Let’s get serious for a minute about a somewhat taboo subject that we all know is a very real one.
You may know a youth/adolescent who has crossed someone’s boundary in one way or another, has sexually acted out, or maybe even picked up a charge for a sexual offense. This person who sexually acted out on another may be your child, family member, student, neighbor, etc. You may be embarrassed and seeking to hide the offense, but I am here to tell you that working on it out in the open within your family structure with a counselor can be very therapeutic. The pain of going through such an incident can be devastating to a family. And, clearly, the youth who instigated the boundary offense needs help to change course in his or her life, immediately.
This topic can be very sensitive, scary, overwhelming, sad and much much more. I am here to help you and your family get through this very difficult time. Together, we will guide, teach and help the youth/adolescent to better understand the importance of making healthier choices in their life. My goal is to help the adolescent and families heal through this process and to reconnect, rebuild and repair relationships that have been damaged.
I am here to stand next to you, to advocate for you, to listen to you and to support you and your family the best way I can.
I have worked in the offense specific field for about five years providing in-home family therapy and now in my private practice. As part of the multidisciplinary team, I have accompanied families to court, school meetings, probation meetings, and staffings. My experience makes me uniquely qualified to treat youths/adolescents for boundaries offenses, and specifically when a sexual offense has occurred. Your child can work on the feelings behind their actions. Counseling can also help discover if there may be underlying mental health issues and be able to refer you to additional specialists if need be. Meeting with me also gives you an outlet. I can bet that you aren’t jumping to talk to your loved ones about this particular topic. Most families tend to keep this information as quiet as possible, for fear of judgment or simply to pretend it didn’t happen.
I have a passion and drive to continue to work with this population and their families. My focus will continue to be a family therapy approach, working with all systems of the juvenile’s life to help provide comprehensive treatment. I want your child to grow from this experience and keep the behavior always in their past. Working with the entire family can strengthen your bond and allow your child to feel supported and respected, which facilitates healthy communication. When every member feels listened to, it can create a very safe place for each one to be themselves and honestly express their feelings as well as what’s going on with them each day. Every parent wants to be present in their child’s life and be a trusted resource when they’re having trouble. That can only happen when there is mutual respect, honesty and real understanding. Counseling can help in each of these areas.
Please contact me for a free 30 minute consultation to see how I can best help your family. It is a great way to start the conversation and see whether we might be a good fit for each other. It’s easy to schedule. By simply clicking this link, you will be directed to my self-scheduling site. There, you can choose any day and time that works with your schedule.
Boundaries can be hard for juveniles to follow. Therapy can help them see where the line is.
Working with youths for many years has given me personal insight into how young people react to boundaries, whether actual rules or unspoken ones. We’re all humans and we’ve all had to learn the sometimes unseen lessons into respecting others. As a baby, our needs are all about us. As we grow, we have to learn how to interact with others, wait our turn, listen, keep our hands to ourselves, use our manners and many other rules of life. Some kids need a little more help and counseling is the perfect place. During adolescence, many juveniles are becoming at odds with their parents or embarrassed to discuss certain things with them.
As your child’s therapist, I am able to be an objective party, ready to listen to what’s going on and offer solutions for them that work with their personality, age and circumstances. Please contact me to learn more about my counseling options. Together we can move forward! I look forward to hearing from you! And, of course, my door is ALWAYS open to you and your family, no matter what you’re going through right now. We can work through it.