Child, Teen and Adult Psychotherapy Services in San Diego
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Distance Learning Tips for Teens and College Students

9/4/2020

 
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As a follow up to our post helping parents support their younger children engage in distance learning, we wanted to share some ideas for teens and young adults as they adjust to virtual learning this semester! 
  • Getting organized
    • Establish a daily routine so that schoolwork is the priority and is completed before other tasks you need to do later in the day.  You will be less motivated as time passes.
    • Stick to your schedule, but be flexible. Try creating a daily to-do list, and move lower priority tasks to the next day if they absolutely cannot be accomplished in time.  Your well-being is more important during this time!
    • Separate your workspace from areas you use to relax.  Blending the two areas could make “turning off” your brain more difficult when you need to rest.
  • Increasing focus/attention
    • Use headphones to reduce distraction
    • Take snack and lunch breaks.  You will need brain fuel throughout the day.
    • When possible, take movement breaks.  Sitting in front of the screen for too long is not good for both your physical and mental health.
    • It’s okay to “check out” whether it’s scrolling through social media or grabbing a snack, just be sure to set start and stop times.
  • Setting yourself up for success
    • Establish healthy habits for sleep, exercise, and nutrition.
    • Have time set aside for virtual socialization with peers.  You don’t have to go through it alone!
    • Be kind to yourself and be realistic with your expectations- distance learning is not for everyone.  You might not do as well as you did in-person, and that is OKAY.
    • If possible, set up a weekly virtual study group with peers (even if you don’t share the same classes).  You will have someone to keep you accountable and distance learning will feel less isolating.

We hope this helps all of us adjust as well as possible during this challenging time as students, and families. The best we can do is just approach it with a positive attitude, be prepared (hopefully by using some of our tips), and try to be flexible with our expectations and adjust as needed over time! If any of our readers need further support, please feel free to reach out to us at Thrive! 

At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy via video sessions, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: 
http://eepurl.com/dsgLNL.

Distance Learning Tips for Children

9/2/2020

 
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As therapists who work primarily with children, teens, and their families, we at Thrive have all been witnessing just how stressful this fall has been for families. Everyone seems worried and anxious about distance learning so we thought we would put together some tips to help families adjust as best as they can! This blog reviews our tips for younger children and we will post one about teens later this week!

  • Get organized
    • Create a schedule: dedicate study time, live instruction time, and break times
    • Schedule something active (not screens) for break time (remember, kids are used to having recess at school!).  Try walking around the block, playing in the backyard, or even a fitness video indoors. This will help them get the energy out and be able to focus on other tasks.
    • Set up a dedicated study area and a break area. If your child is younger, they might need to be in the same room as you because they need more guidance. Older children who can do independent work should be in an area where they won’t be distracted.
    • Have all the necessary supplies at their study station to reduce distraction when they need to get up and grab something
  • Increasing focus/attention
    • Use headphones to reduce distraction. It’ll also let other people in the home focus on their own work.
    • Have non-distracting fidget toys for children who crave sensory input (ones without sounds or will cause a big distraction for the class)
      • Ex - Putty, stretchy/rubber worms, stress ball or squishy, magnets
    • If sitting, make sure the child is in a 90/90/90 position. 
      • 90 Degree angles at elbows, hips, and knees with feet flat on the floor
    • If your child cannot sit still try using alternatives to sitting 
      • Ex - Laying on stomach, standing desk, sitting on yoga ball or wobbly chair
  • Manage stress
    • This is an unusual situation! It is normal to feel stressed, anxious, or have high emotions. No one can expect parents to be a full-time teacher nor for children to do as well as they did with in-person learning.
    • Offer reassurance that this is tough and others are probably struggling too. Contact the teacher or the child’s support team if assignments or classes are too challenging (is their room to adapt or offer flexibility?)
    • Help children maintain contact with their friends. The thrill of starting school is usually when you see your friends again. With online learning, this isn’t possible. Schedule Facetime/Zoom calls for them with their classmates outside of class time.
    • Be compassionate and patient. Your child is probably trying their best. Tune in to what they need. Maybe they need more movement breaks than they are allowed. Have structure, but don’t be too rigid.

