child, integrated into hands-on work that brings counseling to life).

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Kelly Reams MSW, BCD Psychoanalyst (She/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Lcsw, bcd

I have over thirty years of psychotherapy experience with children and adolescents dealing with a wide range of emotional and behavioral issues in several settings. As a member of the Child Therapy Study Group for over ten years, I received individual consultation on my child therapy cases with psychoanalytically trained professionals and met with colleagues for ongoing clinical discussions.

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Alana Duschane

Clinical Psychologist

I have experience and specialized training in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents. I have provided comprehensive psychological evaluation for learning disabilities, ADHD, social, behavioral, and emotional functioning, and various child and adolescent issues. I have been trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children (TF-CBT).

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Dr. Michelle Pliske (She/Her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

DSW LCSW RPT-S

Children frequently have difficulty talking about what is bothering them or talking about events that have occurred in their lives. My approach to counseling children and adolescents is to use a prescriptive method of play or expressive arts therapy (using the best fitting evidenced based practice that meets the needs of your child, integrated into hands-on work that brings counseling to life).

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Julia Bennion (she/her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

Building a trusting and empathetic relationship with my teenage clients is at the core of my approach. I believe in creating a safe space where teens feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and emotions without judgment. Understanding the complexities of adolescence, I tailor my therapeutic techniques to address issues such as identity exploration, peer relationships, academic stress, and emotional regulation.

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Nancy Pearson, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Family is the organizing principle that allows each of its members to grow and prosper. When family is going well, each individual is stronger for the experience; when it is not going well, all members suffer. I have helped thousands of families as they struggle with barriers and find solutions to harmonious living that supports the individuality of each of its members.

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Alannah Purdie (She/her)

Student Counselor

NPI: 1710568340

Child-Centered Play Therapy and Sandtray Therapy trained.

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Katie Azarow (She/Her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, CADC I

I have over ten years of experience providing mental health treatment to children and adolescents in Nebraska, Oregon and Washington. I have over 100 hours in ongoing education working with this population and am certified as a child specialist in the state of Washington.

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Julie Kirchner (She/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

MA, LMFT,RPT

I enjoy helping families struggling with children and adolescent issues, from behavioral issues to feelings of depression and anxiety, to help them find ways to resolve their problems. I have training in play therapy for children as young as 3 years old. I also enjoy working with children who have physical or emotional disabilities. I'm here to help the child and family navigate through these difficult times that they may face.

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Kate Parker-Shames (she/her/hers)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I work with children of all ages. I believe that you, as the person/ people who know your child the best, are a critical component of your child's therapy. I will collaborate with you to determine what will be most beneficial therapeutic approach for you and your child. I am a warm, competent, energetic practitioner, who will strive to help your child feel safe and at ease.

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Elizabeth Nelson (She/Her)

Art Therapist

ATR-BC/LPC

I have worked with children and adolescents for 23 yrs. in both educational and therapeutic settings (hospitals, community mental health agencies and day treatment facilities). My passion is working with teenagers and my practice is uniquely designed to treat the developmental and mental health concerns of this population.

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Shantee Mayfield (She/Her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

PhD, LPC, MFT

Our broad range of support programs, many of which are offered via Zoom, and video chat, provide services to children from pre-school through late adolescence as well as their parents. All programs are guided by agency experts in youth development, education, literacy and learning, parenting, mental health, and trauma. Through collaborations with community partners, COCP addresses the challenges faced by many families in under-resourced communities in Dallas.

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Pearl Health Center

Licensed Professional Counselor

Melanie has extensive experience working with at-risk youth and families, using the Collaborative Problem Solving approach to reducing family conflict.

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Sam Skye (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

ATR, LPC

I specialize in supporting children and teens through difficult times, including gender and identity exploration, depression, anxiety, and adjustment to changing life circumstances. Art therapy is an excellent tool for helpful young people navigate their feelings.

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Chris Lehman

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, MS, LPC

I have thirty years experience working with children and adolescents adjusting to developmental issues, family issues, disabilities, and academic issues.

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Emily Fagan (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have been working with teens for many years on addressing not only depression, anxiety, and low self-worth, but looking closely at the causes of it. Let's look closely at why you feel the way you do, and work to make changes.

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Michaela Curtis-Joyce (they/them)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW,LICSW

I work with adults to support the well being of their children. In my professional opinion children benefit most of from smaller and more frequent doses of support. I delight in supporting caregivers to offer this to their children.

