Karen M. Sheridan, Ph.D.
A Distinctive and Compassionate Approach to Therapy
90 West Afton Avenue
Suite 205
Yardley, PA 19067
ph: 267-253-1140
info
We are all unique in our personalities, experiences, histories, and likes and dislikes. Because of this, therapy is a very individual process. I partner with each client to help him/her find solutions for their unique challenges. We each bring different strengths to this partnership. I am the expert in psychology and you are the expert in yourself. You know yourself best.
Even though therapy may look different for each person, there are some common benefits. Through therapy you can gain a better understanding of yourself and find resolutions for the concerns that led you to seek therapy. By doing this, you can learn new ways to cope with stress and anxiety as well as positive ways to manage the emotional pressures we all feel at some point in our lives.
In addition, many clients report that therapy is helpful in strengthening relationships by improving communication and listening skills and finding more positive ways to manage problems that come up in relationships. Finally, in therapy, clients can boost self-confidence and find a more positive direction for their life.
Brainspotting therapy is an innovative mind-body tool developed by Dr. David Grand. It is based in neurophysiology and pairs eye position and sounds so that a person can process and release deep rooted and powerful experiences and emotions. It can be highly effective in helping those with trauma or anxieties. Brainspotting can also be used to strengthen our psychological resources or strengths and to enhance performance.
Sometimes clients become frustrated because they have spent months or years in therapy but don’t feel much better. Other times clients come in to therapy but don't really feel like talking about their past. Brainspotting is especially helpful for both types of clients because the technique allows the client to process their emotions on a deeper and more complete level, regardless of how much he or she chooses to talk.
All children and teens have challenges at different times in their development. Many times the help of loving, patient, and supportive parents is enough to help a child weather these storms.
However, there are times when a child struggles, even when they have the ongoing support of their parents. This can frustrate and worry parents because they feel at a loss for how to help their child. This time is also distressful for the child because, often, they can't explain why they feel or behave the way they do.
When a child has ongoing struggles with their mood or behavior, it can negatively affect relationships with friends and family, their feelings about themselves, and their ability to cope with even the smaller bumps in the road.
Therapy helps children understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so that they are able to make better choices, have more positive experiences with family, friends, and other adults, and feel better about themselves. Therapy can also help parents better understand why their child behaves the way they do and teach parents more positive ways to respond to their child.
Play is the language children use to express their feelings, learn about themselves, and explore their world. Therapeutic play allows a child to communicate to the therapist in his/her own unique language in order to help gain mastery over and resolve the problems that brought him or her to therapy. Finally, play therapy provides the therapist with a window by which to view and understand the child's world.
Filial therapy is a technique used with children and their parents with the goal of improving the relationship between parent and child. It is a structured series of therapeutic play sessions where the parent and child participate together. In each session, the parent is coached by the therapist to learn specific positive ways to attend and respond to their child.
Filial therapy is especially helpful in teaching parents how to set and follow through with effective limits for their child. Parents become more empowered as they end a pattern of poor communication and negative behavior between themselves and their child.
Control battles with teens are one of the more frustrating things a parent must endure and it can be exhausting!
I recommend a few steps to keep therapy from becoming a control battle. First, parents should calmly and directly talk to their teen about why they are seeking therapy (“I’m worried about you because you seem irritable a lot of the time”). Second, get out of any control battle that may come up by giving your child choices about the therapy. This may mean asking your child if they would rather see a male or female therapist. It also means letting your child know that she can choose what she talks about (or does not talk about) in the therapy session.
By doing this, the message that gets communicated to your teen is that going to therapy is non-negotiable. However, she has some say in choosing the therapist that she sees and has control over what happens in the session. Many times, once a teen has some choices, the control battle ends.
It is very common for a child or teenager to tell his parents that they “won’t talk” in therapy. It can feel strange or threatening to him if he believes he has to tell personal things to a stranger. This situation can also become frustrating or worrisome for a parent who wants to make sure their child gets the help they need.
For this reason, it is most important that a child or teen never feel forced to “perform” in a certain way in therapy or talk about a specific issue. I always recommend to parents that they do not put any demands on what their child talk about in therapy, but just let them be themselves.
When a child is comfortable with his therapist, trust can be established. Most often, once he feels trust, he will begin to share his thoughts and feelings as well as the issues that brought him and his family into therapy.
At your initial appointment I will meet with you taking the time for you to fully share the concerns that brought you to therapy. Often, a series of appointments are recommended as a period of initial evaluation. This allows me to gather the widest amount of information possible about you. It also gives you the chance to get to know me and decide if you will be comfortable with us working together.
You can submit receipts from our sessions to your insurance company for reimbursement. I will assist you in this process. Most insurance companies that provide Out of Network benefits or Personal Choice/PPO will reimburse for psychological services.
Our therapy is directed solely by the needs of each client. My practice is free from Managed Care because I believe that the client and therapist can make the best decisions about treatment, without the outside influence of insurance companies.
A first appointment can typically be arranged within one week.
Still have questions? Please contact me and we can discuss any questions or concerns that you have. I look forward to hearing from you.
Karen M. Sheridan, Ph.D.
90 West Afton Avenue Copyright 2013 Karen M. Sheridan, Ph.D.. All rights reserved.
Suite 205
Yardley, PA 19067
267-253-1140
90 West Afton Avenue
Suite 205
Yardley, PA 19067
ph: 267-253-1140
info