Ms. Ashleigh Rieken Lester

My specialties include work with children and adolescents who are experiencing death of a loved one, separation or divorce of caregivers, birth or adoption of a new child in the family, or change in familial status including transition into a blended family. I have a vast amount of experience in work with ill children and siblings of children with special needs. My additional areas of work include developmental issues, trauma, social skills training, behavioral modification, anger, and parenting of behaviorally challenging children.

Play is the overarching modality utilized in my practice. Play therapy is a counseling strategy which uses play as a therapeutic vehicle for children to accept and know themselves and others as well as a window through which the therapist can induce challenge, growth, change, healing, and self-acceptance.

In the therapeutic process I utilize an eclectic approach within which the child's presenting symptoms, environmental and social stressors, and individual personality and behavioral characteristics are assessed. A treatment plan is then created with the understanding that every child is unique and needs to be treated as an individual.