Steve Ruff, M.A., LMFT LLC
6607 18 th Ave. S.
Richfield, MN 55423
612-798-7373 x33
Fax: 612-243-3615
[email protected]
serving Minneapolis, St. Paul, Edina, Bloomington, Eagan, Apple Valley, and surrounding areas.
Is your child struggling with behaviors and emotions that feel like too much to manage, for them and for you? Are you at a loss for how to help? As parents, we want to make things better for our kids. But sometimes we get stuck and aren't sure what to do. I work with a range of ages, and one of my specialties is working with children ages 3-11 through Experiential Play Therapy, as well as traditional talk therapy, to help them face and work through life's challenges. I work with challenges such as peer relationships, divorce, grief and loss, school difficulty, fears, anxiety, sadness, and adoption-related issues, to name a few. I've been working in the field of counseling psychology for about 20 years. I am also married and the parent of 4 kids, so have some real-life experience in this realm!
Experiential Play Therapy was developed by Drs. Byron and Carol Norton in Colorado, and is based on the understanding that play is a child’s language and the toys are their words. I am able to help children, through a safe and nurturing relationship, face their fears, traumas, and difficulties. Through this process, children are able to find solutions that leave them feeling empowered and more able to manage life's ups and downs, as well as their own emotions and behaviors.
For children that are more verbal, I included a combination of talk and play that fits their personality and style or just talk. I tend to connect easily with children, and together we find the best way to work together.
Included in the process is time spent at the end of each session with you (the parent(s)), so we can discuss the best ways to respond to your child's behaviors and emotions that will leave you feeling confident in your ability to meet your child's needs. As a child therapist, I truly enjoy being invited into a child’s world and helping them find their way through the challenges with which they are presented. I also find great satisfaction in easing a parent’s burden and seeing them get back to having an enjoyable and positive relationship with their child.
I have also been trained in working with OCD, having attended the International OCD Foundation training in Nashville. I utilize the Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) modality to help clients learn to manage their OCD. Research has shown ERP to be the most effective modality in treating OCD.
Although I specialize in working with children, I also reserve a portion of my practice for work with adolescents, adults, couples, and families around a variety of issues, including anxiety, depression, school difficulties, relationship challenges, autism spectrum disorder, and ADHD, to name a few. I also include a Christian Counseling perspective for those wanting to integrate their faith beliefs into therapy.
I am in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Preferred One, Ucare, and Medical Assistance. I also submit to all other insurances as an out-of-network provider.
I look forward to meeting you!
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www.facebook.com/SteveRuffLMFT
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Here is a link to my blog, "Ruff Ideas from a Child Therapist and Parent"
steverufftherapist.wordpress.com/
This video discusses the benefits of child play therapy :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4ovwAdxCs0
Here is a podcast of a radio interview I did with WCCO related to kids and divorce :
Click Here to Listen To My PodCast
Just call and leave a message or email, and I will get back to you, typically within 24 hours.