Mayda’s Approach
Mayda is practical and down to earth in her approach. She uses art therapy in concert with more traditional talk therapy, to enhance the learning process. She sees art therapy as a natural extension of play therapy, where all ages can explore and discover new ways to express themselves and gain insight into their troubles.
Mayda’s Focus
Mayda has a particular interest in helping people cope with acute responses to stress and anxiety such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, panic disorders, social anxiety, perfectionism, eating disorders, chronic pain . Mayda has a special place in her heart for families coping with behaviorally challenging children such as, trauma & foster care, post adoption support, ADHD, autism and mood disorders. Mayda’s teaching experience is very helpful for parents needing support coping with school adjustment issues and how to have a collaborative relationship with the schools.
Mayda’s Style
Mayda enjoys painting, drawing & sculpting to reduce stress & visualize change. She attributes her own good mental health to being as playful as possible with her art and seeing life as a big experiment. She has a penchant for sculpting busts of aliens from outer space and painting things with wings and/or hearts. Come play and learn with her. Your therapy journey can be as short or as long as is appropriate for your needs. She will support you and believe in you until you believe in yourself. Her warmth and genuine enthusiasm for life is contagious.
Credentials
- Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Art Therapist Registered – Board Certified (ATR-BC)
- Master’s of Psychology: Mental Health Counseling & Art Therapy
- Master’s of Education: Early Childhood Spec. Ed, P-3, K-12 : Multiply handicapped, autism, Life Skills & Community Based
- 10 years of art therapy with children, teens, adults and groups.
- 14 years as special education teacher: functional behavior assessment, behavior modification, parent training and support, planning for adulthood for special needs
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy:
Managing Strong Emotions, Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness (concentration, focusing skills) , Interpersonal Skills, Crisis Management - Retreat and Personal Growth seminar Leader:
InterPlay Leader and Trainer: Improvisational Movement, Storytelling and Singing
15 years experience planning and leading mask making, paper mache, Ukranian egg dyeing experiences
Confidentiality
I adhere to the ETHICAL standards set by the American Mental Health Counselors Association and the American Art Therapy Association. I am a sole practitioner.Confidentiality: Your course of therapy is strictly confidential.
Information about you will not be released without your written authorization.However, confidential information may be released in these situations:
- You indicate serious intent to harm yourself.
- You indicate serious intent to harm someone else.
- You are suspected of abusing a child , elder or developmentally disabled person.
- I am ordered to release information to the court.
For any of these situations, I would discuss it with you in advance.