Child & Adolescent Therapy
WORKING WITH CHILDREN
& ADOLESCENTS
“Family structures have never been more diverse — or more complex. As a child and family therapist at Anchor Psychotherapy, I specialize in guiding children and adolescents through the turbulence of identity development and relational stress, helping them build the secure foundation they'll carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
-Bren M. Chasse, LMFT
CHILD-CENTERED PLAY THERAPY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
As a child and family therapist at Anchor Psychotherapy I believe that play is one of the most powerful tools children have to express themselves. For young children, words are often not enough. When a child is struggling — with anxiety, trauma, family stress, or simply feelings too big to name — play becomes their language. Child-centered play is designed to meet children where they are developmentally, by providing them with a natural and safe way to express what they cannot yet articulate.
In child-centered play therapy, the child leads—they choose the toys, the stories most meaningful to them, and the pace of the play. This autonomy is not incidental — it is by therapeutic design. Many children who come to therapy feel powerless in some area of their lives. Allowing the child to direct the play restores their sense of agency. Through that process, children re-enact experiences, work through anxiety and fear, and experiment with new ways of relating to others and to themselves.
As a child therapist, my role is not to interpret or redirect, but to hold a steady, accepting presence that makes genuine exploration possible. This is where the real work happens. Children who have experienced trauma or conflict often struggle to trust adults — and that mistrust doesn't disappear simply because they're sitting in a therapist's office. Building trust through play, slowly and on the child's terms, is what allows them to feel seen, process difficult emotions, and begin to heal.
The goal of play therapy is not just symptom relief. Child-centered play therapy builds the emotional foundation children carry forward — the self-confidence, coping skills, and relational capacity that support them well beyond our work together.
THERAPY FOR CHILDREN 0-5 YEARS OLD
Working with children 5 years old or younger requires specialized training and unique appreciation for the developmental milestones specific to each child’s age and stage. The 0-5 population is particularly vulnerable. The mental health of this population is often dismissed, with an assumption that children are inherently resilient and will bounce back from disruptive or traumatic events.
Working with children 5 years old or younger requires a unique approach, as this age group is still in the early stages of emotional, cognitive, and social development. At this age, children are just beginning to develop language skills and may have difficulty expressing their feelings or understanding complex emotions. This is why play therapy is especially effective for young children, as it allows them to communicate through play, a natural form of expression for them. Using toys, art, and other hands-on activities, I help young children explore their feelings and experiences in a safe and supportive environment. For younger children, therapy often focuses on building trust, teaching emotional regulation, and helping them develop basic social skills. It’s also important to involve parents or caregivers in the process, as they play a critical role in supporting the child’s growth and reinforcing the skills learned in therapy. By addressing challenges early, we can help young children develop a strong emotional foundation that will support their future growth and well-being.
THERAPY FOR ADOLESCENTS
Working with adolescents presents its own set of unique challenges and opportunities. During this stage of development, young people are navigating significant emotional, physical, and social changes as they search for independence, separation from their parents, and a sense of identity. This can sometimes lead to conflict with parents, feelings of confusion, or difficulties with self-esteem and peer relationships.
When working with adolescents, my priority is to focus on building a relationship rooted in trust. It’s normal for adolescents to struggle with feelings of vulnerability and opening up to adults, so creating a non-judgmental, empathetic space is vital. For therapy to be effective, it’s important that pre-teens and teens experience the therapeutic relationship as a safe space where they can explore their feelings, develop healthier coping strategies, and build a deeper understanding of who they are and how they understand themselves. It’s essential to respect their growing need for autonomy while also providing guidance and support to help them navigate the challenges they face. With the support of adolescent therapy and teen counseling, adolescents can learn to manage stress, communicate more effectively with others, and make more informed decisions about their lives, ultimately helping them transition into adulthood with a greater sense of confidence and emotional resilience.
THERAPY FOR CHILDREN & ADOLESCENTS IMPACTED BY BULLYING
Bullying is not simply a conflict between two kids. It's a complex social phenomenon shaped by peer group norms, social hierarchies, and feelings of belonging and exclusion — and its effects on a young person's emotional wellbeing, school performance, and ability to trust others can persist long after the bullying has stopped. Left unaddressed, those effects can follow a child well into adulthood.
Just as the social worlds of children and teens become increasingly more complex, effective interventions must reflect this same complexity. What makes bullying so hard to address is the same thing that makes childhood relationships so hard to navigate: they are layered, social, and deeply personal. My approach to therapy is grounded in decades of research on peer dynamics across diverse school settings — looking beyond individual characteristics to examine the social contexts that enable or prevent bullying behavior, how bystanders shape outcomes, and how genuine feelings of belonging protect young people from both bullying others and being bullied.
That systems-level understanding shapes my clinical work with youth. I work directly with children and adolescents to address the underlying factors driving bullying events — whether that means helping your child find their voice, process bullying-related trauma, develop empathy, or build healthier ways to navigate social challenges, all while building authentic peer connections and developing the assertiveness skills that make those connections last. I further collaborate directly with schools to shift the conditions that allow bullying to continue, and I partner with parents to build home environments and communication strategies that reinforce the work we do together in session.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHILD WITHIN THE FAMILY SYSTEM
As a child and family therapist at Anchor Psychotherapy, I approach every case with one core belief: to truly understand a child, you have to understand the family system within which they live. Children don't exist in isolation — they are deeply shaped by the relationships, roles, and patterns of interaction that surround them every day.
Families are the foundation of a child's emotional wellbeing. When family members are supportive, nurturing, and communicate openly, children feel safe and secure — conditions that are essential for healthy development. But when conflicts, misunderstandings, or unhealthy patterns take hold, children often struggle to thrive. Family therapy creates a space where everyone feels heard, learns new ways to connect, and builds the stronger, healthier relationships that allow children to grow. When the whole family moves toward change together, the results reach every member of the system.
EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY TO MENTAL HEALTH & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Intervening early is crucial when it comes to treating children, as the earlier we address emotional or behavioral challenges, the more effective treatment will be. The brain of a developing child is highly adaptable during their early years, making this period a critical window for growth and development. When issues such as anxiety, trauma, or behavioral struggles are identified and addressed early on, children have a better chance of developing healthy coping mechanisms, emotional resilience, and positive relationships. Left unaddressed, these challenges can lead to more significant issues later in life, including struggles in school, difficulties in social relationships, and limit resilience. By intervening early, we can help children build a strong foundation of emotional well-being that supports their overall development, helping them to thrive both now and in the future.