All behavior is information that communicates when needs are not being met. Acting out and shutting down are two ways that children and adolescents are communicating, "I'm not okay".
The therapy process with children and adolescents will focus first on developing safety and trust within the therapeutic relationship before identifying where they need help and where they would benefit from independence, as well as navigating how to support your child's progress and build strong connections within the family system. We will get curious about what your child is needing developmentally, not just what they are doing behaviorally, and working together to understand what their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are trying to communicate without judgment.
Think of the process like this: therapy is where we work together to plant various seeds in a diverse garden. Because all of the seeds are different plants, they need different resources to grow, as well as varying amounts of sunlight and water to grow. In order for the 'seeds' planted in therapy to 'grow', the 'gardeners' will need to be consistent, present, and willing to trust the process, even if it feels like the seeds are not progressing like they should be.
Together, we will lean into creative and evidence-based interventions, incorporating the tenets of play therapy, somatic experiencing, parts work, and more to better understand what is keeping your child/adolescent stuck in cycles dictated by stress responses. If your child is younger than 8 years old, please still reach out! I take younger children on a case-by-case basis, depending on what your family needs.