Positive Attributes Counseling for Kids | Phoenix

Counseling Kids

Concerned about your kids' reaction to school?

Do they avoid homework or complain about their teachers?

Is your child sad, fearful, angry or worried?

Do you suspect they are getting bullied?

Is your child's behavior suddenly out of control?

Childhood can be stressful!

And schools aren't always capable of providing the emotional support and individualized problem solving that will help your child grow into the compassionate and caring adult you want them to become.

You want to give your kids the best chances in life possible, but right now maybe you aren't exactly sure what to do.

I can help.

Today’s children are required to constantly work toward excellence. They must pass with flying colors, all of the standardized tests that come their way. It's a lot of pressure on them -- and on you.

It is of no surprise that children are feeling worried sad, angry, and fearful. Nor is it uncommon for parents to feel at a loss with understanding what is going on in their kids internal world.

It's hard being a parent today!

When kids are struggling with their emotions, they act out in various ways such as:

disrespectful back talk
disobedience
poor judgment
lying or stealing
picking on / being violent with peers or pets
over or under sleeping or eating
regressing to baby-like behaviors
being extra moody or argumentative

Stronger boundaries, more consistent discipline, love and logic don't always provide you with the tools you need to unlock what your child can't tell you.

It's not that your child wants to be unruly. It's that kids do these things because they don't know yet how to express feelings in a productive way.

But the bigger problem is that these ineffective ways of expressing themselves could be carried into adulthood. If not addressed now, such behaviors become habits that grow into major impediments to success in career, relationships, and life!

You don't want that. But what can you do?

If you are seeing this kind of behavior with your children, it could be that they are feeling stressed out by the high expectations on them from school, or you, or even from within themselves. They might be showing you that they need something to be different -- but they don't know what or how to ask for it.

Or maybe your child's overwhelming emotions are making them feel physically sick. In children, grief and fear are often felt as a stomachache, and anger and worry can produce headaches.

I use a special technique that can help your child talk about, or show what has them reacting to their big emotions.

Benefits of Play Therapy:

I can help your child navigate the difficulties of childhood.

With a technique called play therapy, I help children tap into their natural healing voice. This “voice” can be a source of peacefulness and strength throughout their lives.

How does play therapy work?

Play therapy helps relieve stressful feelings of boredom, worry and fear.

Through watchful curiosity, I help children expand problem solving imaginations. Your child will learn how to try different approaches and how to evaluate their effectiveness for reaching goals.

Play helps a child connect to family members and friends.

Though posing gentle questions, I help children reflect on their affection for others, or to identify what troubles them about their relationships.

Play therapy helps children to experience and express emotions that are too difficult at their age to put into words.

From play therapy children learn new social skills for making and keeping friends. They also learn to cultivate empathy for others -- a prime ingredient for using good judgment.

Play therapy can help you child develop creative solutions to day to day problems.

You want the best for your child. So do I. Let me help your child

navigate through the difficulties of childhood and build resiliency.

I suggest we set a time for me to

meet you and your child, talk about

your concerns, and discover how I can help.

Call or email today.

602-689-5012