Caitlin Day, MSW, LSW

I was drawn to this work because of a deep value for being truly seen and known. The opportunity to help others see and know themselves through therapeutic support is a privilege. My approach is relational and rooted in interpersonal neurobiology, with a focus on attachment. I work collaboratively and gently, because I believe in letting you and your family lead the way in your healing. I don’t think you need fixing - you might just want tools, new perspectives, and another person to carry your story alongside you. 

My approach with children is child-centered and largely play-based. Our needs are unique and ever-changing - for this reason, I offer both directive and non-directive support in sessions. I enjoy incorporating sandtray, dollhouse and imaginary play, and art into our time together. For adolescents and adults, I use a blend of talk therapy, art, and sand tray, blended with elements of DBT and somatic work. I take an active approach in sessions and incorporate education and resources that fit your unique needs.

It is important to me to individualize our sessions and bring my own vulnerability and authenticity into our therapeutic relationship. I carry multiple parts of myself, and I understand that you do too. I am a Columbus native, a dog lover, a sister, a daughter, a partner. I am also a donor conceived person. I can understand the delicate balance of connection within families, and am deeply committed to helping others with uniquely formed families, such as adoption, embryo adoption, and donor conception. Through empathic and relational care, I hope to help you feel more present, more empowered, more understood, and more stable.

I have a professional background in child welfare, domestic violence, and school-based mental health, as well as lived experience in unpacking generational trauma and navigating parental separation. I received a Master of Social Work from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Wittenberg University. I continually add to my education and personal experiences with trainings, reading, and consultation with other professionals.

I am excited to meet you.

For a free 20 minute consult or to schedule an appointment, please email me at caitlin@encompassadoptees.org.

Areas of Focus/ Specializations

  • Working with youth & teens, families, and

  • Incorporating play, imagination, and art in sessions

  • Helping parents work toward a more Trauma-informed parenting style

  • Developmental, interpersonal, and generational trauma

  • Support for adoptive and recipient parents of DCP — knowing when and how to share your child’s information, empowering your child in knowing and holding their own story, holding space for the many emotions accompanying these experiences

  • Encouraging and supporting attachment and attunement in family relationships

  • Helping families increase coping skills in dealing with big emotions

  • Navigating the impact of donor conception and/or adoption on self-perception — coping with DNA discoveries, identifying and integrating the complex emotions related to identity, navigating relationships with family (raised, adoptive, donor)

  • Processing grief and loss — including less acknowledged grief like ambiguous and disenfranchised loss

 
 
 

Benefits of using play in therapy

Children learn to understand the world and communicate through play. Using imagination and metaphor as a lens for understanding, we can gain insight into children’s inner worlds and help them feel and/or find the words to process the hard things. When children have experienced attachment injury, parent-child play can help rebuild healthy attachment and trust and make communication safer.

  • Offers sensory experiences and movement

  • Aids in developement of coping strategies and problem-solving skills

  • Practicing social skills and frustration tolerance (sharing, mirroring, impulse control, etc)

  • Builds empathy, kindness, and respect for others

  • Allows for a fuller expression of feelings and processing of trauma (especially those that are preverbal and/or difficult to find language for)

  • Increases capacity for healthy attachments

  • Strengthens family relationships to understand and communicate with their children — play is a great equalizer

 
“It’s wonderful to be loved but its profound to be understood.”
— Dani Shapiro, DCP, author