Brave Heart Counseling: FAQs

Each play therapy session is 50 minutes in length. You can read more about it here: About Play Therapy. For adults and older children with whom play therapy would not apply, therapy would be a collaborative process between you and I (and any other involved, relevant parties).

Following the free phone consultation, you will be provided with a link to the online portal with the necessary forms.

It is important to build and maintain healthy social supports outside of the therapy setting, and this will be encouraged and addressed in therapy. However, a therapist offers a neutral, confidential, and unbiased space for you and/or your child to talk about your concerns. The therapist has professional training and experience to help you/your child develop a different perspective, obtain tools to manage your feelings and thoughts, and consider alternative solutions without the expectations or pressures that might be present with friends or family members.

Sometimes children and/or families need a separate party to be involved to provide additional support. As your child’s therapist, I am a part of the village that supports your entire family system. Play is a child’s natural language and allows for children to explore and express their needs outside of normal limitations.

Here are a few of the situations that children face when starting play therapy:
- Anger and aggressive behaviors
- Anxiety (i.e. difficulty leaving parent(s), being fearful of certain situations, excessive worry, negative self-talk, etc.)
- Grief and loss (i.e. death, loss of an important relationship, multiple moves, etc.)
- Trauma (i.e. abuse, neglect, exposure to frightening experiences, etc.)
- Adjustments due to parents' divorce/separation

Every child and individual could benefit from therapy and having a safe space to process their feelings and experiences. When we walk through different seasons in our lives, we sometimes need others to remind us of hope and other alternatives when faced with challenges. Seeking therapy is not a sign of weakness or shame or embarrassment. After all, it takes a village to raise a child. Research even finds that the presence of a caring, stable adult in a child’s life can offset negative, challenging life experiences.

I primarily work with children, ages 0 to 13, but I also work with young adult women who are seeking to explore topics of cultural and spiritual identity, anxiety and coping skills, and grief and loss. Play therapy works best for children from ages 0-12, approximately. For younger children, sessions may require the presence of a primary caregiver.

Due to the varying nature of concerns and the individuality of each client, I am unable to predict the length of your therapy or guarantee a specific outcome or result. There are no guarantees of what your child will experience or how your child will change as a result of therapy, but therapy often leads to a significant reduction in feelings of distress, solutions to specific problems, and better relationships. Participation in therapy is voluntary, so it typically lasts until you are content with the changes and progress made.

I require a 24-hour notice to cancel or reschedule your appointment; otherwise you are responsible for your full session fee. This policy is standard in the field of psychotherapy as we want to have enough time to invite other clients who may be in active need of support to use that appointment time.

All belief systems are welcome here. I am a Christian therapist, and I approach my clients and the therapeutic process from that perspective. However, I will not actively include or refer to Christianity in our sessions unless you (specifically, your child) ask me to incorporate faith in our time together.