Marli Criniti MS, LPC

Trauma isn’t always one major event. Sometimes, it’s the accumulation of experiences you may not have recognized as trauma. Together, we’ll get curious about the patterns you developed, where they came from, & how they once helped you survive. We’ll explore how trauma can keep your nervous system in survival mode after danger has passed, while building safety in your mind & body, strengthening regulation & self-trust, & letting go of patterns you no longer need to carry with more confidence too.

Parenting can feel like a constant guessing game. One day, something works. The next day, it doesn’t. Together, we can slow things down, get curious about what’s happening underneath the behavior, and help you better understand what your child is trying to communicate. With the right support, your child can build skills to navigate big feelings, and you can feel more confident supporting them through the hard moments.

A big part of my work with ADHD is helping you understand the why behind what’s happening. We’ll explore how the ADHD brain works, what ADHD is (and what it isn’t), and how it may be showing up in everyday life. For parents, that can mean learning to recognize when something that looks like defiance, laziness, or “not listening” may actually be connected to executive functioning. We will find tools that work with the brain in front of us, not the one we think should be there.

Big emotions can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure what to do with them. I use DBT techniques with kids and adults to build practical skills for navigating emotions, relationships, boundaries, and stressful moments. Together, we work on understanding emotions rather than fighting them, finding ways to cope when things feel like too much, and communicating needs more effectively. The goal is to build skills that feel realistic, supportive, and actually useful in everyday life.

We all have different parts of ourselves, and I use IFS-informed techniques to help kids and adults get to know those parts with curiosity and compassion. With kids, we might use play, art, or characters to explore the parts that feel worried, angry, or need to feel in control. With adults, we gently explore where certain patterns came from and what they may be protecting. Instead of trying to get rid of parts of yourself, we make space to understand them, care for them, and help them feel safe.

Kids don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, and they shouldn’t have to. I use play therapy techniques to help children express themselves, explore emotions, practice new skills, and make sense of their experiences in a way that feels natural to them. Through play, creativity, and connection, therapy becomes a space where kids can feel safe being themselves. I have completed advanced training in play therapy methodologies & am working toward my RPT designation.