Why Untangle?

In the simplest ways, therapy is a like untangling a knot (or…many). At times, we all feel “tangled up.” It manifests in our bodies, in our minds, in our stomachs, in our throats, in our hearts, and in our muscles. We get a knot in our stomach that tells us something isn’t right. We feel “mixed up” and “out of sorts” and like we can’t figure out where the problem (or the anxiety, depression, trauma) starts and where it ends. Our thoughts are jumbled, there’s a lump in our throat, and our heart feels heavy.

The process of therapy is a lot like the process of untangling a web of knots. We look at the bigger picture, see the whole system, how the knot was created, find where it snags, discover what parts are unaffected and still function despite the knot. We use gentleness and patience and another set of hands to slowly look for ways of release. Sometimes the knot gets worse before it gets better or a new tangle is created and it feels frustrating but all the while you are learning and trying more effective ways to let the discomfort go and search for moments of relief and release. Sometimes you’re able to completely untangle and it feels good and safe. Sometimes the environment changes and things get tangled up again. And that’s okay too. Because if you were able to work through the knots and the tangles to find relief before, you can do it again. The same is true for therapy.

Untangle with Play

As a parent looking for a therapist to work with their child, you might be thinking “would therapy be helpful?” The answer is yes! Absolutely therapy can help children who feel “tangled up.” Children can feel the weight of life stressors and it will manifest in ways that are both similar to adults and unique for children. While it is most common to do traditional talk therapy with adults to explore their thoughts and feelings and find relief to their emotional pain, children will need to communicate their world in a more expressive way. For children, we use play as the primary way to work through their “tangles” and to process their thoughts, emotions, stresses, and worldview. This way, children can work through their fears and anxieties at their own pace, using their natural language of play so that they can find new ways to cope and adapt to life’s changes – both big and small.