Kathleen Morrill, LMSW, IMH-E
Does your child seem overwhelmed, withdrawn, or stuck in patterns they cannot explain? Children do not always have the words to describe what they are experiencing, but their emotions, behavior, relationships, and play can communicate important information about how they are feeling.
Kathleen Morrill, LMSW, IECMH-E®, works with children experiencing trauma, anxiety, behavioral challenges, relationship difficulties, and problems with emotional regulation. She creates a warm, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment where children can express themselves, develop new skills, and feel understood.
About Kathleen Morrill, LMSW, IECMH-E®
Kathleen is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is endorsed as an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (IECMH-E®). She earned her master’s degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University and has experience in pediatric mental health, child development, and family support services.
Kathleen uses a trauma-informed, relationship-focused, and strengths-based approach to therapy. She collaborates closely with parents and caregivers, recognizing the important role supportive relationships can play in a child’s emotional development and healing.
Therapy for Childhood Trauma
Kathleen works with children who have experienced trauma, stressful life experiences, grief, family changes, or disruptions in important relationships. Children may respond to these experiences in many different ways, including anxiety, behavioral changes, emotional outbursts, withdrawal, difficulty with relationships, or problems regulating emotions.
Therapy can help children develop coping skills, understand and communicate emotions, strengthen supportive relationships, and process difficult experiences in developmentally appropriate ways.
Families can learn more about therapy for childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress at Kalamazoo Child & Family Counseling.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Kathleen incorporates evidence-based practices into treatment, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma. Treatment can help children develop coping and emotional-regulation skills, understand trauma reactions, and process difficult experiences while involving caregivers in appropriate parts of treatment.
Play-Based Therapy for Children
For children, play can provide an important way to communicate and explore experiences that may be difficult to explain with words. Kathleen incorporates play-based therapeutic approaches based on a child’s age, developmental needs, treatment goals, and individual circumstances.
She also draws from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and strengths-based approaches to help children better understand connections among their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while developing practical coping skills.
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
As an Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist, Kathleen brings an understanding of early childhood development and the importance of caregiver-child relationships to her clinical work.
Her approach considers a child within the context of their development, relationships, family experiences, strengths, and environment. When appropriate, parents and caregivers are actively involved in treatment and supported in understanding and responding to their child’s emotional and behavioral needs.
Clinical Interests
Kathleen’s clinical interests and areas of experience include:
- Childhood trauma and post-traumatic stress
- Anxiety in children
- Emotional regulation difficulties
- Behavioral challenges
- Caregiver-child relationship concerns
- Family conflict and family transitions
- Grief and loss
- Adjustment difficulties
- Early childhood mental health
- Play-based therapeutic approaches
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Looking for a Therapist for Your Child?
If you are interested in working with Kathleen or another member of our child therapy team, you can request a therapy intake online. Our team can help determine which available provider may be a good fit for your child and family.
You may also call 269-615-7637 for assistance.
