Dr. Alicia Gauthier, Psy.D.
Play Therapist
Child Psychologist
Hello, I’m Dr. Alicia Gauthier, Play Therapist and Child Psychologist in Littleton, Colorado. I specialize in behavior and play therapy for children, teens, and families, and provide couples counseling and individual therapy for adults.
About Alicia
Thank you for exploring my psychological services. You’ve taken your first step toward improving your mental health and your family’s functioning. Whether this is your first time seeking mental health services in Colorado, or if you are looking for a new therapist, you can trust that your story will be heard, valued, and treated with the utmost of care.
I have been practicing psychology since 2007, and am proud to have helped numerous kids and adults to thrive. As a child psychologist, I help children to identify and express their feelings, build social skills, and learn new tools. I treat children who show symptoms of common childhood disorders, including ADHD, adjustment disorder, depression, anxiety, parent separation and divorce, bullying, and autism spectrum disorder—just to name a few! I enjoy working with neurodivergent children and their families, and take a “one-size-never-fits-all” approach for all my very unique kiddos.
I received my Doctorate of Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver in 2012 and have been licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in Colorado since 2017. I work weekends and evenings providing mental health services in Littleton, so you don’t have to miss work or pull the kids out of school. While I mostly offer in-person appointments, I am sometimes open to telehealth or in-home appointments. Downtime is important, so you usually won’t hear from me on Tuesdays, since this is my reserved day to recharge and restore myself.
Outside of the office, I am an avid reader, a fiction writer, an occasional crafter/DIYer, and I love attending concerts. I have two little dogs who bring all sorts of excitement to my day, and would choose a day at the lake over a day on the mountains anytime!
I look forward to meeting with you!
Play Therapy
For young children, Play Therapy is well-supported by the research, and is an enjoyable and rewarding experience that can create real-life change. This theory is integrated with Family Systems Theory, which reminds us to look at the whole “system” a child is involved in—this means that I spend a lot of time working with parents on the best parenting techniques, at-home structural supports, and coordination with the school system.
Discover the Transformative Power of Play Therapy for Children’s Well-Being
Play therapy is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance various aspects of a child’s overall well-being and quality of life. Here’s how this therapeutic approach can make a difference:
Emotional Growth and Expression
Children often find it challenging to articulate their feelings. Play therapy encourages them to express emotions in a safe environment. This newfound ability to communicate emotions leads to:
- Greater emotional intelligence: Children learn to recognize and articulate their feelings better.
- Improved emotional regulation: Kids develop strategies to manage their emotions more effectively.
Boost in Self-Esteem and Confidence
Through guided play sessions, children experience success and mastery in tasks and interactions. This can result in:
- Enhanced self-esteem: Children begin to see themselves as capable and valuable individuals.
- Increased self-assurance: The confidence gained helps them face new challenges with courage.
Social and Communication Skills Enhancement
Interacting in a play therapy setting provides children with opportunities to develop essential social skills such as:
- Better interaction skills: How to play and engage positively with peers.
- Enhanced communication abilities: Learning to express needs and emotions clearly.
Strengthened Coping Mechanisms
Play therapy equips children with tools to handle stress and adversity. This translates into:
- Resilient coping skills: Children become adept at navigating life’s ups and downs.
- Improved problem-solving skills: They are more capable of finding solutions to challenges.
Mental Health Symptom Reduction
For children facing mental health difficulties, play therapy can significantly alleviate symptoms, leading to:
- Reduction in anxiety and depression: Guided play sessions help decrease negative mental health symptoms.
- Improved focus and attention: Therapeutic play activities can support better concentration.
Enhanced Parent-Child Relationships
Through play therapy, parents often gain insights into their child’s world, fostering:
- Deeper understanding and connection: Strengthening the bond between parent and child.
- Improved communication and interaction: Families learn to communicate more effectively and with empathy.
In summary, play therapy offers a comprehensive enhancement of a child’s overall well-being. This approach not only addresses immediate emotional and psychological needs but also lays a foundation for lifelong skills and healthier relationships. Whether you’re looking to boost a child’s self-esteem, improve their social interactions, or support their mental health, play therapy offers a path to a brighter, more balanced future.
Therapy Style
As children grow up and become more capable of using words and thinking about the future, I lean into CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to help break down negative self-talk that can sabotage the best of plans. This is similar to the approach I take for adults, but I continue to focus on Family Systems Theory as the primary guideline for my pediatric treatment. Older children and adults will often “talk through” the possible ways to react to situations, where younger children are more likely to “play through” these with action figures and toys. Both of these approaches allow you to express and understand feelings while learning tools to communicate effectively, set proper boundaries, and overcome frustrations. I often incorporate elements of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into my practice, because we can’t “change” everything—sometimes, we need to do the best with what we have, and recognize the beauty in our differences.
Psychological Assessment
In addition to therapy, I provide psychological assessments including IQ testing, learning disability assessment, ADHD assessment, and court-ordered evaluations. I do not perform autism spectrum disorder evaluations.
8000
Hours of Experience
900
Hours of play therapy experience and training
300
Families Helped
(720) 515-6802
Play Therapy
Littleton
8 W Dry Creek Cir Ste 205
Littleton, CO 80120
