Dysfunctional Defined

Life Tree Counseling Kathleen Mills

Dysfunctional is usually defined as “Impaired or abnormal functioning,” and can apply to anything that simply does not work.  However, it is usually applied to relationships within a system and not to purely mechanical processes.  This is because particular structure defined as dysfunctional is not inoperative, but is simply badly adjusted to perform its function.…

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What happens in Play Therapy?

Life Tree Counseling Kathleen Mills

“What’s Happening in There, Anyway?” In our office, many parents of our child patients often ask us: “What exactly is it that happens in play therapy? It just looks like you guys are playing, to me.” Naturally, playing is the essence of play therapy, but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes…

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The Details of Asperger’s Syndrome

LaShondra Manning play therapy counselor

Hello, I am LaShondra Manning, a therapist at Lifetree specializing in treatment for teens and tweens.  While pursuing my doctorate degree, I’ve been able to study some of the more challenging diagnoses’ in the realm of therapeutic treatment, including Aspberger’s Syndrome. I have discovered a lot more about this syndrome recently, both through my intensive…

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Let the Parenting Begin!

LaShondra Manning play therapy counselor

Parenting Group If you are having trouble with the relationship you share with your child, you may feel frustrated, confused, and hopeless.  If traditional therapy venues aren’t a good fit or don’t produce successful results in your situation, you should consider child parent relationship therapy as a new path.  A research-based weekly parenting course, it…

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ADHD: Combining Medication and Counseling

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

Beyond the Individual ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, has a reach that extends far beyond the afflicted person.  Much as conversation and companionship is spread across each seat at the dinner table, so are the unique challenges and difficulties posed by the disorder “passed around” by loved ones and family members.  When the burden…

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Play Therapy: The Basics of Play Therapy

Life Tree Counseling Kathleen Mills

For a therapist, reaching the emotions of a young child is a difficult proposition – even though the child has learned to talk and communicate, discussing the deeper implications of their emotions with an adult isn’t yet a skill they’ve mastered. Directly asking a child about difficult subjects can cause them to clam up and…

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