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For Dr. Amy Wickstrom, child counseling was never just about treating a problem. Her goal was to go beyond the boundaries of a therapist's office to help parents learn well-researched parenting skills that work at home in everyday life, instead of being dependent on an office visit.

 

She truly believes there is wisdom in the old saying, “Give someone a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach them to fish and you feed them for a lifetime.” Amy teaches parents how to combine the therapeutic power of play with specific parenting skills to prevent and solve child behavior problems, build a closer parent-child bond, and create a happier home… all by themselves. By creating More Than a Toy, Amy hopes to reach more families than she ever could by staying within the four walls of her office.

 

Amy is a licensed Marital and Family Therapist and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor in private practice. She was the "Family Expert" on KSON country radio station in San Diego and has been featured on NBC News to discuss how children cope with natural disasters. Her research and writing on play therapy is published in professional journals and clinical books, and she speaks at local and nationwide conferences, churches, schools, and non-profit organizations on topics relating to parenting, toys, play, and child therapy.

 

Amy lives in Orange County, California, with her husband, two small children, and their great dane “Lewie.”
  

 

Publications: 

 

Wickstrom, A. (2010). The development of an advanced filial therapy model. International Journal of Play Therapy.

 

Wickstrom, A. (2010). Influencing gender relations through child parent relationship therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 19(2), 79-94.

 

Wickstrom, A. (2009). The process of systemic change in filial therapy: A phenomenological study of parent experience. Journal of Contemporary Family Therapy, 31(3), 193-208.

 

Wickstrom, A., & Lim, B. (2009). Cultural diversity. Encyclopedia of Cross-Cultural School Psychology (ECCSP). Springer: International Publishing House.

 

Wickstrom, A. (2010). EMDR. ACA Encyclopedia of Counseling.

 

Wickstrom, A. (July 2010). Play therapy: Help your kids express themselves and develop. OC Family Magazine.

 

Wickstrom, A. (July 2007). I’m paying you to play with my child, but my child needs to talk!  Explaining play therapy to parents. CALAPT Online Newsletter 18(3).

 

Wickstrom, A. (July/August 2007). A Case for Child-Centered Play Therapy. The therapist. California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

 

Presentations: 

 

 

10 Ways to Help Young Children Adjust to School: Canyon View Christian Fellowship; The Church At Rancho Bernardo

 

Sexual Exploration in Children: What’s Normal and What’s Not: Healthy Living for Families in a Sexualized Culture Conference; San Diego Center for Play Therapy; Flood Church

 

Shut Up and Listen to Me: Point Loma Nazarene University

 

Healthy Self Confidence and Body Image: Point Loma Nazarene University

 

Battling Joy’s Enemy: Depression and the Blues: Rancho Hills Community Church

 

Working with High-Risk Kids: Young Life Staff Retreat

 

When to Make Referrals: Young Life Staff Retreat

 

Boundaries: Do’s and Don'ts: The Church at Rancho Bernardo Counseling Retreat Child-Centered Play Therapy: San Diego Center for Play Therapy

 

A Systemic Perspective of filial therapy: CALAPT Annual Conference in Rancho Cucamonga; San Diego Center for Play Therapy

 

A Case for Child-Centered Play Therapy: Christian Association for Psychological Studies

 

An Advanced Filial Therapy Model: Association For Play Therapy Annual Conference, Dallas, TX; CALAPT Annual Conference in Rancho Cucamonga