For most families, this is going to be a huge adjustment and possibly very challenging. The best we can do is just approach it with a positive attitude, be prepared (hopefully by using some of our tips), and try to be flexible with our expectations and adjust as needed over time! If any families need further support, please feel free to reach out to us at Thrive! 

At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy via video sessions, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: 
http://eepurl.com/dsgLNL.

Talking to Children About Race

6/26/2020

 
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Talking about race to children can be a touchy subject.  Some parents might not even have an option to talk about race because their children would have to learn about it by what they confront in their everyday life. Teaching your children about race early on is actually beneficial given that children as young as 6 months are able to notice racial differences! In fact, there have been research on newborns and infants showing racial biases towards members of their own race.

Talking about race to a young child could be as simple as pointing out the physical differences they notice.  For example, a 3-year-old might ask questions about skin color or hair texture. The hard part though… is the discussion about racism.  The recent events might prompt children to ask questions.  While some might wonder if it could be better to turn off the tv and shield their little young minds until they are old enough to understand, we have to remember that children notice and receive many messages around them no matter how much we try to control it.

And importantly, if we are not discussing these kinds of topics, they will make their own assumptions and come up with their own ideas about why that is or how we feel. Even though it is challenging or might be uncomfortable, it is important to lean into these crucial conversations and explore together the questions they have and what we can all do to be better humans in the world.
 

So where do we start?  In order to feel comfortable talking about race to your children, you have to first be comfortable with talking about it yourself.  It’s better to be proactive than to wait for children to ask you questions.  While you have these discussions with other adults in your life, notice what comes up for you.  What ideas or assumptions do you hold?  Where did they come from?  When you become aware of your own biases, it is more likely that you’ll be able to work on it and overcome it so you don’t pass it on unknowingly.  And remember that this part is never complete.  Gaining awareness of our preconceived ideas about racial groups and challenging the way we think about race is an ongoing process.

When you speak to your children about race or racism, there are key points to remember. Let them ask questions.  We all know children may not necessarily ask questions in the most polite or respectful way.  But giving them a safe space to do so with YOU would be a good opportunity to start a discussion. Even when the questions are uncomfortable for you, embrace the question and encourage your child to keep asking them. When children are shamed about asking questions, they learn quickly to stop doing it. 

It’s also okay to be emotional.  Because they are receiving information about themselves and about others, this can spark a lot of feelings. The most important thing about the emotions that may come up for you or your child is to normalize them. Tell your child that it is understandable to feel sad or angry about the injustice in the world and that you do too. And remember that this is a marathon.  You don’t need to have all the answers and be able to have a discussion with them in the moment.

For younger children, you can start by explaining what racial differences mean.  They might say something like “his skin looks dirty…”.  While your instinct might be to shush your child as you want to teach them not to be rude or disrespectful, you are unintentionally teaching them that talking about race is not okay.  You can say, “His skin is brown, but it isn’t dirty.  His skin color is just different from yours because we all have different levels of something called melanin.  People come in all colors, shapes, and sizes”.  Asking questions such as “what makes you say that?” or “why do you think so?” can help you understand where these ideas are coming from.

And even though talking about physical differences (hair, skin color, etc) may seem like the most obvious, don’t forget to mention other factors that are important to diversity such as cultural practices or languages.  This will help shift the attention away from looks and towards other qualities.  I remember in Kindergarten, my teacher read a book about the different types of homes people lived in around the world and as an Asian American immigrant who had just moved to the U.S., it was so nice to see my teacher focus on something other than what I already knew was different about me… my skin tone or my eyes.