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Eric Loya (he/him)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

As an adolescent therapist (14 +), I have supported youth in processing and coping with environmental and developmental stressors . Some of the stressors include, but are not limited to bullying, adjusting to family/parental transitions, social pressure, body and gender issues, and self-harming/suicidal ideation.

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Kitty Carter (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, PhD

I have specialized training in early childhood (child parent psychotherapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, play therapy), childhood development from early childhood to teens, and neurobiology-- which is a fancy way of saying brain development. I also integrate trauma informed approaches and specific treatments (trauma focused CBT, Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competency Model) in my work with children, as well as family systems approaches to help build stable systems and connections.

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Danielle McWilliams LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC NCC

My truest focus as a therapist is working with young people, & whatever issues or struggles they may be facing, with a developmentally & culturally relevant approach. All theoretical or practical training has been filtered through this lens, leading to a specialized style of building strong therapeutic relationships, supporting & facilitating young clients' ability to navigate their way through...

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Desiree Stang (She/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CADC III

For three years I worked in a secure dual diagnoses facility with clients ages 12-18 helping them with all kinds of different struggles, whether it was PTSD, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and/or addiction. Teenagers go through a lot and usually don't have many people they can actually trust to go and talk to. Schedule an appointment today to see if I would be a good fit for your son or daughter.

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Allison Amo MA, LPC (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I have extensive experience and training in issues around child and adolescent mental health issues, including eating disorders, body image issues, and substance abuse. Through therapy, I support children and young adults in expressing and exploring their lived experience and understanding of things, resolving emotional blocks, and ultimately, heal and grow.

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Richard Halpern (he/him)

Professional Counselor

M.A., Trauma Informed Coach

I coordinated a public school counseling program and was a K-12 School Counselor for 16 years. I met with students with personal, academic, career, and family issues (caseload 400+ students). I dealt with just about any problem you can imagine, and did so in an easy going yet structured way students related to.

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Nate Wilson-Traisman

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

The adolescent years are filled with immense physical, emotional, and cognitive change. While this developmental period is undoubtedly exciting, it can also present adolescents and families with newfound challenges. My previous experiences—as a therapist, coach, and teacher—have given me exposure to the unique challenges of adolescence.

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Emily Haygeman (they/them/she/her)

Clinical Psychologist

PhD

I offer up-to-date psychological evaluations for a range of neurodivergent presentations including autism, ADHD, Nonverbal Learning Disabilities and other learning disabilities, as well as mental health presentations including anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I am also available for Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE). Trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming.

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Katrina Thatcher (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, MS, NCC

I have special training in child development, parenting support and Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), an evidence-based treatment approach for working with children ages 3-10. I have experience working with children, and their families, facing social, emotional, or behavioral challenges, or life transitions.

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Suzanne Sanchez (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I have been working with teens for many years, and they are my passion. I know how to connect with adolescents, help them understand their needs, and identify their strengths. I advocate for them because they don’t know how to do this for themselves, and I work to give them hope and courage to be authentically themselves.

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Kat Canada (they/them)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, LiCSW

I provide integrative, relationally focused psychotherapy to children, teens, and young adults, with specialized experience supporting neurodivergent and queer youth, trans and non-binary children and youth, and young people with experiences of trauma.

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Andrew Elmore, MSW,CSWA

Licensed Professional Counselor

An adolescent experiences and expresses their feelings differently than adults. I help my clients build tools for communication and expression to cope with a range of challenges: major life changes, parental divorce or death, struggles in school, relationship problems, low self-esteem, gender identity, peer pressure, or adjusting to a new school or home.

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Danielle Thompson

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I have a passion working with adolescents, and their passion for life. Adolescents present with a unique perspective on life, which is encouraging to experience.

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Erika Nelson (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I have many years of experience working with youth and families in crisis, experiencing significant mental heath struggles, who are often experiencing system harm. I have worked with many youth who were hesitant about therapy, or have had negative experiences in the past. I am familiar with the unique challenges youth face and the unique services they deserve to support their healing and growth.

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Raquel Harmon (SHE/THEY)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MA

I have worked for a number of years with children and youth and their caregivers facing a wide range of co-occuring mental health and neuro-developmental challenges; first in a public education setting, and for the past two and a half years as a Child and Family Therapist. I especially focus on family ecology, the nervous system, sensory and body awareness, the parent child relationship, co-regulation, positive parenting strategies, and draw from Emotionally Focused Family Therapy theories.

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Susan Lehman (she/her)

Reverend

CPDT, HART, life coach

Working with parents/adults as well as children, sometimes there is an inner child who had to deal with abuse of all kinds. I can help you connect with them and bring healing.

