Parents:
Our child was struggling in school both socially and academically as a young child. As parents, we were frustrated and lacked the skills necessary to help our child. Maribeth worked with our child to discover what was causing him to act out and to teach him coping strategies to deal with his anger issues and frequent outbursts. Not only did she help our child; but, she also helped us, as parents, understand his issues and worked with us to create a more nurturing and welcoming home environment for each other and our children. Our child is now in middle school and thriving and I am confident that he has the lifetime skills that will allow him to continue to thrive in adolescence and adulthood. We cannot recommend Maribeth highly enough — for our family, finding her saved our family. — Parents of a 12-year old boy
Maribeth has a natural gift of working with children. She has not only supported our child to learn more self-regulation skills but she has coached us as parents on how to better support our child. She has an incredible ability to determine the child’s needs and interpret those needs into real life solutions. The tools she has provided us to better support our child are practical, easy to implement strategies that truly have have worked. Our child, in a little amount of time, has grown and shifted so much all for the better. We are grateful for Maribeth’s coaching and support. She has helped to transform our family dynamics and make a closer unit. — Parents of a 5-year old girl
My daughter and I moved to Colorado while we were going through trauma. My daughter was four years old at the time and the trauma was centered in her little life. Maribeth has been instrumental in helping my daughter, who is now eight years old, work through and manage her feelings and emotions. Not only did she help my daughter, but she gave me the tools I needed to help manage and cope with my daughters emotional trauma. When we first met Maribeth my daughter was struggling emotionally and today she is thriving and enjoying healthy relationships. It took “a village” to get us where we are today – and Maribeth’s work with my daughter has been priceless. — Mother of an 8-year-old girl
Thank you for being C and K’s counselor and helping make us a better family. I can’t express how much I appreciate all the help you gave us. I can’t express how the boys and I will miss you! You will be missed! — Mother of 6- and 8-year-old boys
Thank you for all the support you gave our family when we really needed it. As a mother, it means the world to me that J got the help he needed. Thank you for the work you do, I believe years from now I will look back and see that your investment in this kid made a difference in his life. — Mother of 15-year-old
You are priceless and your help over the years has been amazing. Here’s to another year of healing. — Mother of a sexually abused 4-year-old
Please accept our thanks for all the wonderful work you have done with M. It definitely has made a big difference. — Parents of 10-year-old girl.
Thank you so much for all your help with J and A and our family. We will miss you! — Father of 8- and 12-year-old boys
Thanks for your continued efforts on behalf of A and his mother and father. I appreciate all you do. — Grandmother of 7-year-old boy
Thanks so much for all you offer me! I appreciate your reminders to slow down and go inside, it definitely helps me cultivate my own strength and knowing. — 25-year-old woman
Thank you for all of your help and guidance with our kids. We are lucky to have found you. — Parents of 13- and 18-year-old boy and girl
Thank you for your support of S and her process. For playing, for being silly, for listening, for providing a warm, fun, trusting place for growth and transformation. — Mother of 6-year-old
Thank you for being our counselor and helping to make us a better family. I can’t express how much I have appreciated all the help that you have given us. Thank you.
Please accept our thanks for all the wonderful work you have done with our daughter. It has definitely made a big difference.
Thank you so much for the help with the boys and our family.
