Child and Adolescent Therapist
Joanie Meyers-Salfer
Verified
Psychotherapist
Child and Adolescent Therapist
MSW
350-500 NIS
None
Sliding Scale | Free Consultation | Student Discount
Each child has a story - let play tell their story and bring the change you are waiting for.
I work with children and adults +3. I use Trauma-Informed CBT and DBT as well as parts work (IFS) to foster the emotional changes you are looking for. I specialize in integrating Expressive Art, Sand/Sensory, and Play Therapy in my work. You can expect in my work with children to tap into their story through the use miniature figures, art, board games, and sensory play. Depending on the age and stage different modalities of "play" resonate with each client. The therapy room serves as an open and accepting environment for children to build trust and be themselves. This leads the way for them to emotionally process, learn social & emotional skills, and gain confidence in their own abilities and voice. I often have sessions together with parents working to build the parent child relationship (attachment) and work through the challenges coming up at home or school.
With adults my work ranges from parental coaching and collaboration, to navigating one's own emotions in all-encompassing sensory and expressive perspective.
Play therapy has a fantastic way of powerfully helping children work through their challenges and struggles, unlike talk therapy alone. Through integrating emotions, behaviors, and the story, children process pain, trauma, joy, and success. In our work children learn social and emotional skills which in turn change behavior and the narrative they are writing through their actions. I have an extremely motivational and positive outlook to healing. I take pride in having sessions that children want to come back to. I am very hands on with play, while I also allow children to have the autonomy and space to direct our growth in the session. Building a positive and growth-oriented relationship with your child is my #1 priority.
My role is to join you and your child's team on this journey. I meet you where you're at and we work towards progress not perfection. Based on the presenting issues and our initial consultation we will tailor build you and your child a plan to grow in therapy. I provide the safe space, skills, and direction to work through whatever issues are coming up at school and home. Together we work towards you and your child's goals fostering emotional health and healing!
MSW
Barry University
2022
3
Telephone Counseling, Online Therapy
Anxiety / Panic
Behavioral Concerns In Children
Family Issues
Parenting Issues / Training
Trauma / Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD
Academic
Adjustments
Anger Management
Autism Spectrum
Child Abuse
Depression
Learning Disabilities
Life Transitions
Self-Esteem
Stress Management
Social & Relationship Skills
Children
Adolescents
Families
Women
English
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a form of therapy that is based on the principles of behaviorism. This type of therapy focuses on the use of positive reinforcement and operant conditioning techniques to teach new skills, modify behavior, and improve communication. ABA therapy is used to treat a variety of disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and other developmental disabilities.
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.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by Marsha Linehan to help people learn to better manage and cope with emotions and stress. It focuses on developing skills and strategies to help regulate emotions, improve relationships and communication, and reduce self-destructive behaviors. Through DBT, people learn to identify and modify unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, while also learning to accept and validate their own feelings. DBT teaches skills to help individuals become aware of and accept and regulate their emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal relationships.
Emotion-Focused TherapyEmotion-focused therapy (EFT) is a type of psychotherapy that is based on the idea that emotions play a key role in a person’s mental health. EFT focuses on helping people to identify, accept, and manage their emotions in a healthy and productive way. The goal of EFT is to help people identify and express their emotions, understand how those emotions impact their behavior, and learn how to manage their emotions in a way that is adaptive and healthy. EFT is a research-based approach to psychotherapy that has been found to be effective in helping people manage a variety of mental health conditions. It has been used successfully in the treatment of individuals, couples, and families, as well as with groups. EFT is particularly beneficial for people who struggle with emotional regulation, mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues.
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.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)Internal Family Systems (IFS) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that uses the metaphor of an internal family of parts to help people gain awareness of how different parts of themselves can interact in healthy and unhealthy ways. IFS encourages people to become curious about their different parts, with the goal of helping them gain access to their true Self or core. Through this process, people can learn to recognize and care for the different parts of themselves, as well as develop compassionate understanding for the origins of their parts. A key principle of IFS is that each part within the person has its own positive intention and is trying to protect the person in some way. By understanding the positive intention of each part, the practitioner and client can work together to help the parts feel heard and understood, and to find more adaptive ways of meeting their needs. IFS has been found to be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues.
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.
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)Solution-focused therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on what is going right in a person’s life, as opposed to what is going wrong. It is based on the premise that when a person can identify what is working, they can build on it and make positive changes to the areas of their life that need improvement. A therapist using this approach will often ask questions designed to bring out a person’s strengths and resources, rather than focusing on problems or past issues. The aim of this type of therapy is to help people find solutions to their current problems, in order to build a better future. A solution-focused therapist encourages those in treatment to develop a vision of the future and offers support and guidance as they determine the skills, resources, and abilities needed to achieve that vision successfully.
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.
Individual Therapy
Family Therapy
Hadrachat Horim
Workshops/Educating