Parisa Art Therapy

This is such an important developmental stage and it is also one of the most challenging period for parents and their children. Often, there is a disconnection that has happened because of the delicate balance that needs to occur:  it is between parents letting go in a way that allows their teenager to explore the world, make some mistakes, develop their identity and parents upholding important limits and boundaries that keep their teenagers safe. Simultaneously, teenagers have to demonstrate a sense of responsibility with their independence so that parents can trust their teenager and feel comfortable with allowing some freedom. I am able to help families reconnect and find a way to balance the important needs that both parents and teenagers have during this time.

Sometimes children will directly communicate their thoughts and feelings with words, and it will be in a such a way that it makes adults smile because they aren't holding anything back. But often, especially if something is going wrong, children will communicate with adults through their behavior. This is where I can help.  I can join with you to help understand the messages embedded in your child's behavior. I am able to join with your child through the modality of art therapy to understand what is occurring in their world, in their language. I also can help your child to trust your parenting and to communicate their needs and also I teach them calming and soothing techniques which will help them all throughout their lives.

Every human being has a fundamental need to be heard and understood. Given my natural curiosity about the internal world of others, my experience and training as well as my ability to connect with people beyond words, I am able to meet this fundamental need that people have.  How we work together will depend on what it is you are looking to give yourself out of coming to therapy. Coming to therapy, taking a look at yourself and your life, takes courage. That kind of courage is what makes therapy so rewarding. I've got some of it so if yours flickers, I'll lend you mine.

I view relationships as the ultimate opportunity for growth.  A relationship, because it involves all parts of two human beings interacting, shines a light on parts of the self that we would not be able to access otherwise.  While the experience of feeling angry, hurt or afraid is often consuming, it is actually during these times that light is shone on parts of the self that are not easy to see.  Being able to be in contact with those parts of the self creates an opportunity that each individual reaches their fullest potential.

Using the challenges in your relationship is an opportunities to grow personally and as a couple is the goal.   I can help you both to get past the conflict and improve your communication and create a safe emotional space in your marriage.  I will help you as couple to gain the knowledge and the wisdom of maintaining intimacy and love and problem solving at the same time.

Family is the foundation and the core of each individuals psyche. Our very personal experience as a human in all different dimensions; physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, are stemmed from family. Family is where individuals learn about how to interact in their relationships with self, others and world. If there is a breakdown in the foundation or communication or a disconnection, the whole family members will be affected by that. The only difference is that each member acts and reacts differently. Usually one of the family members will act out and raise the red flag, usually that individual is labeled and judged as a trouble maker by the other family members, but in reality that person is bringing a covert dysfunctional pattern to the light.  Most of the time, this person is not the problem, they are just the ones expressing that there is a problem. The best therapy approach will be to have all the family members involved with therapy, every member will add valuable information to the process and also adjusting and balancing the whole family system will create a more stable and fast positive change that benefits the whole family.