Older children might have more questions as they start to observe the world around them.  This is an opportunity to have discussion that involve more critical thinking.  You can start talking about stereotypes and biases, and what they mean.  Not only can you talk about how these statements are hurtful, you can also talk about inequality, inclusion, and exclusion.  Why is generalizing a whole group of people bad?  Does someone benefit from it?  What can we do to help? How would you feel if someone was thinking or talking that way about you? 

Lastly, I encourage everyone to integrate more diversity into their lives.  My favorite Disney princess is Mulan, and it always will be. I remember watching Mulan for the first time on VHS and I happily pointed out to my parents that there’s someone who looks just like me on TV!  And sadly, out of all my toys, the Mulan doll was the only one I had that looked like me.  Take this opportunity to notice what your child is exposed to.  Who is portrayed in the media they consume?  What do their toys look like?  Do they go to a diverse school?  Perhaps it’s time to intentionally include things that feature people from different races and ethnicities.

Remember what I said about this being a marathon?  It’s okay to make a mistake and to regret the way you answered a question.  You are a role model for your child.  Acknowledge that adults can make mistakes too and that you’re still learning to be better.  This is a challenging topic to discuss, and like most uncomfortable topics, it is one of the most important conversations we can have. 

If you are interested in resources about how to further these conversations and help your child be an Anti-Racist, please check out our new resource page all about this topic.


As always, we at Thrive are here for you and your families and hope to help you further your ability to have difficult, often uncomfortable, but important conversations in your families and address the topics that are coming up in our world.
At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy via video sessions, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: 
http://eepurl.com/dsgLNL.

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Help! My Kids Are Driving Me Insane in Quarantine!

5/1/2020

 
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Have you been feeling like your house has turned into a zoo?  If so, then you are not alone! When the shelter-in-place order started, these are some things that my younger clients have told me:
  • “I love coronavirus. I get to stay home. I don’t have school.”
  • “I’m good! I don’t have math.”
  • “I got to watch movies and play all day! It’s great!”
  • “It’s like vacation and I’m with my family.”

And as expected, these statements did not last that long.  Children don’t process loss or tragedy and adapt as quickly as adults do.  In about two weeks after my clients made these statements, I started to get phone calls and emails from parents about their children “acting out” and having behavioral issues.  It has started to sink in that the changes might not be so fun after all, and they are grieving their old lifestyle more than they knew.  And before you know it, the confusion, uncertainty, and frustration (combined with cabin fever) start to hit them all at once.  Although I can’t guarantee when things will get better for your child, there are ways that you can help support them and make staying at home more tolerable for everyone.

The first and most important rule of thumb is to be patient and be an active listener. Chances are, your child is not “acting out” on purpose.  I’m a firm believer that there is always an underlying cause for a behavior.  Often times, my clients have shared that they felt unheard or are angry about something in their lives.  Acting out is just a way to externalize those feelings. Imagine if I had taken out half of the words in your vocabulary and you weren’t able to convey your thoughts to me.  Your child’s behaviors are their way of conveying what’s going on inside. It may not be easy but patience can help your children feel that everything will be okay.

Staying active.  Children who don’t get enough physical exercise during the day can often become restless when it is time to settle down.  Anxiety, fear, and sadness can also show up as irritability in younger children.  Keeping their heart rate up, and spending the extra energy will help ease their anxiety and (hopefully) help them feel tired when it is time for bed.  Children are used to using both mental and physical energy 8 hours a day when they were going to school.  Because this component is missing, try filling it with other ways to keep them engaged.  Notice I didn’t say keep them entertained.  I know there is a lot of stress out there for parents trying to keep their children happy now that they are home all day, but that does not have to be the case.  This is about helping them spend excess mental and physical energy.  And for parents who work from home, some of these activities can be done independently after showing them.  Below are some ideas you can try:

