Nurturing Growth through Child-Centered Therapy
Child Led Counseling
When a child walks into my therapy room, they bring their own wonderful world with them — full of imagination, feelings, curiosity, and sometimes, big emotions that feel hard to put into words. Child – Centered Therapy leans on their strong character traits to help the changing process.
I believe every child already has what they need inside of them to grow and heal. My job is to create a safe, supportive, therapeutic space where that growth can naturally unfold.
A Space Where Children Lead
In child-centered therapy, I let the child take the lead. Through play, art, and conversation, I follow their interests and cues to understand how they see the world and what they might need from it. Their interests are the momentum needed to divert energy into something positive.
I don’t rush the process — instead, I offer empathy, reflection, and gentle guidance to help them build confidence, self-awareness, and emotional resilience at their own pace.
Three Ways to Build Effective Child Play at Home
- Reduce distraction – yes a stimulating environment is helpful but also can be distracting. Create a space that is both stimulating but allows for focus on specific activities, items, and materials.
- Play alongside – be on their level, play alongside, and allow them to guide the play time. You can adjust concepts for safety and social learning but try not to dictate play.
- Less Fixing and Solving – play is a great way for your child to interact with the problems of this world in a safe environment. As they encounter frustration, logical dilemmas, and social conflicts, be cautious on solving it for them. Our “fixing” feels better but provides less learning opportunities.
Building Child Therapy Connections and Safety
The heart of my work is the relationship I build with each child. When children feel deeply seen and accepted, something powerful happens. They begin to express themselves more freely, explore their emotions more safely, and discover their own strengths. More importantly, as they trust me and the environment, they start to believe change in them is possible.
That sense of safety and trust becomes the foundation for real, lasting growth.
Supporting Parents and Families
Supporting kids means supporting their parents. Parenting is beautiful and deeply rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming — especially when your child is struggling and you’re not sure how to help.
I work closely with parents to make sense of what their child’s behavior might be communicating, and to find new ways to connect, communicate, and feel calmer at home. There are times when we have to have hard conversations about parenting styles that are not helpful.
Sometimes that work means helping parents feel more supported and confident in them, too. When parents feel grounded, children often do as well. My goal is to help families feel more connected, compassionate, and capable — together.
Building on Empathy and Strengths in Kids
Kids have so many strengths. They are a wonderful expression of humanity and a difficult conveyor of one as well. Noticing those strengths and understanding what has happened to them is vital. Every child has an inner wisdom that guides them — sometimes it just needs space to be heard. My approach honors that wisdom and invites it forward, while walking alongside parents as true partners in the process.
Together, we nurture growth, healing, and connection — one small, meaningful step at a time.
A Gentle Counseling and Therapy Invitation
If you’re wondering whether child-centered therapy might be the right fit for your child or family, I’d love to connect. Use this quick and easy form to get started!
You don’t have to have it all figured out before reaching out — that’s what we can discover together.
add’l content provided by:
David A Morris, LCSW