Individual Counseling

Counseling provides a way to address situations, behaviors and emotions that are causing you discomfort or pain. Issues that may be interfering in your life include:

  • anxiety

  • depression

  • work

  • relationships

  • family

  • sexuality

  • intimacy

  • body image

  • anger management

  • self-esteem / confidence

  • assertiveness

  • parenting

  • separation/divorce

  • loss / grief

  • aging

  • retirement

We offer both short and long term counseling. In the initial consultation, we review your present situation and discuss ways to alleviate your current distress. As we work together, we will offer guidance to gain a deeper understanding of what motivates your behavior and fuels your emotions, as well as develop specific strategies to change old habits and patterns that no longer serve you.

Couples Counseling

Couples sometimes experience conflicts and feel stuck - despite much discussion, it may seem difficult to move forward. Patterns, possibly with roots in the past, may exist in the relationship that keep us fixed in one place, even though we seek to change.

Our goal is to open communication, to help partners understand each other better, to clarify each other’s needs and expectations, and to move toward a resolution that may seem otherwise unattainable.

We help you to:

  • Communicate more effectively

  • Resolve conflicts

  • Listen, negotiate, and better express yourself

  • Restore closeness

  • Heal from infidelity

  • Appreciate the relationship and each other

  • Learn to balance work and family life; individuality and closeness

  • Adjust to new phases of life and their effect on your relationship

  • Understand your needs and find new ways to be intimate

  • Deal with issues related to desire and sex

Parent Counseling

Parenting is not something we are trained for. Many parents find themselves doing what their parents did, or the opposite, and often wonder if there's a better way. Whether you are a two parent couple, a single parent, grandparent, co-parent, or caregiver, parenting is often challenging.

At Village Parenting, our goal is to give you options — alternative ways to address the many issues that are a part of family life.

These issues may include:

  • Discipline, limit setting, boundaries

  • Respect and cooperation

  • Responsibility, chores, allowance

  • School, homework, studying

  • Establishing routines that work

  • Honesty and privacy

  • Friends, peer pressure, bullying

  • Modeling: “Do as I say, not as I do”

  • Sibling rivalry and fighting

  • Conflict resolution

  • Talking about puberty and sex

  • Technology and social media

  • Transitions I: preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, college

  • Transitions II: birth of sibling, moving, separation, divorce

  • Loss

We provide techniques to enhance parenting skills and improve confidence and communication. We offer realistic strategies that apply to children at each age and stage of development. Our focus is to help you gain understanding of your child's needs as well as your own, in order to promote long-lasting, positive relationships within the family.

Premarital Counseling

At Village Parenting, we offer pre-marital counseling where we encourage couples to discuss a wide range of important and intimate topics related to marriage, such as:

  • Communication

  • Honesty vs privacy

  • Beliefs and values

  • Roles in marriage

  • Affection and sex

  • Children and parenting

  • Family relationships

  • Time spent together

  • Decision making

  • Finances

  • Dealing with anger

  • Conflict Resolution

During this short-term counseling experience, we help partners to improve their ability to communicate honestly and directly and set realistic expectations for marriage. We assist couples in examining what they have in common, as well as their differences. An open exploration of differences is important in establishing the foundation of a successful relationship.

Counseling for Teens

Adolescence can be a difficult time for both parents and teens. The world of teens is very different both cognitively and emotionally than the world of children or adults.

Communication becomes more challenging as teens develop their own point of view. We provide the opportunity to help your teen identify and understand their needs and behaviors and give them the structure to explore healthy and positive choices.

Areas we address include:

  • Developing a sense of self

  • Increasing independence

  • Self-esteem

  • Changing bodies

  • Friendships and dating

  • Sex and sexuality

  • Peer pressure

  • Making healthier choices

  • Academic expectations

  • Technology and social media

  • Drugs and alcohol

  • Self-defeating behaviors

  • Managing anger and frustration

  • Coping with anxiety and depression

Child Therapy

At Village Parenting, we counsel children of all ages, from toddlers to teens. We focus on helping children who are experiencing behavioral or emotional difficulties at school or at home. In order to facilitate your child's development and growth, we work towards forming a collaborative team with parents and teachers.

We offer an individualized integrative plan to meet the needs of your child and family. Our treatment approach may include play therapy, parent guidance, family sessions, and consultation with teachers.

We begin with an initial assessment which includes a consultation with parent(s) and play sessions with your child. During feedback sessions with parents, we determine the best strategies to address your child's problem.

Some common concerns include:

  • Anxiety

  • Depressed mood

  • Social isolation

  • Peer relationships

  • Low self-esteem

  • Difficulty with transitions

  • Meltdowns

  • Academic problems

  • ADD, ADHD, LD

  • Separation issues

  • Sleep problems

  • Adoption

  • Adjusting to life changes: starting school, birth of a sibling, parents’ separation/divorce, illness, loss

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PLAY THERAPY

Children naturally express themselves through play. They may not always have the language to express their thoughts, feelings, and struggles. We use play therapeutically to help children talk about whatever may be troubling them. We give them the tools and a safe environment to work on problems, find solutions and learn more effective coping skills.

In addition to talking together, drawing, building, puppets, games, and make-believe are important ways for a child to express feelings and resolve problems. Through play therapy, we learn about the child's inner world. Along with the relief of symptoms, play therapy works toward the following goals: building self esteem; tolerating frustration; and improving social skills, communication, and impulse control.