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Bethany Ingram (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I enjoy working with older children (10 and up), adolescents, and young adults. I have extensive experience in understanding adolescent needs and developmental tasks of this life stage.

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Judy Marantz-Herzberg (she/her)

Social Worker

LCSW and LSSW (Licensed School Social Worker)

Adolescence is a time of tremendous growth and change. Sometimes teens benefit from exploring problems within a trusting therapeutic relationship. Some concerns young people bring: depression, anxiety, concerns about peers, sexuality/sexual identify, pressure to achieve, worries about the future, school / home challenges, substance use, self-harm, referrals from school counselors and doctors.

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Sarah King (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

CCSOT

I over ten years experience working with adolescents with a host of issues, including: sexual health, suicidal ideation, self-harm, moral development and social and emotional skill building. I have worked with youth in residential and outpatient settings and offer both group and individual counseling services.

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Lorraine Storm

Licensed Professional Counselor

Raising kids is tough! So much has changed in the last couple of decades with technology and culture that adolescents today experience numerous problems we never had to deal with growing up (and some we did!). I have worked with kids and families on a variety of topics in home, community, and school-based settings, so I have a variety of tools to address common problems.

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Susan Lehman (she/her)

Reverend

CPDT, HART, life coach

I work with parents on really 'listening' to what the child truly needs. My first published book is "Eat, Play, Poop? Is that all there is?" available at sagesusan.com.

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Beth Ann AKA BA Short LCAT, ATR-BC (they/them)

Art Therapist

LCAT

I have worked with youth since the beginning of my practice in 1999. Attachment impacts each of us in significant ways including brain development. I have always been drawn to this work in hopes of supporting clients in addressing struggles early to potentially avoid or diminish life long struggles with anxiety and depression.

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Zoë Martinini (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA

I have experience working with teens and their families in schools and residential treatment settings. I am passionate about working with youth and believe in supportive empowerment.

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Zach Edmund, LPC (He/Him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, LPC

I have worked extensively with children aged 8 and up and teens. Teenagers are one of my favorite populations to work with!

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Jamie Krahulec (she/they)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA, BA, #R7573

I use child-centered play therapy integrated with expressive art therapy because I believe that to help children requires using their own language and taking care to communicate within individual developmental parameters. I’ve had training for children and parents including trauma-focused CBT, gender-affirming play therapy, parenting amidst the pandemic, trust based relational intervention, child-parent relationship therapy and am working towards certification as a Registered Play Therapist.

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Lilyan Smith-Moore, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

Mental health professionals have long realized that children and adolescents need different approaches to therapy than adults do. I have worked with hundreds of children and teens and I understand their unique development, needs, and limitations. I also know that the most proven effective therapy for a young person includes the family's participation.

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Sarah Sterling

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC, LMHC

I offer highly attuned, empowerment-based, relevant and uniquely tailored long-term therapy to teenage girls and women. My work emphasizes the cultivation of mindfulness and meaning-making capacities, so that teens learn to navigate the complexities and challenges of life in a way that is true to their authenticity and supports healthy decision-making.

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Haleigh Yurecko (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, MSW

I specialize in working adolescents and young adults and they are my preferred age range for clients as I feel I can build a good relationship and I love being able to offer support to them during difficult times. I ensure that my clients have privacy and only disclose specifics shared with me to parents when I am given permission by the child unless it is a safety concern. This helps youth feel they can trust me. Parent consults and family sessions may occur when appropriate.

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Nick DeMayo, LMFT

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I specialize in working with adolescent boys (ages 10-15) struggling with anxiety and depression.

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Elizabeth Ellisan (they/them)

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have extensive training and experience working with teens and young adults. Adolescence is a period of stress; both for teens and the family members that love them. With stress comes growth and teens are growing a lot! They are managing day to day life and developing personally, cognitively, and emotionally. I enjoy supporting family and teens navigating this important life transition.

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Family Ties Counseling Center

Licensed Professional Counselor

Your kids are held up and nurtured by many different relationships. From siblings, to parents, to grandparents, to friend, and teachers, your child thrives when they are connected to many safe and caring people. When your child experiences a difficulty, they need a therapeutic approach that takes into account their most essential relationships.

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Chad Ernest, MS, LPC (He/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

Whether you're child is struggling in school, has behavioral issues, been diagnosed with ADHD, a learning disorder, or is on the Autism Spectrum, I can help with learning more about how to manage behaviors and work with the children on understanding, coming to terms with, and overcoming their symptoms.

