My name is Char Debus, and for just over three years, I have served as a Licensed Independent Clinician at Alegría Family Counseling. With the month of April being National Counseling Awareness Month, I wanted to use the opportunity to share some insight into the incredible benefit counseling can provide for those who receive services.
In my role, I work with children and adults to support them in their mental health journeys. I also work with children’s families and other members of their community to help them develop strategies to support their child. When clients choose to receive counseling, they can expect to develop a better understanding of their own unique emotional or interpersonal needs. They also develop the confidence and capacity to problem-solve and cope with challenges in a way that is aligned with their own belief system and values.
Additionally, I am in the process of becoming a Registered Play Therapist and am trained in play therapy techniques. Most of the interventions I use with children are nondirective and child-centered, meaning that my role in the therapy room is to foster a safe, reflective environment that empowers the child to make their own decisions and work through their unique experiences and emotions through play. I typically also work with their family, either independently or within sessions, to share insight from these sessions and help them develop strategies that can be used at home. Child-centered play therapy is one of the most studied and evidence-based models for supporting children with a wide variety of problems, ranging from managing big behaviors, coping with feelings of anxiety, and recovering from trauma.
Throughout my time with Alegría Family Counseling, I have been able to witness the difference counseling has made in the lives of our clients. It is important for children and their families to receive these types of services because they provide an environment that is fundamentally different from any other setting encountered by the child. In a nondirective, child-centered, play-based approach, the catalyst for growth and healing lies not in the content of the therapy session, but in the therapeutic relationship itself and in the child communicating their unique needs and experiences through their natural language of play. Therapeutic gains tend to be long-term because this approach is developmentally responsive and honors the child’s agency.
I also have the opportunity to witness many client wins. One of my favorite repeating success stories is when a child shows me their big, intense emotions, works through them in our play session, and comes out on the other side with an understanding that they are capable of handling their emotions. Later, they remember this experience when they go home or go to school. Their behaviors improve because they have processed and integrated the experiences connected with these emotions, and they no longer need to engage in these big behaviors in order to feel heard.
Of course, I understand that it may feel overwhelming for children and families just beginning their therapy journeys. For those clients, I would like them to know that we will be working as a team. While I am an expert in my own therapeutic interventions, they are the experts in their own lives, and they know best what has and has not worked over time. I want them to tell me when things are or are not working so that we can work together to either make adjustments to our current approach, or come up with a new strategy altogether. I truly value the work I do and know how important it is for families to have a trusted counseling resource. Please know that whatever you or your child chooses to share with me is a privilege, and I appreciate the gift of being a part of your child’s story.
Thank you for entrusting me and the Alegría team to support your children and your family!
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