My name is Imogen Tonder. I am an Integrative Child and Adolescent Therapist based in central Henley on Thames. I specialise in using talk, arts and play therapy to enable children and adolescents to express themselves in the most comfortable way for them. I work with children aged 4 up to adolescents aged 18.  I have over 4000 hours of experience working therapeutically with children and teenagers.

I am trained to facilitate play with younger children in a way that enables me to explore their issues whilst giving the child an enjoyable experience. This may be through drawing, role play with dolls or puppets, therapeutic sand tray work, playing games, as well as other creative mediums.

I also make use of the arts in my work, using drawing and other artistic forms, so children or teenagers are able to show me how they are feeling, if they are unable to verbalise these emotions. Using art in this way can be incredibly useful in uncovering what is really going on for a child and facilitating an open and comfortable conversation for the child or teenager. 

Most adolescents will be comfortable just to sit and talk, and I often work in this way also. I work with them to explore issues going on for them. Investigate root causes and work with them to create strategies that will work for them as an individual rather than a blanket approach.

My role as a counsellor is not to investigate, or to try and obtain information from the child or adolescent. But to provide a safe space where they can express themselves freely.  I work in a mostly child-led way which means in general that I am led by them. This is in order to make them feel safe, and it is much more effective than trying to force a child to talk about certain topics. Through building a trusting and safe relationship the child can explore these when they feel ready. 

Therapy should not be a daunting place where a child or teenager could feel forced to get in touch with emotions that are too difficult and they do not feel ready to talk about. It is instead an open, fun and non- judgemental place where they can express what they need to in the way they feel most comfortable.