Kaleidoscope Therapy

✨Therapist Spotlight: Brittni Benjamin, LICSW✨

Brittni sees clients in our Madison office and specializes in working with children and teens who are experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, life transitions, and clients who have experienced trauma. Brittni specializes in utilizing EMDR with children ages 8 and older as well as teenagers. She also uses DBT, play therapy techniques, sand tray, CBT, and person centered therapy. Brittni is also working towards earning her Registered Play Therapist credential. Swipe to see Brittni’s inviting

✨Therapist Spotlight: Katie Dye, ALC✨

Katie sees clients in our Madison office and specializes in working with children, teens, and young adults experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, life transitions, and difficulty with self-esteem. Katie values and utilizes both non-directive and directive play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and person-centered therapy. Katie believes in being fully present and available to her clients as this allows the client to self-actualize and to grow toward their highest potential. Swipe to see Katie’s cozy and inviting office!

Katie is currently accepting new clients. To schedule an appointment complete the contact form on our website or email [email protected]. 📲

✨Therapist Spotlight: Nikki Witte, LMSW✨

Nikki sees clients in our Huntsville office and specializes in working with children and teens ages 3-18 experiencing anxiety, depression, regulation difficulties, ADHD, behavioral challenges, and parent-child relationship difficulties. Nikki is also in the process of completing the requirements to become a Registered Play Therapist. Swipe to see Nikki’s colorful playroom and office!

✨Therapist Spotlight: Katherine Kozar, LICSW✨

Katherine sees clients in our Huntsville office and specializes in working with children and teens experiencing anxiety, depression, life transitions, and difficulty with self-esteem. Swipe to see Katherine’s beautifully inviting office space!

We had a blast hosting the July meeting today! Thanks to all of the local mental health professionals who came out for lunch and ice cream at our Madison office! 🍦

Want to take your child therapy work to the next level?! Stephanie will be teaching a 15 hour ce course on directive play therapy techniques next week in Huntsville! To register, visit discoverplaytraining.com.👈

Directive Play Therapy Techniques

Stephanie Hase, LICSW-S, RPT-S
15 Live Credit Hours
July 12-13, 2024 8:30AM-5:30PM

**Directive Play Therapy Techniques has been approved by NBCC for NBCC credit. Discover Play Training Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. NBCC Approval No. SP-4436.”

**Discover Play is approved by the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners (ASBSWE) to offer continuing education to social workers. ASBSWE Provider No. 0785.

**APT Approved Provider 24-727

Appreciation post for our Madison crew (missing Laura, Alyah, and Brittni in the picture)! Since the opening of the Madison office 3 months ago, they have worked so hard, providing brain research informed and play based counseling and OT to so many sweet kids and teens! 👏

To schedule an appointment in our Madison office you can fill out the contact form on our website or email [email protected] 📲.

What a great couple of days strengthening our therapeutic play skills at conference 2024 with ! ✨

☀️Summer☀️ is a great time for kids/teens to start counseling! We currently have openings for clients ages 3-18 in Huntsville and Madison.

If you are interested in scheduling an appointment with one of our qualified therapists, complete the contact form on our website or email [email protected] for more information! 📲

📢Introducing Brittni Benjamin, LICSW📢

Brittni will be seeing clients in our Madison office starting at the beginning of June and is currently accepting new self-pay clients but is in the process of becoming credentialed with BCBS and ALL Kids.

Here is a little more about Brittni:

Brittni Benjamin is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who works with individuals from ages 3-25 and families. She uses directive and non-directive modalities to treat disorders such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, mood disorders, and has vast experience and interest working with trauma. Brittni is an EMDR(eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapist in training, but also utilizes play therapy, Dialectical Behavioral therapy (DBT), Trauma focused-cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT), Person Centered therapy(PCT), and sandtray to facilitate an inclusive and safe environment for individuals and families to be expressive and to process difficult thoughts and emotions. She is dedicated to equipping families with the skills to co-regulate as to improve resiliency and emotional wellness.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Brittni, contact [email protected].