Mentally challenging activities
  • Starting a jigsaw puzzle
  • Learning to knit/sew
  • Learning an instrument (there are apps out there for this!)
  • Scavenger hunt (can be done on a walk or in the home)
  • Crafting (I’ve had clients stay engaged by making and donating masks to neighbors or hospitals)
  • Commit to learning a new language for the whole family (maybe even practice holding a conversation in that language during dinner)
Physical activities
  • Dancing (Just Dance 2020 on the Switch is super fun!)
  • Walking or grooming your pet
  • Jumping on the trampoline
  • Relay races or obstacle courses in the home
  • Twister
  • The floor is lava (remember this one?)
  • Musical chairs
  • Virtual fitness classes for kids
Limit their exposure. This may seem strange for an article about behavioral issues in children; however, the current news coverage about COVID-19 has triggered a lot of fear response in children.  Children are always listening and observing even when you think they aren’t.  I’ve had young clients expressing their fears about getting sick, when things will open, how many cases are in San Diego and so much information that even I have not yet seen.  Children can easily misinterpret what they hear and become frustrated about something they can’t understand. In turn, this can bring about more confused feelings that may already exist.

Lastly, staying connected to family and friends can help bring about some normalcy in their lives.  Has your child facetimed their grandparents, aunts, or uncles lately?  It may be helpful to reach out to other parents and set up virtual play dates.  They might just show each other their toys or their room, but it is good to help them feel connected especially if they miss their friends.  I’ve recently helped a client set up a Netflix Party with their friends so they can have a virtual slumber party (it was a hit!).  This can be a real mood booster for some kids!


Remember that you, as a parent, are grieving too.  It’s okay that you may feel short lately and found that you can’t have as much patience as you would like.  Your children learn by example, so as long as you are trying and showing them that it is okay to pick yourself back up… that is an important life lesson on its own!
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At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy via video sessions, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: 
http://eepurl.com/dsgLNL.

8 Activities to Strengthen Your Parent-Child Relationship During Quarantine

4/17/2020

 
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​By Panicha McGuire, LMFT, RPT

By now you are probably running out of ideas of things to do with your child when you’ve been confined with each other for weeks.  Or, you’ve probably seen Frozen II for the 100th time.  Although we all hope to get back to normal soon, this may be a good opportunity for you to take a step back and practice becoming emotionally closer to one another.  These are some activities that will help elicit open dialogue with your child, help you learn more about each other’s likes/dislikes, and some are just plain fun.
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  1. Cook a meal or bake together- This can be quite relaxing for children who love to work with their hands.  Plus, you’ll get a reward at the end!  Making a meal together can be a bonding activity that will not only teach your child a life skill, but will help them feel a sense of accomplishment.
  2. Play dress up- Find out more about your child.  What goes on in their mind?  How creative are they?  How big is their imagination?
  3. Start a new hobby or take a fun online class together- Whether it’s knitting or learning to juggle, you’ll find tons of tutorials online.
  4. Karaoke night– You could even take turns with everyone picking a song!
  5. Play “Would you rather?”- Play a simple game of rock-paper-scissors.  The winner gets to ask the other a “would you rather” question.  Be sure to throw in some silly ones with some deeper ones.  Some examples:
    • Would you rather hiccup every time you spoke or sing every time you opened your mouth?
    • Would you rather always be right or always be loved?
    • Would you rather have three legs or three arms?
    • Would you rather solve all the world’s problems or be the richest person on Earth?
  6. Jenga- Write a feeling word on Jenga blocks.  You can talk about them or ask questions about the feelings such as “What happens when you feel __?”.  You can also mix in some fun questions.
  7. Family Bingo- Create a bingo card for some positive actions that you would like to see in the house.  Everyone can contribute when creating the bingo card.  Things like “Facetime Grandma” or “Learn a magic trick” can be added.  See who gets Bingo first!
  8. Have an indoor/backyard picnic – this is a great time to consider even breaking some family rules so if you don’t usually let your kids eat in the living room, maybe you have a picnic there!

Fun Tip - These activities can be parent(s) vs children which will help siblings’ bond and learn to work together!

