About Psychotherapy

Child Therapy

Children often puzzle or worry their parents and teachers. Most worries disappear in a short period of time as the child matures and finds solutions to his or her difficulties. When a child's worries continue, it is time to consider expert help. These worries might be social, such as when a child alienates his or her friends by being bossy, shy, or critical. Worries may be about academics when a child appears to be performing lower than their potential at school.

Parents often ask themselves why this is happening to their child. They worry that they have failed their child in some way. Beginning therapy for your child can be a very daunting task for many parents. You may wonder if the therapist can understand your family and really help your child.

While beginning therapy for your son or daughter is a big step, the benefits of child therapy include greater self-esteem, improved social relationships and friendships, and increased school performance. Therapy can help children get back on track and help them to reach their full potential.

When parents call for help, I generally begin by asking the parents to come in and talk with me, so that we can meet and begin to establish a good working relationship. If we agree that your child should be seen for an evaluation, I will meet with your child for several sessions, using play therapy techniques and developmentally appropriate questions and techniques, to gain a general sense of their difficulties. After this initial evaluation period, I meet with the parents to discuss my views of their child's difficulties and to make treatment recommendations. Once we agree on the course of action, I meet with the child once or twice a week and meet with the parents once or twice a month, depending on what we agree would be most helpful.

Unlike adults, children often use other forms of communication, such as playing, to relate how they feel. I provide toys and art materials so that your child can express his or her difficulties. This play gives me the information I need to understand your child's troubles. I work with children to resolve their difficulties in a supportive and safe setting.

For more information about play therapy, please refer to my article entitled "Play Therapy" which was published in the Santa Clara County Psychological Association (SCCPA) Spring 2011 Newsletter.

I work with children and adolescents to address these types of issues:

• Temper Tantrums
• Low Self-Esteem
• Trouble Making or Keeping Friends
• Sadness and/or Withdrawal
• Anger
• Poor Social Skills
• Aggression-Harming Self or Others
• Lack of Motivation
• Anxiety or Being Overwhelmed by Fears
• Inattention and/or Being Hyperactive
• Difficulty Concentrating
• Poor School Performance
• Difficulty Handling Peer Pressure

Addressing these concerns can increase your child's self-esteem, improve their social relationships, and help them to lead a more positive, fulfilling life. Psychotherapy is an effective tool to overcome areas of difficulty and help your child to reach his or her full potential.

Adult Therapy

I work with adults to address
these types of issues:

• Overcoming Depression
• Reducing Anxiety, Fears, and Phobias
• Resolving Work and School Difficulties
• Improving Interpersonal Relationships
• Enhancing Self-Esteem
• Coping with Loss and Grief
• Managing Stress
• Overcoming Trauma
• Enhancing Personal Growth and Self Development
• Understanding Identity Issues

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Psychodynamic psychotherapy provides the opportunity for you to discuss your emotional concerns and difficulties in the context of a healing relationship with a psychotherapist. The psychologist provides emotional support and important insights, which enables you to see your conflicts in a new light and to gradually let go of old patterns of feelings and behaving.

In the initial phase of psychotherapy, my approach is to establish a safe environment through supportive listening and empathy so that you will feel comfortable talking about your difficulties. It is important early in therapy to help you understand and think about how your difficulties developed and what will be required to work them out. The problems you are experiencing are understood within a lifespan developmental context, with a particular emphasis on past interpersonal experiences that might help clarify current problems and concerns.

Over time, you will begin to experience your feelings related to your emotional concerns in a deeper way and processing them with a supportive, knowledgeable therapist can put these old patterns to rest as you begin to develop new ways of relating, feeling, and thinking about the world.

The commitment to personal growth can lead to significant rewards such as experiencing a greater degree of direction and self-confidence, improving one's ability to connect and relate to work and interpersonal relationships, experiencing greater emotional and social well-being, and feeling a greater sense of life satisfaction.

© 2008 Miranda J. Gabriel Psy.D. - Website constructed by Karl Franzen
No photographs of actual clients are represented.