Child Psychotherapy & Play Therapy
For children approximately ages 5 and up in Union Square, Manhattan
Children do not always have the words to explain what they are feeling or what is troubling them. Changes in behavior, anxiety, sadness, irritability, difficulties at school, problems with peers, or struggles at home can sometimes communicate what a child cannot yet say directly.I provide in-person psychotherapy and play therapy for children approximately ages five and up in my Union Square office in Manhattan. My approach is warm, relational, and developmentally informed. I work to understand not only the symptoms that bring a child to therapy, but also the emotional meanings, relationships, and developmental challenges that may be underneath them.What Is Play Therapy?
For younger children, play is often one of the primary ways they communicate and make sense of their experiences. In play therapy, toys, games, drawing, stories, imaginative play, and conversation can all become ways for a child to express feelings, conflicts, wishes, and fears that may be difficult to put into words.I generally take a nondirective, psychoanalytically informed approach to play. Rather than asking a child to talk about feelings in an adult way, I pay close attention to how the child uses the play space, what themes emerge, and what happens in the relationship between us. Over time, this can help a child develop greater emotional understanding, flexibility, and capacity to manage difficult feelings.
When Might Child Therapy Be Helpful?
Parents may seek therapy when a child is struggling with anxiety, sadness, anger, low self-esteem, separation, grief, family changes, friendship difficulties, school stress, or transitions. Some children become withdrawn or unusually quiet; others may seem overwhelmed, perfectionistic, reactive, or more easily frustrated than usual.Sometimes the reason for seeking therapy is very clear. At other times, parents know that something feels off but are not yet sure what is happening. Part of the work can be understanding the child’s experience together and making sense of what their behavior may be communicating.What Happens in a Child Therapy Session?
Sessions are shaped by the child’s age, personality, and developmental level. With younger children, much of the work may happen through play, drawing, storytelling, games, and imaginative activity. Older children may move more naturally between play and conversation.I do not expect children to arrive knowing what they want to talk about. The therapeutic relationship develops over time, and the work often unfolds through what the child brings into the room. My goal is to create a space in which a child can feel curious, understood, and increasingly able to express and make sense of what is happening internally.
How Are Parents Involved?
Parents are an important part of child treatment. I usually meet with parents at the beginning of the process to learn more about the child, the family, and the concerns that have led them to seek therapy.As treatment continues, I may meet with parents periodically to think together about the child’s development, behavior, relationships, and emotional life. At the same time, children also need a sense of privacy in therapy. I work carefully to balance collaboration with parents and the child’s need for a confidential therapeutic space.My Approach
My work with children is grounded in contemporary psychoanalytic and relational thinking. I am interested in the meanings beneath behavior and in how a child’s emotional world takes shape through relationships, development, temperament, and experience.
I aim to help children find relief from the symptoms that are causing distress while also understanding what may be happening underneath them. By paying close attention to behavior, play, relationships, and emotional reactions, we can begin to make sense of what a child may be communicating and support both meaningful symptom relief and deeper, more lasting emotional growth.Location & Consultation
I see children in person at my office in Union Square, Manhattan. I also offer virtual parent consultations throughout New York.
If you are wondering whether child psychotherapy or play therapy might be a good fit for your child, please feel free to contact me to discuss what you are noticing and what you are looking for in treatment.