As always, we at Thrive are here for parents and teens, particularly during this unprecedented time in our world. We want to help you make the most of the pandemic but also help you cope with it if you are struggling. Please make sure to balance any advice you are taking with a healthy dose of self-care and realistic expectations!

At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy via video sessions, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: 
http://eepurl.com/dsgLNL.

Play Therapy Series: Play Therapy with Adults

8/7/2019

 

By: Panicha McGuire, LMFT, RPT ​

Welcome to the final blog of my play therapy blog series!  The series goes over how play therapy works with children, teens, and adults.  Don’t forget to check out my previous posts on play therapy with children and teens!

Play therapy with adults! Does that really exist?  Why, yes it does.  Although most adults think they have outgrown using play as a way to explore and experience the world, adults already engage in play on a daily basis. Do you dress up for themed parties?  Or play sports?  Sing along to music?  Maybe even a game of poker?  Play is always a part of our lives and it is a way for us relieve stress.  
There is actually a significant amount of research behind the neuroscience of play.  Not only is play a helpful way to help adults learn and improve their overall well-being, play can help therapists get through to the deeper issues.  I find that my clients tend to open up more when they are relaxed and can have fun while putting aside their rational and objective “adult” selves.
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In my practice, I use play therapy with adults to treat issues such as grief and loss, trauma, emotional development issues, social communication, and mood disorders.  Some examples of play therapy activities I use with my adult clients are:
  • Role playing a dialogue 
  • Creating a ceremony of “letting go” of something that isn’t useful
  • Making up a mantra for yourself
  • Using metaphors to uncover deeper rooted issues or to process emotional wounds
  • Using sandtray to process trauma
  • Drawing or painting 
  • Poetry

Like any other treatment methods, the most important thing about using play therapy is to be sure that it fits the client.  These techniques are just examples of how I’ve used play with some of my adult clients. At Thrive, we always match our interventions and techniques to our client’s unique needs and goals.  

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For more information about working with Panicha in play therapy, please check out her bio here or feel free to reach out to us via phone! ​​
At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: http://eepurl.com/cvGx5n.

Play Therapy Series: Play Therapy with Tweens/Teens

7/31/2019

 

By: Panicha McGuire, LMFT, RPT 

Welcome to my blog series on play therapy!  The series will go over how play therapy works with children, teens, and even adults. Don’t forget to check out my previous post on play therapy with young children and school-aged children!

This week, we will focus on how play therapy works with tweens and teens.  Recently, many parents who refer their teens to see me will see my Registered Play Therapist credential and wonder how this will work with their teen because their teen doesn’t “play” anymore.  Well, our teens are not yet adults but are not children either.  So, what does that mean when it comes to play therapy?  Many of our tweens and teens are already going through so much with hormone changes, peer pressure, school pressure, and identity struggles, it can be difficult to expect them to just talk.  Having a teen sit in a room with a professional and asking them to share or answer intrusive questions can be really intimidating.  I find that my teens are more relaxed when they are engaged in an activity.  
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Play therapy with teens is simply using activities or experiences that would be of interest to the teen while resolving their issues.  It can be a way to engage them in something that might seem “boring” or “uncool”.  I’ve actually completed a complicated Lego model with a teen once.  We would work on it little by little in our sessions while the teen shared their struggles with me.  The finished Lego project then became a symbol of healing.
Some examples of play therapy with teens that I use in my practice are:
  • Soothing items like modeling clay, play-doh, or slime helps teens focus on something rather than looking at me straight in the eye while talking about something difficult. Teens with sensory cravings also feel more relaxed when using these tools. 
  • Similar to the previous one, I also like to play Uno or Jenga with my teens while we touch base on the previous week
  • Using examples of current trendy subjects or media in discussion
  • Making a collage/portrait of their past selves, current selves, or future selves
  • Painting/coloring while talking
  • Using poetry or song lyrics to convey their feelings
  • Creating goals or discovering their identity as outlined by their favorite video game (missions, objectives, character builds etc.)
Play therapy is effective for all ages as it’s a tool that is fun and engaging in comparison to traditional talk therapy.  Play therapy gives teens the opportunity to use their creative minds and strengths to further their progress in treatment.  
 
