Therapy with Children
“Toys are children’s words and play is their language.” - Gary Landreth
I love working with children, meeting them where they are at, and being in the spirit of play with them to promote their inner safety and wellness. For kids going through separation anxiety, stress with relationships at school, those going through loss and grief, or overwhelmed by their environment, I offer a place to feel ok in themselves, ok with what they are feeling, and to build a sense of safety in the world.
Children have an amazing capacity to work with the frustrations, pains, and joys they are feeling and find inner help and healing through their play. Whether through puppets, creating a sand tray scene, drawing or painting, or playing a game, they get right to the heart of what needs expressing, tending, witnessing, and bring it forward into consciousness and healing through their play.
It is my job as their therapist to notice what is coming forward, and to create a “free and protected space” (Dora Kelff) for them to be able to do this. I enter into the imaginary world with them, and support them gently with what they are working through from the perspective of play.
Many theories of play therapy find that working with the intellect as with talk therapy for young children is not very effective at this age. However, being witnessed in what they are working with, being accepted in these places does have a helpful impact.
I like to work with children where they are at, and some DO like to talk things through. If that is the case, then we do that. Often, we talk while we draw or play a game, often on the floor, and this helps create a space of ease and calm.
I also offer brainspotting for those children who have gone through a traumatic event and need some help with deeper processing and calming of those responses. This is usually embedded into a play session. I also offer Safe and Sound Protocol , a music listening therapy that helps stimulate the vagus nerve and increase a sense of safety in the world. This works great for kids who experience sensory overload, especially around sound. More info here.
Therapy with Teens
I help teens and tweens understand their feelings, challenges, and grief, making room for who they are and increasing acceptance of themselves through our work together.
We help anxiety calm and grounding get stronger. I help families see their kids with more clarity, and make simple adjustments in the family system that can make a huge difference.
I often work with sensitive, anxious teens who are dealing with a loss or trauma, such as loss of a parent, loss from the fires, trauma, or social stress. Most of the teens I work with are ADHD’ers, Austistic, creatives and unique in the world, and need validation and support for sensory issues, social anxiety, and the need for quiet and down time. Some teens need the space to talk about what is happening with them, others work with art or sand tray to express their deeper feelings. We go with what works.
I joyfully support kids in the LGBTQ+community, and follow whatever it is that they need to work through at the time.
Teens are at such a powerful place in life, stepping towards adulthood and still retaining the wonder and curiosity of childhood. In our work together, we tap into their innate wisdom and expression.
In offering a place where they can build trust with me and with themselves, we learn to identify their feelings, make room for these feelings, and welcome all parts of themselves. This creates a sort of map that can help them find their way through life with more confidence and ease.
I like to work with parents as well, offering guidance as we look at the family system and explore what might be needed at home as these teens continue their development. Raising a child requires so much of parents, and I like to support parents’ experience as well, validating the challenges of holding this place of providing both autonomy and needed support for their kids.
(Info for teen group below)
Mythological Teen Therapy Group
Increasing Connection and Confidence!
Who: Teens who are experiencing anxiety, particularly social anxiety, and challenges with self esteem. LGBTQ+ affirming and neurodivergent affirming
Place: Downtown Santa Rosa - in person
Tme: Wednesdays at 3:00 PM
Duration: 6 weeks - with option to join again
Who: Those who identify as teen females or non-binary comfortable in female space
Fee: $80/session
Goals:
Decrease anxiety
Increase Self-Esteem through connection/belonging
Learn tools for centering with breath, mindfulness and art
Increase sense of intuition and trusting self
How: We will interact with Myth and learn ancient human wisdom for facing challenges. We will be exploring the story of Vasalisa as a guide to initiation and finding our way through the dark. (from Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book Women Who Run With The Wolves.)
To apply: Apply HERE or reach out to Jessica at (707)758-2365, or email jessica@jesicamalmberg.com to set up a consult
Do you have a teen who could use a community to help with social anxiety, depression, fears of the state of the world? I am offering a mythological girl's group for teens in which we will be exploring connection, finding our inner light, and grounding together in turbulent times.
We will be exploring the story of Vasalisa as a guide to initiation and finding our way through the dark. (from Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book Women Who Run With The Wolves.)
I welcome teens who identify as girls or nonbinary teens comfortable in girl’s spaces as well as sensitive teens, Neurodivergent and/or LGBTQIA teens, the artists, the nerds, the shy ones. With storytelling, art, discussion, we will learn about initiation and finding what special medicine each of us bring to the world. We will use mindfulness and grounding techniques to calm.