Melanie Harsch MSW, LCSW

I work with children diagnosed with ADHD by using Social Stories, CBT, and play therapy to help improve their executive functioning, social skills, and impulse control. I also help the children understand their “superpowers” of hyper-focus and creativity. Because ADHD affects all facets of a child’s life, I collaborate with schools if accommodations in the classroom are necessary, and I partner with parents/guardians to create structure and support at home.

Common immigration and expat issues are finding friends, struggling with unfamiliar school systems, facing language barriers, navigating new cultures, and hearing the complicated question, “Where are you from?”. Expatriates and immigrants experiencing these situations may want some help managing their new life. As a global citizen now living in my third country, I enjoy working with and supporting children and families who have found themselves far from home.

Worries are a part of life, and the best way to manage anxiety isn’t to try to remove or avoid stressors that trigger it; It’s learning tools to manage that anxiety and fear. I use CBT therapy, teach the science behind anxiety, help the client learn tools such as breathing exercises, and when working with children, partner with parents because they play an essential role in helping their child manage anxiety.

As an expat, an immigrant, member of a transracial family, and therapist in an international school overseas who worked with adults and children from Africa, Asia, Europe and more, taking a culturally sensitive approach to therapy is the norm. I accommodate and respect differences in the opinions, values, and attitudes of various cultures and different types of people to provide the most effective treatment for my clients.

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy and can be effective in helping children through emotional and mental issues. Play is a very natural way in which a child explores the world, and find solutions to everyday problems. My young clients practice skills they learned in therapy with puppets or stuffed animals. They learn social skills with board games and use art to create goals for themselves and share about their families, friends, and schools.

As an immigrant, member of a transracial family, and therapist in an international school overseas who worked with adults and children from Africa, Asia, Europe and more, taking a culturally sensitive approach to therapy is engrained in my work. I accommodate and respect differences in the opinions, values, and attitudes of various cultures and different types of people to provide the most effective treatment for my clients.

Play therapy is a form of psychotherapy and can be effective in helping children through emotional and mental issues. Play is a very natural way in which a child explores the world, and find solutions to everyday problems. My young clients practice skills they learned in therapy with puppets or stuffed animals. They learn social skills with board games and use art to create goals for themselves and share about their families, friends, and schools.