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For more information about working with Panicha in play therapy, please check out her bio here or feel free to reach out to us via phone! ​

At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: http://eepurl.com/cvGx5n.

Play Therapy Series: Play Therapy with Young and School-Aged Children

7/23/2019

 

By: Panicha McGuire, LMFT, RPT 

Welcome to my blog series on play therapy!  The series will go over how play therapy works with children, teens, and even adults! I often get many questions and concerns from parents regarding the use of play therapy and how it works.  My hope is that this blog series can shed some light on some myths or concerns.  There’s a common misconception that play therapy is simply playing, and as many parents would think, “Why would I pay for someone to play with my child?”.  Play therapy is actually more than just play.  It’s actually a recommended treatment for children of all ages. Children communicate through play. They play before they even acquire verbal language.  Imagine a child who has witnessed violence and abuse in the home, their play would most likely reveal themes of aggression and violence with their toys.  Therapists use play therapy to help children express their feelings when they might not have verbal language to do so, or when saying it out loud is difficult.  The goal of play therapy is to help children express themselves through a comfortable medium, and learn effective ways to solve problems. 

What can I expect in play therapy for a young child or school-aged children?
At our practice, parents and caregivers play an important role in the child’s treatment.  I usually start with an intake interview with parent(s) to collect information about the child, and to discuss what they hope to see change.  When it applies, I also like to include the child’s teacher, providers, or other caregivers to get a good overall look at the child’s environment.  In the playroom, there are specific types of toys and games that encourage the child to express themselves such as dollhouses, instruments, or arts and crafts.  Depending on the child, I would either let them express themselves without any direction from me (nondirective) or I would guide them with specific activities (directive).  Play therapy sessions typically start at once a week and usually last 45 minutes.  In my experience, nondirective therapy works best for my clients that have difficulty opening up or have had traumatic experiences as these clients need time and space to resolve their issues. Most clients that I see, however, fall under the directive category.  This type of play therapy has more input from the therapist and includes teaching skills or asking direct questions to the child.  Although directive play therapy resolves issues quicker, it is best for certain cases.  During the intake, I discuss with parents what they can expect from play therapy and which direction I would be taking with their child.  Below are some examples of what play therapy would look like.

Play therapy with children ages 0-5
Play therapy with very young children (0-5) looks very different from play therapy with children who are more developed.  Therapy with young children have high parental involvement and often is used in family therapy.  I’ve worked with many parents and toddlers on building a connection or stronger emotional relationship, especially with those who have gone through a divorce, blended family, or separation.  I introduce many activities that would promote eye contact, soothing touch and interaction.  I’ve worked on reunifying some parents and toddlers who were separated at birth by helping them learn how to relate to one another.  For children who have some language, some activities I use to help promote expressing and exploring their feelings include: using clay to make facial expression, drawing, and painting.  To help explore what is going on in their lives or teaching them healthy communication skills through role playing, I might use stuffed animals, puppets, or a dollhouse.  With some children this age, giving them nondirective play also allows me to see themes of how they might be feeling or are treated at home or school. 
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What about school-aged children?
Play therapy with older children who already have verbal language tend to be more directive in my office.  Some examples include playing board games or card games to teach impulse control (not going out of turn, shouting out the answer, cheating), learning social skills through role playing, playing Candyland to express their feelings (ex. each color is a different emotion), creating fun ways to use relaxation skills, or drawing their support network.  If you come by our office, you might catch me playing red light green light down the hallway to help my client learn how to control their body. 
All in all, play therapy is about creating a healthy working relationship with your child.  Sometimes the feedback I get from children is that I’m one of the few adults they can trust to talk about difficult things with, and I also hear from parents that sometimes I say the same exact thing they have already said to their child but they happen to listen to me! As an adult, it can be very easy to sit opposite of your therapist and delve into the problems that brought you to treatment.  But for children, they need a more fun and creative way to get their minds working and that’s really what play therapy is!


