“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.”
Carl Jung
Caitlin Borges
MSW, CSW-PIP
Hello! My name is Caitlin, and I’m a licensed mental health provider. As a highly sensitive INFJ, I am also an advocate who has dedicated my career to helping others. A born nurturer, I am passionate about helping children and parents thrive, despite the challenges life has thrown your way. My goal is to help your child see how brilliant and capable they are by providing a non-judgmental space where they can be themselves. The same is for you! As a parent myself, sometimes you just need to share and process with someone who “gets it”. It’s an honor for me to hold space for parents and children alike, and provide support, guidance, and tools to help your family enter a state of peace and leave the chaos behind.
specializations
I have years of experience and specialized training in working with neurodevelopmental disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs), Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and intellectual disabilities. I also enjoy working with individuals who experience anxiety, difficulty adjusting to life transitions, and those who are empaths or possess traits of high sensitivity (HSPs). I’ve worked in a variety of settings including schools, residential treatment facilities, in-home, outpatient clinics, psychiatric hospital, diagnostic clinic, hospitals, universities and the local Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program.
my approach
I work from a person centered approach, providing strength-based care to help children and families address challenges in a way that meets each person’s unique needs. I also believe that play is the language of children, and use both directive and non-directive play therapy techniques to address struggles and difficult topics. In honoring the uniqueness of individuals, treatment interventions and activities can look different from week to week based on your child’s needs, symptoms, and temperament/mood. I utilize interventions from Attachment based therapy, AutPlay® Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Behavioral Play Therapy, Jungian Analytic Play Therapy, and Child Centered Play Therapy. Ask me more during a free 15 minute consultation to see if I’m the right fit for your family!
why “Amani Counseling”
what does it mean?
Amani means “peace” in Swahili, the official language of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. As an 18-year-old freshman in college, going into the social work field, I had the opportunity to participate in an international mission trip to Tanzania Africa. I felt a calling to explore the world- to see, feel and understand the experiences of those less fortunate and to help in whatever ways possible. There aren’t enough words to describe how transformative that trip was for me. In many ways, it solidified my career and purpose in life, as I’ve always been drawn to the helping and healing fields. At one orphanage we worked at, I observed children who had next to nothing, playing joyfully with handmade toys. Despite what they had been through in their little lives, they knew they were cared for and loved, in a space that was fulfilling their needs. They appeared to be at peace. Though I learned many Swahili words while in Tanzania, one phrase stuck with me, “amani na upendo” or “peace and love”. In my own everyday life, I seek to live by this phrase and feel compelled to help others find it as well.
Some common Swahili words you might recognize:
asante sana - “thank you very much”
simba - “lion”
jambo - “hello”
hakuna matata - “no problem”
karibu - “welcome”
Wondering if it’s a good fit?
Fill out this form and I’ll contact you to set up a time to chat.