Counselor/Play Therapist

Barb is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist and Supervisor, and Certified Trauma & Loss Specialist. She enjoys working with children and their parents or caregivers by helping them through the healing process using an Experiential-Metaphorical Play Therapy Model which focuses on the developmental tasks of children. She primarily works with children from infancy through age eight.

Barb works from a Christian perspective and considers a spiritual base fundamental to the healing process. Her desire is to promote healing and restore joy through God’s nurturing spirit to children and families who are experiencing struggles in their lives.

Why Play Therapy:
Play is a natural way for children to express their experiences as well as their feelings. Play therapy allows children to play out their developmental needs, relationship issues, emotions, past traumatic experiences and sense of well being through symbolic themes with toys and play materials. Through the play therapy process I help children regain a sense of empowerment, reframe intense emotions related to stressful or traumatic experiences and replace it with a restored internal sense of well being.

Play therapy has been found to be effective for children who are experiencing:

• anxiety
• depression
• relationship difficulties
• school problems
• behavioral problems

I specialize in the treatment of trauma and life stressors including:

• parental divorce or separation
• adoption
• foster care placement
• blended family issues
• separation due to military deployment
• loss issues related to death or moves
• accidents
• fears associated with hospitalization or medical or illness stress
• neglect
• trauma issues including; emotional, physical or sexual abuse
• attachment issues
  

Parents and caregivers are an integral part of their child's healing and are directly involved in the therapeutic process.

To find out more about Play Therapy contact me at Crossroads Counseling Centers in Willmar, MN. Phone: 320-214-8558, ext 202.
To find out more about Crossroads Counseling Centers go to: www.crossroadscounselingcenters.com.