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For more information about working with Panicha in play therapy, please check out her bio here or feel free to reach out to us via phone! 

At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist about yourself, your child, or teen attending therapy, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child or teen psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: http://eepurl.com/cvGx5n.

Meet Panicha McGuire, LMFT, RPT

7/17/2019

 

A note from Thrive's founder, Dr. Erica Wollerman: 
Welcome to our last blog of our Meet our Therapist Blog series!  Since I am often the one writing our Thrive blogs, I wanted to make sure that our readers would be able to also get to know the amazing team I work with at Thrive. I am so grateful to work with each of these therapists and they each offer our clients something special. 


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My passion for the field developed first as a part of some self-exploration. I am a first generation Asian-American, and growing up with dual identities was not easy.  Am I American?  Or am I Asian?  I discovered the field of psychology in college and learned so much about myself and my family dynamics.  In the meantime, I was working as an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) specialist serving children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disabilities.  The work was so rewarding, but I soon realized something was missing.  Because of the stigma of seeking help in my family’s culture, I didn’t realize that there is an entire field of people that are there to help others struggling with mental health, family, and relationship dynamics.  I wanted to do more than behavior training, which led me to the field of family therapy. 

Creating relationships and witnessing my client’s growth has been the most rewarding part about being a therapist.  It is amazing to see the growth in someone on the first day they step into my office compared to the day they say goodbye.  And I don’t think it is all me.  I believe all my clients have potential for change and growth, some just need a little nudge and guidance.  My style in therapy could be best described as collaborative and authentic. Not all clients are the same as they all have walked different paths in their lives.  I pride myself in helping my clients use their existing strengths or interests towards their goals.  In working with children and teens, that could mean anything from academic strengths, extracurricular interests, or even video games.  Some of my teenage clients have frequently heard me use certain video games as an analogy in their treatment, with different levels being an obstacle they need to overcome to reach their goals.

In addition to being a licensed psychotherapist, I am also a Registered Play Therapist (RPT).  This means that I’ve completed specialized training and supervision to conduct play therapy.  Play therapy is the recommended treatment choice for children in all settings.  For adults, it’s easier and more natural to sit down and tell the therapist what your needs are.  For children and teens, they may need a different approach to resolve their problems and play is their language.  Imagine if I had taken the words “I’m angry with you” out of your mouth, you would be extremely frustrated that you are unable to express this statement. As an RPT, I use toys, games, or experiential activities to assess and teach children and teens how to express their feelings, cope with challenges, and learn new ways of relating to others. 

I’ve had experience with many types of clients from court mandated therapy to private practice, and the youngest being 18 months old to the oldest at 65 years old.  Although I can work with clients from any walks of life, my passion is in working with children, teens, young adults, and parents.  A framework that guides my practice with all my clients is attachment, or the emotional bond between people.  I believe that the emotional connections we had as children inform the way we relate to others as we develop through adolescence and adulthood.  Even my adult clients benefit from an attachment-based therapy as they often recognize how their relationship with others throughout their life has affected how they currently relate to their partner, friends, colleagues, or other relationships.  

Although I spend a lot of time in the therapy room, I continue to practice self-care regularly through the week with things I love.  Generally, I am either doing yoga, traveling abroad, enjoying geek-related things (video games, comics, attending cons, going to Disneyland etc.), or spending time with my family.  As a military wife, family time is very important to me as we often don’t have enough hours in the day or even year together.  Want to know another fun fact about me?  My dog’s name is Obi wan!  Yes, as in the Jedi. 


For more information about Panicha and her work, please check out her bio here! If you would like to schedule an appointment with Panicha (or join one of her many groups!), please also feel free to call our main number and ask for her or fill out our contact form here and note that you would prefer to work with Panicha! 

