Whether you’re a parent wondering “What am I doing wrong?” or an adult finally understanding that you’ve been masking for years, you are not alone.
Many children struggle with emotional regulation and have learned to “mask” or hold in all their emotions during school days, only to release them at home. Many adults have spent decades doing the same thing—holding it together in public while struggling privately, wondering why the world feels so overwhelming or why they never quite seem to fit.
For children, this might look like being “wonderful” at school but melting down at home. For adults, it might be years of being told you’re “too sensitive” or “just need to focus more” while knowing something deeper was going on. Whether the struggles are happening in childhood or you’re processing them as an adult, it may be related to how your body and brain relates to the world.
This is where therapy can help.
Working with Children and Adults
Hi, my name is Leah. I am a licensed clinical social worker, an enthusiast of play, gameifier of therapy, and a weaver of stories. I work with both children and adults, specializing in neurodivergent experiences. Whether you’re seeking support for your child or for yourself, I believe in meeting people where they are at—recognizing that everyone communicates and processes the world differently.
What Does Child Therapy Look Like
Therapy is about meeting a person where they are at. Play is the language kids use to express and explore emotions. Through the language of play, a child can fight off a worry monster or discover hidden strengths. Therapy is a whole body experience where we play games, solve problems and learn new skills. Children often use their bodies to express their emotions. Through play we can bring awareness to our bodies and how we use our bodies to communicate with the world.
Play also helps to establish a safe and fun environment for children to name and understand big emotions. Moreover, therapy can use play to tell stories. Indeed, stories are a way I connect to this world. As a lover of books, movies, and shows (really all things stories), I enjoy creating fantasy worlds that your child can use to process their emotions. With stories, your child can begin to create their own self-narrative to help them understand experiences such as anxiety, fear or worry. In addition, we will use stories to find hidden strengths and increase confidence.
Ok, But Will My Child Come To Therapy…
Maybe your child doesn’t want to come to therapy. Or you can’t imagine them just sitting and talking. That is ok. Having experience working with neurodivergent populations as well as anger, anxiety, and avoidance, I understand some children are hesitant for therapy. Oftentimes, children view coming to therapy as proof there is something wrong with them. This is the benefit of play. Rather than talk about frustration, let’s play a frustrating game. Filtering the traditional talk therapy through play, can provide your child an opportunity to work through challenging emotions in a fun and therapeutic environment. As an avid player of games in my personal life, bonding over a board game can be inviting. Organized and creative play creates a unique and authentic space for your child to practice and digest complex concepts and emotions.
I have also spent years raising animals including bees and chickens. This work has taught me the value of different forms of communication. Working and caring for animals has helped me understand communication in a different way. If my chickens are upset, they can not tell me, I have to watch and understand. This translates directly to work with children. When children shut down, or throw objects, or act “defiant”, they are communicating a need. I want to help your child safely communicate their emotions and needs to the world. And I want to help you understand and meet those needs. And also play some really fun games!
As A Child Therapist I Understand The Value Of Parents
Having spent a majority of my life gardening, I understand that change and growth take time and support from the environment. Parents and home life are the environment in which children grow. With this in mind, therapy is a space for you as a parent.
Think of the saying it is important to put on your own oxygen mask first. Not just a phrase for flights, it can also refer to parenting.
Parenting in today’s virtual world can induce a sense of doubt, inadequacy, anxiety, and shame. You are not alone. And it is important to have a space to express your worries and anxieties. We work together to identify the parenting your child needs to thrive. Whether it is working one on one in parent focused sessions or joining your child’s sessions, therapy is here to help you hone your voice as a parent. As a parent you play an important role in this process.
After all, you are the expert on your child.
Working with Adults: Reauthoring Your Story
“For almost thirty years I knew something was wrong… fake it till you make it, that’s how I got by.”
These words, from a song that speaks to an entire generation, capture something profound about the adult experience—especially for those who have spent years feeling misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or simply out of place in a world that wasn’t built for their minds and bodies.
As someone who received my own late diagnosis at 36, I understand the complex emotions that come with finally having answers. The relief of understanding. The grief for the child who struggled with only themselves to blame. The anger at systems that missed you the first time. And perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to reauthor your story without the weight of self-blame.
Therapy as a Space for Reauthoring
In my work with adults, I approach therapy as an opportunity to examine and rewrite the internal narratives that have shaped your life. Maybe you’ve been told you’re “too sensitive,” “forgetful,” or “just need to focus more.” Perhaps you’ve spent decades masking, pretending, or pushing through pain because you thought that’s what you were supposed to do.
Together, we can explore how these experiences have shaped you and begin to craft a new understanding of your story—one that honors your struggles while recognizing your inherent worth and unique strengths.
A Whole-Person Approach
Just as I understand that sitting still isn’t always an option for children, I recognize that traditional talk therapy doesn’t work for everyone. My office is a space where you can move around, find the most comfortable position, and use fidget toys as needed. Having never reached five feet tall and living with chronic pain and illness, I understand what it means to exist in a world that isn’t accessible to your body.
Whether you’re navigating a recent neurodivergent diagnosis, processing years of feeling misunderstood, or working through the unique challenges of neurodivergent parenting, therapy offers a compassionate space to explore these experiences without judgment. It’s not about “fixing” you—it’s about helping you understand yourself better and develop tools to communicate your needs with greater clarity and confidence.
Moving Forward with Authenticity
The demands of the world will always exist, but so will your needs. In our work together, we’ll explore how to honor both—how to create space for self-care and compassion while navigating a world that often misunderstands neurodivergent experiences. Because you deserve support on this journey, and together, we can work toward clarity, self-acceptance, and a path that feels authentically yours.
Credentials as a Licensed Therapist in New Jersey
I am a licensed Clinical Social Worker and received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rutgers University. Since graduating, I have worked for private practice and outpatient providers as well as partial hospitalization programs. I have worked with people of all ages and have been focusing on children and neurodivergent populations for half a decade. I also focus on parent support and helping parents best parent their child.
Session work might include play therapy focused on skill building and emotional regulation. Additional modalities include narrative therapy, attachment work and building parent child bonds, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Leah Behar, LCSW, seasoned Child Therapist with services located in our Branchburg, NJ office serving Somerville, Bridgewater, Bedminster and surrounding areas.
NJ#: 44SC05756400