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Family Roots Therapy

Licensed Professional Counselor

We have counselors who have received specialized training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy, an approach that treats young children ages 0-6 who have experienced trauma, violence, or separation from a caregiver. Our child and teen therapists are also trained in play therapy and art therapy, and have experience working in schools and community-based settings.

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Rochelle Schwartz

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

Some issues that we struggle with as adults begin in childhood, and many of us wish we would have learned strategies much earlier in life. Because of this, those aged 14+ is an area of passion for me. I have experience working with adolescents in my practice, as well as at an at-risk high school, and teen pregnancy shelter.

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Therese Long (she/her)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

I have worked as a Child and Family Therapist in community mental health for the last 5 years. My experience includes supporting families through transition, assisting parents in restructuring expectations and setting limits, and increasing communication within family system. My work also includes running girls groups for adolescents that target self esteem, social expectations, and self worth.

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Ann DeWitt

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

I love helping kids by offering a supportive adult outside the family. I work with kids who are feeling anxious, sad and overwhelmed by the demands of school, friends and family.

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Brittany Eide

Professional Counselor Associate

I have been working with children and teens directly in many different capacities since 1998. I felt a calling to do so from a very early age. I have a BS, MSCP, and two certifications in people-centered, helping fields that have taught me much about how to connect with children and adolescents.

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Anthony Marchant

Licensed Professional Counselor

Extensive training and experience working with the problems associated with adolescence.

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Candice Guertin (She/Her)

Marriage and Family Therapist Associate

MFT Registered Associate

Talented and Gifted Children (TAG) & Adults Twice Exceptional 2e Social and Emotional Concerns Somatic and Expressive Arts Creatives

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MereAnn Reid

Licensed Professional Counselor

Registered Play Therapist, Certified Adoption Therapist

Kids who come to see me often learn how to tame big feelings, make sense of their experiences--even hard ones--increase their resilience, and learn new ways to express needs. I use play therapy, family sessions, and art materials to help kids build skills, develop new perspective, and feel understood by the people they love. I especially enjoy working with kids age 3-10.

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Emily Radcliffe (She/Her)

Marriage and Family Therapist

For over a decade I've worked with youth, teens and young adults to help them manage everything normal growing-pains to intense family conflict, trauma, Panic Disorder, PTSD, anxiety, depression and more. I've also helped families more successfully communicate and understand each other - learn speak each other's language.

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Carly Henderson (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, LMHC, NCC

I am trained in Collaborative Problem Solving and have had several years of experience working with children and adolescents - ages 3-20 both in and out of the school setting. I have worked within the Special Education system and can assist families with what is an often confusing process. I use art and play techniques, interactive activities and include parents and other family members in therapy

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sandeep kumar

Licensed Professional Counselor

For 10 years, I've worked with children, teens and young adults at the K-5, middle, high school and college level. I help children age 8 & up with mental health and its impact on their scholastic and general self-esteem. I'm interested in working with children and adolescents coping with anxiety, bullying issues and children who perceive themselves to think and feel differently than others.

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Rachel Kendall (she/ her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, C7689

Childhood and adolescence are wonderful times in human development because there is so much discovery about oneself and the world. At times, the unknown can be uncomfortable. By offering a foundation of belonging and self-acceptance for children and adolescents, I can help them to establish a sense of safety as they expand their comfort zone and embrace their personal growth journey.

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Sonja Crisosto (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW

I have been working with youth and families in a variety of rolls over the last twenty years. I enjoy working with teens at this time who are middle school age and older.

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Gillian Sleeman

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

Prior to beginning private practice, I worked as a Child and Family Therapist in an intensive outpatient setting for Trillium Family Services which is Oregon's largest provider of mental and behavioral healthcare for children and families.

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Sofia Jasani (she/her/hers)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, NCC

In the playroom, children can express their emotions, develop coping skills, improve social skills, strengthen their family relationships, and improve behavior in a way that comes naturally to them. I provide in-person play therapy for children ages 3-10 adjusting to loss and change in the family, struggling in school, experiencing anxiety, depression, chronic illness, disability, and racial stress.

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Brooke Lavarias (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, PCIT and PCIT-T certified

As a certified PCIT clinician for the last several years, I have worked a lot with young children.

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Rebecca Macy LPC RYT

Licensed Professional Counselor

I remember how difficult it can be to be a teen- confused about who I am and what I want out of my life, feeling pressure from adults to be a certain way, not sure what to do with my intense emotions. Sometimes just talk therapy isn't helpful for teens and I offer a variety of ways to explore their experience and learn how to navigate lifes ups and downs.

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