Amanda Thieme
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist
Are you concerned about your child's behavior or emotional well-being? Are you worried about your child's development? Have you noticed the impact of a recent change such as a divorce, the loss of a loved one, bullying, or the birth of a new sibling? These are all common life stressors and sometimes we need help to find new strategies to cope.
My work with children involves getting to know what's happening internally with your child. Play is the child’s natural form of communication. During play, children reveal unconscious fears, worries, thoughts, and wishes. During the play session, the therapist observes patterns or themes that emerge. The therapist and caregivers then work together in the process of healing. The therapist can help children learn more helpful behaviors, understand their emotions, and gain insight about resolving inner conflicts.
Helping your child with emotional and behavioral struggles.
Gary Landreth
"Toys are children's words and play is their language."
Why Reach Out Now?
Sometimes issues will be happening for a long-time before families seek out counseling services. It is important to share what happened recently that gave you the big push to reach out to me for services. This ties into what kind of goals you would like to accomplish with therapy and counseling for your child.
I understand that it isn't easy to reach out for help for your child, but I am here to make sure therapy is helpful for the whole family.
Common Questions
How do I know if my child could benefit from therapy?
Just like adults, children can get stressed, angry, worried, anxious, and sad. Sometimes these emotions last for a day or two, or they come and go in a manageable fashion. But if these feelings persist for weeks or months and get in the way of a child’s enjoyment in life, it is a sign that they may benefit from seeing a therapist.
You may notice a variety of symptoms or behaviors in your child that cause you concern, such as:
Anger and overreaction to certain situations
Worries, anxiousness, or fearfulness on a regular basis
Difficulty adjusting to a recent change
Preoccupation with physical illness
Rigidity in routine or difficulty managing transitions
Regression (i.e. soiling/wetting self when previously toilet trained)
Low frustration tolerance
Loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyable
Declining grades or school refusal
Desire to be alone rather than with friends or family
Low self-esteem or poor self-image
Thoughts of suicide or self=harm
Difficulty with concentration or focus
Nightmares or difficulty sleeping
Whether you, a teacher, or somebody close to your child feels it is time to talk with a therapist, it’s never too early to ask for help. Even if your child doesn’t appear to be experiencing significant difficulty and you would simply like to gain insight or get ahead of an issue before it manifests into something bigger, there is no harm in reaching out. Sometimes even brief treatment, such as 4-12 sessions, is enough to address a stressful situation or problematic behavior and prevent more concerning symptoms & behaviors from presenting down the line.
Do you do psychological assessments, make custody recommendations, or give psychiatric medications?
No, I do not. It is out of my scope of training and expertise to offer psychological assessments (for diagnoses such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorder) as these are provided by a psychologist. Similarly, I am not able to recommend or prescribe psychiatric medication as I am not a psychiatrist. Lastly, I am not qualified to provide custody evaluations or court-ordered reunification therapy. If you desire any of the above, I am able to provide you with referrals to providers who do offer those services. However, I can collaborate and consult with psychologists or psychiatrists on your child’s behalf (with a signed release form) in order to coordinate care.
If I reach out to you, what can I expect?
I will connect with you within 1-2 business days to answer any brief questions you may have and schedule a free phone consult (or provide you with referrals to other providers if needed). At the end of the consult, we can schedule an initial intake appointment and I will email you the paperwork to complete ahead of time. My paperwork can be completed all electronically in 30-45 minutes and consists of office policies, consent forms, liability waivers, and a brief questionnaire.