Danika Pflueger - Porta Verum Psychotherapy Services

If your child or teen is struggling with big emotions, anxiety, anger, or a hard transition — and you're not sure how to help them through it — I can help.

I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in working with school-age children (6-12) and teenagers, and I see kids in person, where play, creativity, and hands-on connection do what talking alone often can't at this age.

In our work together, your child gets a safe, engaging space to explore what they're feeling through play therapy, sand tray, creative expression, and storytelling — and teens get a real, judgment-free space to be heard.

I meet each young person exactly where they are developmentally, and I work closely with you as a parent or caregiver, because lasting change happens when the whole family is supported, not just the hour your child is in my office. I'll help you understand what's going on beneath the behavior, strengthen your connection at home, and build tools that last.

My background includes working with children and adolescents in residential and high-acuity settings, which taught me to stay steady, clear, and supportive even when things feel overwhelming.

I also work with adults navigating anxiety, life transitions, and relationship challenges, bringing the same warm, direct, and grounded presence to that work.

With children and teens, my approach is both supportive and structured — I give young people the freedom to explore and express themselves while offering the kind of steady guidance that helps them feel contained, understood, and secure.

With younger kids I lean on play-based and expressive, sensory-based work, because it lets a child show me what they can't yet put into words. With teens, I balance genuine connection with practical skill-building. And I partner with parents throughout, so the progress we make in session carries into daily life at home.

Underneath that, my work is grounded in evidence-based approaches — Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, and mindfulness practices — which I scale to fit a child's age and developmental stage, or apply more directly with teens and adults.

Whoever I'm working with, my style is warm but direct: I'll support you and gently challenge you, always at a pace that feels right.

Starting therapy — especially for your child or teen — can bring up a lot of questions, and the first meeting is simply a relaxed place to begin.

For families with younger children, that first conversation is often with you, the parent: I want to hear what's been going on, what you're hoping will feel different, and any worries you're carrying, before I begin building trust with your child at their pace.

With teens, I focus on earning their trust directly, so they feel this is their space, not something being done to them. There's no pressure and nothing anyone has to "perform."

For adult clients, the first session is a chance to talk through what brought you in and get a feel for how we'd work together. Either way, you'll leave with a clearer sense of the path forward and whether this feels like the right fit — and you won't be navigating it alone.