Did you know that we now offer pediatric feeding support (infants- elementary age children) in our Madison office with licensed occupational therapist Loran McCormick?

Loran is highly experienced and trained in pediatric feeding therapy. For infant related feeding concerns, Loran has completed pre/post Frenectomy oral training, training related to sucking/latching challenges, and Torticollis and tongue tie specific feeding challenges. For children ages 1 and older, Loran has been trained in AEIOU, TR- eat feeding method, and the SOS approach.

Loran utilizes a holistic and family centered approach to feeding challenges and is here to help your little one get off to a great start! 🥣🍼👶🏻

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and the natural language of childhood. Scientists have actually determined that it takes approximately 400 repetitions to create a new synapse in the brain unless it is done with play, in which case, it takes between 10-20 repetitions. This is why we utilize a play based approach in our counseling and occupational therapy sessions! 🪁🛝🧸🎨

We are excited to share a new service that Katie Dye, ALC is offering this summer!

Introducing “Walk and Talk” therapy, the kid/teen version! 🤸🏾🛝⛹️

If your child has difficulty sitting, playing in an indoor session, needs emotional regulation, benefits from movement, needs coping skills, etc. walk and talk therapy may benefit them!

Walk and talk sessions are a form of outdoor therapy that can take place at nearby parks, walking trails or neighborhoods. 🌳☀️

Walk and talk sessions with Katie are $60 and last approximately 30 minutes. For more information or to schedule an outdoor session with Katie, contact [email protected] or complete the contact form on our website.

Come see us today at the Homeschool Show and Share at the South Hall of the VBC! The event is from 10 am- 4 pm.

Could play therapy help your child?

“Deciding whether or not to take your child to a play therapist for child and/or family therapy is a personal choice. Children are seen in therapy for an array of reasons, such as behavioral issues (caused by bullying, grief and loss, divorce and abandonment, physical and sexual abuse, and crisis and trauma) and mental health disorders (ie: anxiety, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity or ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, academic and social impairment, physical and learning disabilities, and conduct disorders).

Research suggests Play Therapy is an effective mental health approach, regardless of age, gender, or the nature of the problem, and works best when a parent, family member, or caretaker is actively involved in the treatment process.“ (The Association for Play Therapy)

If you think your child would benefit from play therapy, we can help! We are currently accepting new clients in our Huntsville and Madison offices. Click the link in our bio to get more information!

Introducing Loran McCormick, OTR/L! 🦋

Loran McCormick is a registered and licensed occupational therapist who has 6 years of experience working with the pediatric population and their families. Loran specializes in feeding therapy and is passionate about equipping caregivers with the knowledge and tools needed to help their child thrive. She has extensive training in addressing infant and toddler feeding difficulties, ranging from difficulties with breast and/or bottle feeding to a selective eater- and all that in between. Loran’s previous experience in early intervention and private clinics has exposed her to a variety of diagnoses and ages; however, she loves facilitating growth and development in the birth-5 year old population.

Loran focuses on developmental milestones, sensory processing, emotional regulation, and reflex integration to help each child reach their fullest potential. Loran believes in providing individualized treatment and focuses on child-led, play based approaches during sessions, with a heavy emphasis on caregiver coaching for optimal carry over in the child’s natural environments. In her free time, you can find Loran playing with her two sweet girls, helping her husband around the farm, or reading a good book!

Loran sees OT clients in our Madison office and currently has availability for new clients on Tuesdays and Thursdays! To schedule an appointment with Loran, contact [email protected] or complete the contact form on our website 💻.

