Therapy for Adults and
Young-Adults in Amsterdam
In my clinic I provide psychological therapy for adults and young-adults.
During the transition from adolescence to adulthood, many difficulties and emotional conflicts may arise. As a young-adult who is now responsible for your own life and development, you may feel anxious, overwhelmed, or uncertain about the future.
Many young adults begin their academic and professional journey as students, and the pressure to succeed while maintaining a healthy and fulfilling social life can contribute to stress, anxiety, and depression.
Adults may face different challenges at various stages of life, including anxiety, depression, stress and burnout, relationship difficulties, loneliness, low self-esteem, grief, or periods of change and uncertainty. Therapy can provide a space to better understand yourself, explore recurring emotional or relationship patterns, and find healthier ways of coping with difficulties.
Being an expat and living away from friends and family can bring additional challenges. Adjusting to a new culture, building meaningful relationships, and developing a sense of belonging in a new country can sometimes feel isolating or overwhelming.
As an expat who has lived and studied in the Netherlands, I am familiar with many of the challenges of building a life in a foreign country, including the emotional impact of cultural adjustment and the long, dark Dutch winters.
If you are feeling anxious, stressed, depressed, or simply feel that you could benefit from professional support, I invite you to contact me so that together we can explore what you need and work towards improving your well-being.
Therapy for Children and Adolescents in Amsterdam
The reasons for seeking therapy for children and adolescents are various. For example, young children sometimes experience difficulties in adjusting to the school\kindergarten environment for the first time, and many teenagers experience depression or other mood disorders when entering and during adolescence.
We as adults sometimes underestimate the hardships of being a child, and later on an adolescent, especially in this day and age where uncertainty and unexpected events are an integral part of our everyday life. Growing up in a digital-based world can be frightening and confusing, and many children and youth need assistance in handling the emotions and stresses that arise.
In addition, the psychological effects of the covid-19 pandemic still exist to this day, and many children and teenagers face emotional issues caused by the isolation and panic experienced worldwide. For instance, some children spent critical years with no interactions with their peers, causing them to have social difficulties, especially with regards to creating new connections.
Therapeutic Tools
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Children and Adolescents
CBT is a form of psychological treatment focused on identifying and changing maladaptive and negative thinking patterns that cause emotional distress and behavioural difficulties. In therapy, the therapist helps the patient identify underlying negative automatic thoughts or assumptions that effect behaviors and emotions. Once these thinking patterns are detected, the therapist helps the patient challenge these thoughts, to help him\her understand that their beliefs about themself and their environment do not necessarily reflect the reality. The therapist also helps the patient build healthy and positive thinking patterns. CBT can be used for many problems and disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, eating disorders, phobias and more.
Art Therapy
In art therapy, children are encouraged to express themselves creatively, and the emphasis is on the process of creation which is more important than the quality final product. The effectiveness of art therapy as a tool for treating children is two-fold: 1. The art piece and the creative process that led to it help the child express thoughts, emotions and conflicts in a non-verbal way. By doing so, art therapy helps the child communicate with the therapist. 2. Children's mental well-being is positively impacted by the child's involvement in drawing, painting, and sculpting, since the process itself is therapeutic. The therapist is involved in the art creation process, and helps the child express themselves with the given materials. When the piece is done, the therapist helps the child process the emotions and feelings that arose during the creation activity or that are apparent in the final art piece.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is a psychodynamics tool which focuses on children's ability to express themselves through play. As children play, they exercise several emotional and cognitive abilities, such as thinking, planning, imagining, memory, hopes, and experimenting. During the development of children, playing is a good way to express their experiences and emotions, allowing them to better communicate with others. The way the child plays is regarded as a reflection of their personal experience. Children also benefit from playing as a means for processing unresolved conflicts and traumas. Through play therapy, the child is able to share their emotions with the therapist and to receive his/her support and guidance.
Parent Counseling in Amsterdam
Many parents find themselves feeling helpless facing every-day situations with their children. For example, some parents may find it difficult to set boundaries; Others may find the emotional and behavioral changes their children experience as they enter adolescence too overwhelming; Some parents may have a general feeling that they are ”not good enough” as parents.
Parent guidance is a therapeutic advisory tool where parents can bring up the difficulties they or their children are facing, and develop practical skills to assist them in improving their role as parents and the many challenges of parenting.
Usually, when a child starts therapy, it is highly recommended to have a one-monthly parent counseling meeting. With that, it is also optional to have weekly parent counseling sessions without the child being involved.
The treatment plan will always revolve around the child and his/her needs, and the obstacles that arise in the parent-child relationship. It is highly recommended for both parents to be involved in the parent guidance sessions.
In our parent counseling sessions, we will discuss the difficulties and obstacles that arise in your relationship with your child, analyze which behaviors may negatively affect that relationship, and build helpful and healthy strategies to help you improve it while helping your child grow into a healthy adult.