My work is my passion. I am a supremely relational being and connection is my life force. Working together to grow safety and connection in all areas of your life is my goal. My role is a collaborative one, not one of expert, but I share my expertise to navigate the best path forward for you and/or your child.
I specialize in selective mutism, trauma, autism spectrum disorder (including pathological demand avoidance or PDA), anxiety, sensory differences and complex profiles that don't fit neatly into one box. I possess a working knowledge of dysautonomia (including POTS), Ehlers Danlos and hypermobility.
I use both bottom-up (sensorimotor) and top-down (thinking-feeling) approaches fluidly and flexibly. Tools from the NeuroRelational Framework guide my approach through a nervous system lens.
While I would love to work with every family, geographic and scheduling constraints prohibit doing so. Through collaboration with Stephanie Myung, BCBA we've created a tool to help families locate a provider who is aligned with a nervous system perspective. We hope it's helpful!
*Depending on your/your child's individual profile and needs these practices may differ but I share these principles to illuminate the general process.
In the initial parent-only intake session I gather developmental history, background context, and current strengths and challenges. We start to map out the nervous system triggers and tools. I address sleep, nutrition, medical history, social and family relationships, transitions, education, culture, sensory preferences and challenges and more.
Following the intake, we plan the first session and I provide a suggested script to introduce therapy to your child. A prominent caregiver or parent will be in all child therapy sessions. This model is called Dyadic therapy because there’s a dyad, or two people, in the treatment.
Depending on your teens needs and development a hybrid of individual sessions and dyadic work is typically used. Given the developmental thrust for autonomy, at least a portion of therapy will be 1:1 to build rapport, trust and support. I include parents in a collaborative manner.
Because of my background in working with complex profiles, I’m uniquely able to support parents of high support need kids for their own personal therapy. They say put the oxygen mask on yourself first, but what to do when most therapists would never “get” the reality of your daily life? The frustration of working with a therapist who can’t relate isn’t supportive and feels isolating (though not the intention). While a niche of my practice, I deeply enjoy connecting with parents for their own support. I take a break from sitting on the floor and use my therapist’s chair.
A dyad is a fancy word for two people. With a few exceptions, I always work in a "dyadic" fashion. Meaning you and your child will both participate in session.
There are a few reasons I work in this manner...
On the front end, most kids are more comfortable with a parent present but even after a few sessions when your child is likely to not "need" you present it's important you continue to be included.
Nothing I do is magic nor should be a secret. If I introduce a new calm down tool to your child, you should be privy to that! That way, if there’s an opportunity to use that skill at home or in the community you can practice it with your child. The benefits of therapy then can more readily be generalized to your child’s life at home, school, etc.
Therapy is a temporary relationship whether it lasts 6 months or 6 years my job is to put myself out of a job. It’s a set up to tell your child “share all of your thoughts, challenges and feelings with Jessica” and then poof one day I’m gone (not abruptly, I assure you… we collaboratively plan out the goodbye session in advance). You are a permanent relationship and my goal is to strength those bonds of trust and communication so that when the time comes that therapy is over the trusted adults in your child’s life are poised to be there long term for the ups and downs of life.
Finally, I find there’s a real benefit in having more than one perspective in the room to grow perspective taking skills and awareness. While I always start with your child’s perspective hearing your experience as well makes a richer dialogue.
Yes! Don’t worry you won’t be on the spot to lead the sessions but I’ll guide your participation. Your role maybe may be more observation at times and other times more active. There’s no guesswork. I’ll facilitate and you can always ask me in session if you’re unsure. For more information about why it is important to be included in therapy please reference "Why Dyadic Therapy" above.
There is a flexible rhythm of parent-only sessions to discuss and review treatment, exchange observations and problem solve together.
While my interests and knowledge is fairly broad, I believe I cannot do everything as well as I can do some things. I don’t work with couples for couples therapy though I see couples for parent sessions when treating their child. I leave couples therapy to those with that expertise and specialization. I wouldn’t go to the podiatrist with a toothache!
Good question! Again there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ but sessions with your child will include some talking, sharing and problem solving and some playing. Sometimes the play is in the background supporting regulation while we talk (i.e. fidget toys, slime, drawing or my sensory swing). Other times the play is the vehicle of therapy providing opportunity for role play, perspective taking, deepening connection or expressing feelings. I have a wide array of art materials, pretend play toys, games, sensory manipulative and, yes, slime.