Kids:
What I learned is that I should talk to people if I need help. Also not to worry about the kids and that I’m not the mom. I also learned why I was here and about my problem I had and got over. What I like about this is I have a new friend and someone to talk to. — 11-year-old girl
Dear Maribeth, I appreciate you because you don’t just make us do work, you make sure we have fun too! — 10-year-old girl
Thank you for all the fun stuff you let me play with. You take very good care of me. — 6-year-old girl
Dear Maribeth, I appreciate you because you help us out with our problems. — 10-year-old girl
Thank you for all my play houses. I enjoyed the things I’ve done with you. — 8-year-old boy
I have learned so much in therapy. It helped me in a lot of things. Knowing how to relax and what to do when I’m stressed. I know from now that I should not put my anger or stress upon myself and do something to keep me busy and to always avoid negative people. From now and later in the future I should maintain positive and not think negative. I’m very thankful to have actually done therapy and having you help me. — 15-year-old girl
I wanted to thank you for helping me in this dark hole of depression. I learned a lot from being with you. And if I didn’t call you I’d probably be dead in my head. — 15-year-old boy
So I learned that I should not kill myself. People would miss me and I would be dead and so it would be sad for people. I think I have learned a coping skill to work out, so yeah, that helps. So I do that if I’m pissed off. So yeah, dude, don’t be mad, cowboy up and deal with it. — 15-year-old boy
So over the past time with Maribeth you’ve gotten better at almost everything. No matter what happens in the past you can get over anything as long as you put your mind to it. Remember your happy place. If you go to this happy place it helps you calm down, relax, and feel better about yourself. Don’t let people bring you down, you’re stronger than them. Don’t let drugs influence you, you don’t need them. Remember your sweet happy self. — 17-year-old girl
I feel very good, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I don’t think cutting is something I will ever do anymore and I don’t think it is a good way to solve things. But I think I want to remember this because it has made me change my way of handling my problems in life. And remember to always try and find the good out of something bad. — 14-year-old girl
Well, in the beginning of 8th grade and the summer of 2010, I was very depressed about how life was, I wanted to die and I hated my mom. I posted some things on Facebook and someone turned me in. So that whole day I was in counseling with my mom and dad. They decided I needed a counselor. For about 3 months I met with a counselor named Maribeth. Ever since then my life has gotten better by attitude, stress, and getting along with my mom better. In the beginning I wasn’t so excited, but now I am so much happier. Maribeth showed me relaxation stuff and it was good to let my feelings out. Now I live a happier life with no suicide thoughts and no cutting! — 15-year-old girl
I’ve learned so much in these past months it’s unbelievable. Here’s a very important thing to take from these meetings is to ENJOY life. Shit happens and that’s no excuse for death. It’s not worth the time and energy. I’m past that. Over it. Moved on. When I’m mad or depressed, I tell someone. I’ve learned not to be so dramatic over things and to never let anything under my skin. I’m strong. — 15-year-old boy
Thank you for helping me through all the tough, roughs and always being there for me. You Rock My Sox! — 12-year-old girl
I appreciate you because you help us with our problems.
I appreciate you because you don’t just make us do work, you make sure we have fun too!
We play cards and have tea and I talk about my feelings. It makes me feel better.
I like it here and it is fun here.
Professionals:
Over the past four years I have referred several families who have needed outside support/ counseling for their preschool age child to Maribeth Nelson, a Child, Adolescent and Family therapist, and Licensed Professional Counselor. In all instances I have seen significant to dramatic improvements in the child as a result of the help they have received. Without this intervention the problematic issues and behaviors most certainly would have become much more serious as these children started elementary school.
I have been truly amazed at how responsive children are to Maribeth! She creates an atmosphere of trust, where children are able to relax and be themselves. Through the use of play therapy (which allows a child to work through their issues through the medium of play), she is able to identify the issues and get to the root of the problem. Her strategies for change are creative and practical and include parents, significant other family members, and the school.
It is not uncommon in my work as a director and teacher to encounter situations or behaviors that are out of the ordinary and require outside intervention. Maribeth is extremely knowledgeable and experienced and her expertise has been invaluable in these situations.
Marianne Roller, Director
Homestar Child Development Center
I truly feel that some people come into our lives for specific reasons. As a new therapist I had so much to learn and was trying to do those things way too fast. What a wonderful blessing to have you come into my life when I needed someone to direct and teach me how to be healthy and effective at my job. Thank you so much for your concern, guidance and honest feedback about how to be a grounded therapist. I will miss your warmness and insight so much. Thank you! — Supervisee
