Licensed Abroad
Cynthia Levitas Verified
Psychotherapist, Child and Family Therapist
LMFT, MA
250-350 NIS
N/A
Sliding Scale
No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
Licensed Abroad
Welcome to my therapy practice!
As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist from California, I feel passionate about my work primarily with children and their families. The focus of my work up until I made Aliyah in 2020 was to support the mental health of impoverished children and their families living in the California Bay Area, who had experienced trauma(s). I have brought that passion and skill to Israel as I continue to support children and their families in rediscovering their happiness, health and the joy they share
My Core Beliefs
I base my therapeutic work with your child and family on the belief that children naturally try to find a way to heal and grow with the support of their families. By offering a safe and fun environment, I can help you and your child identify the tools that work best to achieve your goals.
What You Can Expect
In my therapy sessions with your child and/or family, I primarily use Play Therapy and Expressive Arts Therapy. Often times children and even adults have a difficult time expressing their feelings in words. Engaging in play and the arts can make it easier to communicate what is on her/his mind. I also incorporate Attachment Family Therapy because this work can only succeed when your child feels that he/she is in a safe and loving relationship with his/her caregivers.
The Work
I find the way we achieve the most success in therapy is to work together as a team. Most often that includes parents, other family members, teachers and doctors. I will never communicate with anyone without your knowledge and only after written permission from you.
I have the utmost respect for my clients and listen to them very attentively. I am always very curious about them and I make sure I understand what they tell me. And most of all we have fun doing this important work.
My Blog
https://gettingtroughthis.net
The explosion of info on how to be a "good parent" can feel overwhelming. On my blog I offer caregivers pearls of wisdom from the thought leaders in the child development and and child psychology fields. These advances in how we understand our children and our relationships with them have greatly impacted me as a therapist and also a parent. here I share them with you.
LMFT
CA licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
MA
John F. Kennedy University
2011
12
Qualified Therapist in Couple and Family Therapy - Israel Association of Couples and Family Therapy - 2022
None
Behavioral Concerns In Children
Child Abuse
Family Issues
Parenting Issues / Training
Self-Esteem
Abuse
Anger Management
Anxiety / Panic
Depression
Self-Harm / Suicide
Trauma / Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD
Children
Adolescents
Families
English
Art TherapyArt therapy has clients express themselves through creative mediums such as drawing, painting, collage, coloring, or sculpting. Clients can interpret their subconscious world that is expressed in their art which could lead to a better understanding of their feelings and behavior. Artistic talent is not a prerequisite for art therapy as it’s not as much about the end result as much as it is about the process. The therapist looks for meaning in the creative choices of the work and the clients’ inner world. This therapeutic method enables clients to express their inner thoughts and feelings through creative expression rather than just talking about them.
Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT)Attachment-based family therapy (ABFT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on the family's relationships and communication patterns. It is based on the theory that strong and secure attachments between family members are essential for emotional health and well-being. The goal of ABFT is to identify any problems in family relationships, enable family members to become more attuned to each other’s needs, and build a secure bond between them. It also helps family members to practice healthy communication skills, learn effective problem-solving strategies, and build trust within the family.
Expressive Arts TherapyExpressive Arts Therapy is particularly beneficial for clients who struggle with describing what they are feeling verbally. Through imagination and creation of different art forms, clients are able to interpret and communicate their inner world and catalyze healing. Expressive arts therapy can involve the use of multiple modalities, such as visual arts, music, movement, drama, storytelling, poetry, and play. It is used to help individuals of all ages, including children and adults, to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior and addictions, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, and solve problems.
Family Systems TherapyFamily Systems Therapy is an approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes the importance of understanding how the family functions as a whole, and how individual family members interact and affect one another. It focuses on how family dynamics, such as communication patterns, roles, and power dynamics, shape behavior, and how changing these dynamics can lead to positive change. Family Systems Therapy is a collaborative approach, where the therapist works with the family as a whole to identify and address areas of conflict and distress.
Guided ImageryGuided imagery is a form of visualization used for relaxation and healing. It uses the power of the imagination to create positive changes in a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It is also used to reduce stress and anxiety, cope with physical and emotional pain, increase motivation, confidence, and self-esteem, and to improve focus and concentration. During a guided imagery session, the practitioner will guide the client through a series of visualizations, using words and descriptions to help them create mental images in their mind. These visualizations can take many forms, such as a comforting place from the past or the client’s future goals.
Person-Centered Therapy (Rogerian Therapy)Person-centered therapy, or Rogerian therapy, was developed by Carl Rogers in the 1940’s. It is a form of talk therapy that emphasizes the importance of providing psychological safety, unconditional positive regard, and empathic understanding to clients. This type of therapy is based on the belief that individuals have an innate capacity for self-actualization and self-understanding and that the therapist's role is to provide a supportive environment in which this process can take place. Through the use of active listening, open-ended questions, and non-judgmental reflection, the therapist helps the client to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a safe and accepting environment. By doing so, clients are able to gain insight into their issues, develop a greater understanding of themselves, and work towards personal growth.
Play TherapyPlay therapy is an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate form of intervention used to facilitate emotional, cognitive, and social growth in children. Play therapy is based on the premise that play is the child's natural medium of self-expression and can be used to assess and help a child work through difficult emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. The goal of play therapy is to help children develop the skills and abilities to navigate life stressors, and build self-esteem. During treatment, the therapist creates a comfortable, safe environment (a playroom) for the child to play with as few limits as possible. The toys in the playroom are intended to encourage the child to express his or her feelings and develop healthier behaviors. The child’s “play” with these toys serve as the child’s symbolic words, which may be difficult to express otherwise.
Sandplay TherapySandplay therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is based on Jungian psychology and is used to help children and adults explore their inner world using symbols and metaphors. It is a form of non-directive play therapy in which participants create a “sandbox” in which they construct three-dimensional scenes using tiny figurines and sand. Sandplay therapy is an effective form of therapy that helps clients explore their inner world, gain insight, and develop creative solutions to their problems. Sandplay therapy allows a person to construct their own microcosm using miniature toys and sand. What’s created acts as a reflection of the person’s own life and allows them the opportunity to resolve conflicts, identify and remove obstacles, and gain acceptance of self.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based practice used to help children, adolescents and their parents who have experienced a single or multiple traumatic events. This type of therapy combines cognitive and behavioral strategies to help people process their traumatic experiences, manage their distress, develop coping skills, and restore their sense of safety and well-being. TF-CBT focuses on education and skill-building, creating an environment of safety and trust, and using therapeutic activities to help people understand their responses and control their symptoms. Children are shown how perceptions may be distorted and are given the tools to redesign those perceptions. TF-CBT is a skills-based model, and it requires the child and parent to practice its components in order to be optimally effective. Parents and children are commonly asked to practice skills at home.
Sand Tray Therapy
Individual Therapy
Group Therapy
Family Therapy
Consultation
Workshops/Educating
Home-based Therapy
Hadrachat Horim