“Play is a child's natural medium for self-expression."

— Virginia Axline.

Meet Dania

As a Holistic Psychotherapist and Art Psychotherapist, I work with children, teens, and families facing a range of challenges, including anxiety, trauma, emotional dysregulation, behavioral difficulties, and identity development. I offer a calm, creative, and compassionate environment where meaningful change can unfold. My work is guided by a deep trust in each person’s innate capacity to grow when they feel truly safe, seen, and supported.

Experience

With over 12 years of clinical experience, I have served both local and international communities, providing individual and group therapy in private practice, school-based settings, community organizations, and humanitarian contexts. My work centers on helping young people and their families navigate emotional and behavioral challenges, fostering resilience through creative, trauma-informed approaches.

Therapeutic  Focus

I specialize in using creative and integrative methods such as art therapy, play, and mindfulness to help children and adolescents express emotions and build emotional strength. I tailor my approach to each client’s unique abilities, helping them not only develop coping skills, but also explore and process their deeper emotions. By addressing underlying issues, we work together to foster long-term well-being and emotional resilience in a supportive and dynamic therapeutic environment.

Philosophy 

I believe that every young person possesses an innate strength that can be revealed through empathy, creativity, and meaningful connection. My therapeutic approach is rooted in psychodynamic principles, with a focus on empowering clients through strength-based, culturally sensitive interventions. Whether working individually or in groups, my goal is to create a safe and nurturing environment where children and adolescents feel seen, heard, and supported as they develop the tools to approach life’s challenges with confidence and self-compassion.

My Approach

At the heart of therapy is relationship. I offer a space that centers connection, creativity, and emotional safety. Using art, play, mindfulness, and relational dialogue, I help individuals make sense of their experiences and reconnect with their inner strengths.

I tailor each session to the unique needs and pace of the person in front of me, whether that’s a child needing playful expression, a teen searching for clarity, or an parent seeking to untangle long-held patterns. The process is always collaborative, respectful, and grounded in the belief that healing and change cannot be rushed.

Working Together

Some of the reasons people come to see me include:

  • Emotional regulation and overwhelm

  • Anxiety, stress, or shutdown

  • Trauma and past wounds

  • Behavioral challenges at home and/or school

  • Grief, identity, and life transitions

  • Relationship stress

  • Changes at home such as relocation, divorce, bereavement

  • Parent-child dynamics and attachment concerns

I also support parents through consultation sessions that focus on understanding behavior through a developmental lens and building connection and confidence in their role as caregivers.

Therapy Methods and Tools

I draw from a range of integrative, relationship-centered modalities that support emotional healing across the lifespan. These methods help us gently explore what’s beneath the surface through creative expression, safe connection, and deep listening.

  • Art Therapy: Art allows us to express what words sometimes cannot. Through image-making, we explore feelings, memories, and parts of the self in a way that feels safe and intuitive. Art therapy is especially helpful for processing emotions and accessing deeper layers of experience.

  • Child-Centered Play Therapy: For children, play is the natural language of communication. In this approach, I follow the child’s lead to create a space where they feel accepted, in control, and emotionally safe which allows for growth, expression, and healing to emerge.

  • Person-Centered Talk Therapy: This approach centers your voice and your inner wisdom. I hold space with empathy, non-judgment, and genuine presence, supporting you in exploring challenges, choices, and emotions from a place of trust and self-discovery.

  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: This deeper work invites reflection on patterns, relationships, and internal experiences that may be rooted in early life or past dynamics.

  • Attachment-Informed Work: This framework helps caregivers strengthen the relationship with their child by understanding emotional needs and building secure connections. It supports parents in becoming a calm, consistent base from which their child can explore and return.

Expertise

Clinical Licensure

Education

  • MA in Art Psychotherapy – Goldsmiths, University of London

  • BA in Studio Arts, Minor in Psychology – American University of Beirut

Trainings and Certifications

  • Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), NIRE

  • Children's Accelerated Trauma Treatment (CATT), British Association of Art Therapists

  • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

  • Gestalt Art Counseling, IGF School of Gestalt and Arts, Italy

  • Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Countries Affected by Emergencies, American University of Cairo