Melody Cline, MA, LMFT, CCTP, Registered Play Therapist
865-630-0112 Voicemail
MY PLAY THERAPIST
Offering Developmentally-Minded Therapy for Children and Their Families
About Play Therapy
Children Show and Do Rather than Sit and Say
Children usually don't sit on couches and talk about their feelings. They show them in their behavior, actions, and play. Play Therapists are trained to help using a child's natural way of learning and interacting with the world, rather than trying to engage children in talk-based therapy like adults or teens.
Play Therapy is powerful because it activates a child's language of play to engage, assess, and achieve treatment goals. Instead of asking a child to function beyond their developmental abilities, play therapy accepts and engages a child just as he or she is, at any age and in any culture.
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Play Therapy is well supported in research. (Read more at www.a4pt.org) Children participate more in family therapy that employs play. (Willis, Walters, and Crane, 2014)
In my experience, the best outcomes develop when parents and family are involved in therapy along with the child. Actively including parents and families is an important part of how I work with children.
Services I Offer
How To Book An Appointment
Ready to get started? Give me a call at 865-630-0112 to discuss how I might be able to serve you and your family or organization. I'd love to answer your questions and discuss a plan to get started. Click the PDF icons below to review the federally mandated Privacy Notice and No Surprise Billing Notice (this notice is for out of network and private pay clients only) to familiarize yourself with your rights and choices regarding privacy and billing. These items will also be provided to you in your intake forms. When you are ready, complete your intake forms and book your first appointment through my convenient and secure online scheduling portal.
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Using strengths to overcome challenges
Child Therapy Sessions
Play Therapy unlocks a child's inner world, allowing them to express thoughts, experiences, emotions, and problems through showing and doing in play. It's the developmentally-appropriate way to help with behaviors, emotions, and relationships that have become problematic. Parents actively participate in setting goals and measuring progress throughout treatment with additional parenting and family sessions as needed.
Improving and restoring relationships
Family Therapy Sessions
Being part of a family means that you are impacted by the strengths and the challenges each individual brings to the relationship. In my Family Sessions, we combine play and talk to find ways to address hurt feelings, unmet needs, and hold each other accountable for our part in the good and the bad of family relationships. We celebrate strengths and focus on how to employ them to overcome the problems and achieve the lasting change you are seeking.
Personalized support for parents
Parenting Sessions
Parenting a child who struggles is a demanding job. I believe parents are the experts on their own children and I collaborate alongside them to address the challenges that have arisen. My focus is on positive growth and lasting solutions through equipping parents with information and tools to get results. I provide the empathy and emotional support that parents need while offering insights into their children's behavior and emotional reactions
Supportive collaboration for school success
School Consultations
If you’re looking for support managing issues at school with an expert that cares - then you’ve definitely come to the right place. With experience working with gifted children, twice exceptional, learning disabilities, and sensory issues, I help parents navigate the options when things break down at school. I also work with teachers who want support developing better relationships with challenging students and families. Give me a call to discuss what I can do for you.
Child and Family Professional Speaker
Presentations and Workshops
I have been providing training for schools, churches, and community groups for over 15 years. If you are looking for a dynamic hands-on speaker on a topic related to child and family issues, contact me for more details.
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