I work with both neurodivergent and neurotypical children, honoring each child’s unique way of sensing, processing, and relating to the world. My work is supported by ongoing mentorship with Joshua Durban, and in April, I will begin advanced clinical training through the Vista Del Mar Autism Center in the Durban Autism Psychoanalytic Protocol (DAPP), deepening my capacity to support children and their families thoughtfully.

Play is the child’s natural language: a space where feelings, fears, and longings can be expressed symbolically, without pressure or expectation for explanation. I meet the child in their world, where through play and relationship, we begin to understand what is being expressed, restore a sense of safety, and support the re-emergence of the true self.

Many children today carry high levels of anxiety. What may appear as behavioral or functional difficulty - withdrawal, overwhelm, or dysregulation - is often a meaningful communication rather than a problem to eliminate. I approach each child not as something to fix, but as a whole person to understand.

At times, the child becomes the truth-speaker of what has been difficult for the family system - holding or expressing what has been disowned, unprocessed, or carried across generations. In this way, children can carry emotional burdens that do not fully belong to them. I hold parents in mind and in heart throughout the process, approaching the work as a collaboration and honoring their essential role in the child’s world.