Patricia Lomando, LCSW, RPT-S, provides services for the whole family. With expansive certifications in Infant Mental Health, Registered Play Therapy, and Autism, she has devoted over 21 years to working with children and families in methodologies that bridge family gaps and “translate” the child’s language through play, art and sand tray work. Her dyadic therapy work with infants involves the caregiver and follows specific developmental protocols related to connecting and understanding the infant as well as supporting the family with the speedy transitions that occur during early childhood. A strong background in developmental disabilities further supports parents who may experience anxiety over early milestones and how to support children at the earliest levels in communication and self regulation.
Whether or not parents are participating in sessions, they are always involved and Child Parent Relationship Therapy, Brief Strategic Family Therapy and Conscious Discipline are just a few of the client affirming approaches that Ms. Lomando uses to assist parents (and children) with both connection and behavior. Through adolescence and into adulthood, Ms. Lomando successfully uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Solutions focused interventions to support clients and handle some of the more challenging aspects of anxiety, depression, low self esteem and trauma. Connection, Communication and Collaboration are key and targeted across the developmental lifespan with adults, adolescents, families, couples and children.
Autism is a specific passion that Ms. Lomando has very personal ties to, and she has spent the last 10 years specializing in ways to modify current autism approaches into respectful interventions that validate and support the autistic experience. Ms. Lomando is a Certified Autplay Therapist and has extensive training and experience in Floortime and Play Project. Interventions are collaborative and involve the client versus being “done to” the client. Consensual approaches (CBT, DBT, Conscious Discipline) are used in place of traditional behavior therapy in both autism parent training groups and family sessions with children/parents. As with all play therapy, children enjoy visits and are empowered in their ability to meet goals through play.
The online office includes telehealth adaptations such as virtual sandtray and whiteboard. Through collaboration with parents, more traditional sand tray, art and lego work can be offered as well, further allowing the benefits of play therapy to remain easily accessible. Ms. Lomando is dedicated to a truly inclusive environment where all diagnoses and personalities are met from a positive stance of acceptance and support. A person’s gifts are highlighted, various parenting and learning styles are appreciated, homeschooling families are welcomed, and Ms. Lomando sees her personal goal as making the virtual office a true safe space for all who visit.