☀️Introducing Alyah Wray, OTR/L! ☀️

Alyah (pronounced uh-lee-uh) is a licensed Occupational Therapist and TBRI® (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Practitioner with a passion for helping kiddos and families thrive by tailoring interventions to support brain-based development and family goals. Alyah graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where she focused on transdisciplinary collaboration and consultation in early childhood interventions. She is passionate about providing trauma-informed and neuro-diverse affirming care, sensory integration—with a heavy focus on interoception, feeding therapy, emotional regulation skills, daily living skills, and helping children meet developmental milestones across all areas of life. Alyah is in the process of completing a sensory certification through the STAR Institute to better provide multi-sensory treatments to children displaying needs with sensory modulation, sensory-based motor difficulties, and sensory discrimination challenges. Alyah works in schools, early intervention, and provides TBRI® caregiver training to families needing additional support. She has experience working with a variety of diagnoses and utilizes child-led play within her sessions to empower children to reach their fullest potential. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and doing all things outdoors with her husband and sweet fur-baby, Lucy!

Alyah sees OT clients in our Madison office and currently has availability for new clients! To schedule an appointment with Alyah, contact [email protected] or complete the contact form on our website 💻.

Meet Katherine Kozar! ✨

Katherine is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the State of Alabama as well as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Texas. Since graduating from Baylor University in 2015 with her master’s degree in social work, Katherine has provided services to clients in school based, community mental health, and private practice settings. She has extensive experience treating clients with a wide range of concerns, but has special interest in working with children struggling with anxiety disorders, depression, life transitions, and self-esteem. Katherine works to establish an atmosphere of warmth, safety, and trust where children can begin to communicate and process their feelings and experiences in a developmentally appropriate way. Utilizing play, art, games, and other activities as a medium for both communication and exploration, Katherine is able to integrate different treatment approaches to best meet the unique needs of each child and family.

Katherine has availability for new clients starting in April in our Huntsville office. If you would like to schedule an appointment for your child with Katherine, contact [email protected] or complete the contact form on our website.

Today marks one year since Jessie at .muralco masterfully created this beautiful mural for our office. It’s such a bright spot in our space that creatively expresses a core value of our practice. 🎨🖌️✨

Kindergarten- 2nd Grade Handwriting Workshops 🗒️✏️

Using multi-sensory strategies, workshops will focus on pencil grasp and basics of letter formation.

Laura Payne, OTR/L will be offering two handwriting workshops on March 14 @ 9:30 am and 11:30 am. Each workshop is approximately 60 minutes long. The cost is $30/child.

To sign your child up, email [email protected]. Space is limited!

Katie Dye uses play therapy because “play is a child’s language”! 🌈🛝🎭🎈🪁🧸

Katie has been using play therapy techniques for several years in school and private practice settings.

“Play+ Children= Overcoming Adversity”
That is Felicia Powell’s “why” for using play therapy!

Felicia’s favorite playroom items are building toys 🧱

Dr. Jennifer Slover and Stephanie joined Payton on this morning to share about play therapy and ways to get connected with a local play therapist! 📺

Emily Tester’s “why” for using play therapy in her work is all about the nervous system response and the way play can uniquely help heal a child’s nervous system.

Sand is one of Emily’s favorite toys in the playroom. Sand offers a way to be physiologically connected to the toys while being the presence of a safe adult. Sand facilitates exploration and storytelling where words may not be enough or able to be conveyed.

Emily is working towards her RPT credential but has been using play techniques for several years in various settings including community mental health and private practice!

Today kicks off International Play Therapy Week! To celebrate we will be featuring our therapists and their “why” for using play therapy techniques.

Stephanie Hase is a Registered Play Therapy- Supervisor and the owner of Kaleidoscope Therapy. Stephanie has been a Registered Play Therapist since 2016 and has been using play therapy techniques in her work for over 10 years.

Puppets are one of Stephanie’s favorite playroom toys. Puppets can be a powerful tool that help support children in expression and personal growth! 🎭

Follow us all week to see how we are raising play therapy awareness and celebrating the therapuetic powers of play!