Child Centered Therapy
Creative therapies such as child-centered play therapy, art therapy, and sandtray therapy provide children with powerful, nonverbal avenues to express and process emotions that may feel too overwhelming, confusing, or complex to articulate with words. Because children naturally communicate through play and creativity, these therapeutic modalities meet them at their developmental level, allowing them to express internal experiences in ways that feel safe and familiar. In play therapy, for example, a child might act out scenarios using toys, symbolically representing fears, losses, or wishes they can’t yet verbalize.
Similarly, in art and sandtray therapy, children can project their thoughts and emotions through colors, shapes, images, and miniature figures, often revealing feelings that might otherwise remain hidden. When these therapies are facilitated by a caring, trained, and empathetic therapist, the therapeutic space becomes a haven of acceptance, safety, and emotional connection. The therapist’s attuned, nonjudgmental presence helps the child feel deeply seen, heard, and understood—not just for what they say, but for who they are and what they carry. This sense of emotional validation and attunement is essential for healing, as it supports the development of trust, emotional regulation, and self-awareness. Over time, the child is able to make sense of their experiences, develop healthier coping mechanisms, and build resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
As a therapist, I deeply value the opportunity to work collaboratively with other professionals—educators, medical providers, occupational therapists, caseworkers, and caregivers—whenever possible, in order to create a consistent, compassionate, and well-informed circle of support around children and their family systems. Many children today are navigating the world with what can be described as a “vulnerable nervous system”—a concept supported by the work of experts such as Robyn Gobbel, Mona Delahooke, Bruce Perry, and Dan Siegel.
Collaborative Care
This vulnerability is not a flaw or failure, but rather a reflection of how a child’s nervous system has adapted in response to early experiences that may have felt overwhelming, unpredictable, or unsafe. Factors such as early medical trauma, chronic stress from the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, high-conflict environments, systemic inequality, adoption or premature separation from caregivers, experiences of neglect or abuse, neurodivergence, or even intergenerational trauma (as explained through epigenetics) can all shape how a child’s nervous system learns to respond to the world. As a result, many children may exhibit survival-based behaviors—such as heightened reactivity, shutdown, or withdrawal—even in settings that are objectively safe. By recognizing these responses through a trauma-informed, neurodevelopmentally sensitive lens, and by partnering with a team of compassionate professionals, we can help children feel truly safe—physiologically and emotionally—and begin to shift out of survival mode. Collaboration allows professionals and caregivers to share resources, communicate consistently, and ensure that the child experiences attunement and support across all areas of their life, helping their nervous system begin to regulate and heal in the context of safe, trusting relationships. It is my desire to work collaboratively with other practitioners and educators in your child’s life whenever possible.
Child Parent Relationship Training
Parenting is hard—and you don’t have to do it alone.
Between books, blogs, and endless advice, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This class offers something different: a small, supportive group where you’ll learn practical, proven skills to strengthen your bond with your child, get real-time answers to your parenting questions, and connect with other parents who understand what you’re going through.
Led by Mental Health Professionals
Designed for caregivers of children ages 3-10, these groups meet for a 90 minute session once a week for 10 weeks and are offered up to 3 times per year depending on interest.
What is CPRT? Child Parent Relationship Therapy is an evidence-based program that teaches you how to use play—your child’s natural language—to connect more deeply. In CPRT, play is a child’s language and toys are their words. You’ll learn how to join your child in this language, creating new shared experiences that help both you and your child feel more understood, supported, and connected. Over time, these connections foster cooperation, strengthen relationships, and support emotional regulation for both of you.
How Does it work? Alongside CPRT skills, this class weaves in principles of interpersonal neurobiology, helping you understand what’s happening in your brain when emotions take over. You’ll learn why it’s so easy to “flip your lid” in stressful moments—and how to regulate your nervous system so you can respond with clarity, calm, and connection.
In This 10 Week Course You Will
- Learn CPRT strategies to deepen connection and cooperation with your child
- Get tailored feedback and support from trained professionals
- Build community with other parents on the same journey
- Understand the brain science behind emotional reactions and regulation
- Practice skills in a safe and encouraging environment
- Engage in new experiences that will build new neural networks of connecting for both you and your child
Because you deserve more than advice—you deserve connection, skills, and a community that has your back.
Sign up For September Class Here
https://ampersandcollective.net/services/cprt/#SignUp
Email support
stegochildtherapy@gmail.com
Phone Support
+1 (253) 355-6548
Address
8830 Tallon Ln NE Suite C
Lacey, WA 98516
Inside of Leaps & Bounds Pediatric Occupational Therapy