Cathy Armstrong, RN, MS, LPC-S
5934 S. Staples, Suite 205 Corpus Christi, Texas 78413
Telephone: (361) 688-8200
Play Therapy ( Ages 6 to 10 )
When Cathy Armstrong works with young children in counseling, she use a form of therapy or counseling called Play Therapy. Play Therapy is researched based and provides a way for children to express and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas through play. Adults communicate with others using language. You may be concerned that if child comes to counseling and "just plays" that it will not be helpful. The opposite is true. Specially selected toys are expressive art materials are used to help your child create change, balance and success..jpg&w=200&h=200)
When a child is given the opportunity to express their feelings through therapeutic play, the desired changes of behavioral concerns and emotional conflicts can take place.Adults communicate with others using language. You may be concerned that if child comes to counseling and "just plays" that it will not be helpful. The opposite is true. Specially selected toys are expressive art materials are used to help your child create change, balance and success and teach focusing skills for the child with ADD/ADHD.When a child is given the opportunity to express their feelings through therapeutic play, the desired changes of behavioral concerns and emotional conflicts can take place. We encourage the parents to be active in the treatment of children and teenagers.
Play Therapy can Help.... Is your child struggling with problems at home or at school? Cathy offers a variety of mental health services for children and teenagers. Assessments, Diagnostic Evaluations, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, DBT, Jungian and Integrative Counseling.
Are you worried about your child having any of the following concerns....
- Conduct Disorders
- ADD/ADHD
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Grief & Loss
- "Picking" and "Pulling Our Hair/Eyelashes
- Family Crisis
- Family Illness
- Cancer, Diabetes, Health Issues
- Anxiety Disorders
- School Problems
- Depression, Lonliness
- Bullying, Peer Problems
- Parent-Teacher Problems
- Parent-Child Issues
- Blended Families
- Divorce Recovery
- Pediatric Bipolar Disorders
- Cathy has extensive training in Play Therapy and has studied play therapy not only in Texas, but our of state and internationally. She has been trained in,Parent Interactive Child Therapy, Sand Play, Art and Expressive Therapy, Yoga for Children, Clinical Hypnosis and Meditation for Children. Cathy is taking new patients but her focus is currently on problems such as: grief and loss issues, chronic illness, childhood obesity, anxiety, phobias and OCD.
Cathy provides clinical hypnosis for thumb sucking, bedwetting, night terrors, anxiety/phobias, hair/eyelash/eye brow pulling.Support for the new family.
Narrative Therapy
Narrative therapy focuses upon helping individuals of all ages to create stories about themselves, about their identities (who they are), that are helpful to them. This work of "re-authoring identity" claims to help people identify themselves away from the negative self-imposed framework and lens that keeps them stuck. They are help to look at their own values and identify the skills and knowledge they have to live these values. Through the process of identifying the history of values in people's lives, the counselor is able to co-author a new story about the child, teenager, or adult.
The story helps people identify the way they think, talk, and feel about themselves. The story clients tell about themselves and that is told about them is important in this approach which asserts that the story of person's identity determines what they think is possible for themselves. The narrative process the ability for people to change their negative thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs about themselves as it allows individuals to identify what values are important to them and how they might use their own skills and knowledge to live these values. It is a very good tool for change.
After The New Baby Problems
Parenting can be a problem with the addition of a new baby. Cathy offers individual and family therapy to help make the transition much smoother. Cathy has taught ABC Classes for children at local hospitals and community settings. Many times young children feel angry, sad, mad, jealous and left out with the adjustments of a new little one in the house. Individual play therapy sessions, family therapy and ABC classes help to ease the adjustment when small children are dealing with the arrival of a new little brother or sister.
If so, Cathy Armstrong, RN, LPC-S can help your child work through difficult feelings and better cope with life’s circumstances in a way that feels right for him or her using expressive play therapy: sand play, water play, creative and expressive arts, music, sewing, yoga and puppetry.Additional InformationIn an ideal world the first session would be to schedule a private session with the parents only to complete comprehensive paperwork, obtain a developmental history, discuss parent concerns.
If you are planning to use your insurance you are allowed a 45 minute to one hour visit for the initial session and your child is required to be present. Insurance does not cover phone consultations, face to face parent-therapist consultations and most plans fail to cover family counseling. If you feel that you need alone time speaking with me and plan to use your insurance please let me know in advance and plan to bring someone to watch your child in the waiting room while we speak briefly.
Self pay clients will be able to see me for a self pay initial consultation where we will meet the first time without your child.
Whether you plan to use insusrance or be self pay, we will discuss the theraputic process, and together create goals and objectives to create a specific treatment plan for your childs' individual needs.
Be AwareMany children we see in our office are seen for services that are not covered by insurance. such as a V Code or parent child relationship problem. Many times parents are unprepared for the job of being a parent to a strong willed child and think that there is something wrong with the child and the problem is really a parenting issue not a counseling psychotherapy issue for a child with oppositional defiant behavior. Parents many times want to be a friend to their child and feel that they are being cruel and mean to their little ones by setting boundaries and telling their child no. When the child fails the respond to the desired behavior the parent feels lost and confused.
Many times parents tell me that they put their child in time out and it does not work because the child comes back out. Parents many times need to be coached and educated that being consistent and following through and meaning what you say is the trick to positive discipline and a balanced and grounded child. When parents give the child mixed messages the child feels very confused but quickly leanrn that if a loud and long temper tantrum gets the deisred results that the child wants the behavior continues and even gets worse.
Other Parent-Child Counseling Services
Parenting classes, consultations, parent child play sessions and coaching sessions are available.
In order to see if you child has behaviors that are indicators of a true mental health diagnosis that is covered by insurance please call us to schedule an appointment or discuss your concerns.Child counseling, child coaching and parent child play dates are available. We do charge for parental consultation on the phone. If you have questions or concerns that require ongoing telephone conversations with Cathy, fees for service will apply. You are welcome to obtain a phone consultation fee schedule at your next visit. We are no longer able to provide service to children that are unable to regulate their emotions in an office setting due to saftey factors and the need to respect the care of other patients in the office being seen by other therapists. Children that are not potty trained or have problems with controlling their toileting habits will no longer be able to be seen in this office due to sanitation and health issues.Evaluations for ADD/ADHD, ODD, and conduct school related behavior problems in the classroom are seen here. Call and you will be seen the same week! We do not test for dyslexia or for leaning disabilities.