What does Free Range Parenting really mean?

4/24/2019

 
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By: Panicha McGuire, LMFT

Free range parenting has been around for a long time, but recently has just caused a stir in the parenting world.  In sum, free range parenting is the concept of raising children with unsupervised time. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t ever watch your children, but it means to not live in constant fear that something terrible will happen to them if you are not there.  In your own childhood, your parent’s childhood, or even your grandparent’s childhood you may recall going to the store unattended, walking to your neighbor’s house alone three blocks down the street, taking public transportation alone, or walking home from school with your school friends.  I’ve come to realize that parents are more afraid for their children than ever.  

But, it’s much more dangerous nowadays!  Well, yes, and also no.  We do have to be aware of things like online predators or media exposure, but remember we live in a culture that is also hyperaware.  Everyday there is a story of abductions or missing children.  It’s absolutely terrifying and if we see these stories in the media every day, it can feel like these situations happen all the time.  And the next time you’re thinking if your child is safe walking over to their friend’s house, you think of these stories that you have seen on the news.  We start to lose perspective of real dangers. We also live in a culture where parents are shamed if they let their child play in the backyard unsupervised because they aren’t “playing with their kid” or “aren’t using this time for something productive”.  It’s also the same culture that invented child GPS watches and monitoring systems.  If you’re into Black Mirroron Netflix, I recommend watching the Arkangel episode (disclaimer: this is dark). 
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I remember growing up and playing unsupervised in the backyard of our home.  I was told to not play close to the plants and watch out for the cactus (but what 7-year-old listens).  Lo and behold, I had played too close to the cactus, fell on it, and got spikes all over my back which my grandpa had to help pull out with tweezers. But did I play near the plants again? Nope!  Now this cactus story sounds less scary than letting your child ride the bus alone from school because it was contained in the backyard of my home.  Although, I did do that too!  I rode the metro home every day starting in 6thgrade after my mother had rode it with me enough times for me to get how it works.  But I was also prepped with emergency cash and directions on what to do when I’m in real danger.  And then I would stay home alone to do homework and play in the neighborhood until they would come home from work during dinner. 

So, should you just let your child roam free now?  Not really, at least not yet.  Especially when they haven’t been preparing for this.  Free-range parenting has its praises and criticisms, but this article is more about your parenting instincts.  You will know what your child is capable of doing, and letting them do it on their own will give them the challenge they need to grow.  Letting your child do something unsupervised comes with patience and training.  As a parent, you knew when your child was ready to cross the street without holding their hand because you knew you could trust them to look both ways.  You coached them enough for them to be able to make a wise decision.  One day, you decided you could let go of their hand because you noticed they were looking both ways.  Everyone has an opinion on “how to parent”.  You’ll always have someone giving their opinion on whether you’re letting your child walk too far away from you, or leaving them home alone (although, do check state laws on this one!).  But the truth is not all families are the same, and all children have different temperaments and personalities, and so do their parents.  You have to do what works for you and your child.  And remember that it is okay for them to fail and learn from their own mistakes.  You’re not a bad parent for doing so.  It actually teaches them more independence and fosters their growth.

Panicha is accepting new clients today! Call for more information!
At Thrive, we take a positive, client centered approach to therapy that is focused on creating a genuine connection with our clients.  If you would like to talk with a Thrive Therapist attending therapy, please reach out to us by phone at 858-342-1304. 
 
As always, thanks for reading and comments are always welcome regarding any issues around child, teen, or young adult psychotherapy services in San Diego by Thrive Therapy Studio.  
 
To stay in the loop on the services offered and to receive updated information about Thrive, please feel free to sign up for the newsletter through the following link: http://eepurl.com/cvGx5n.
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​San Diego, CA 92121
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Thrive Therapy Studio Therapists Offer Child, Teen, Adult, Marriage and Family Psychotherapy Counseling Services in San Diego, California.
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