Play Therapy for Neurodivergent and Anxious Children in Charlotte/Lake Norman, NC

Support for Children with ADHD, Emotional Regulation Challenges & Big Feelings

Andrea understands how overwhelming it can be when a young child is struggling—whether that looks like frequent meltdowns, separation anxiety, sleep difficulties, aggression, shutdowns, school refusal, or neurodivergence. Young children often do not yet have the words to explain what they are feeling. Instead, stress and fear show up through behavior. Play therapy offers children a safe, developmentally appropriate way to communicate, process experiences, and begin to feel more secure. Andrea Miller is a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor (RPTS) and Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor (LCMHCS) in Charlotte/Lake Norman, NC, with over 20 years of experience providing play therapy for neurodivergent children and supportive, collaborative guidance for parents. She specializes in helping children with ADHD, sensory differences, emotional regulation challenges, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral concerns feel understood, supported, and empowered.

Andrea understands that many neurodivergent children struggle to communicate their internal experiences with words alone. Behaviors such as impulsivity, emotional outbursts, shutdowns, or difficulty with transitions are often signs of unmet needs rather than defiance. Through developmentally appropriate, evidence-based play therapy, Andrea helps children express themselves safely, process experiences, and build skills that support emotional regulation and resilience.

Play Therapy That Honors Neurodiversity

Andrea provides neurodiversity-affirming play therapy in Charlotte and Lake Norman, meaning therapy is not about “fixing” a child, but about understanding how their nervous system works and supporting growth in ways that align with who they are.

Play therapy may help children who:

• Have ADHD or executive functioning challenges

• Experience emotional dysregulation or intense reactions

• Struggle with anxiety, overwhelm, or sensory sensitivities

• Have experienced trauma, medical stress, or attachment disruptions

• Have difficulty with transitions, school demands, or peer relationships

Through play, children can explore emotions, build self-awareness, practice coping strategies, and experience safe relational connection—often leading to improved behavior, confidence, and emotional flexibility over time.

Parents Are Essential Partners in Play Therapy

Andrea believes that lasting change happens when parents are supported alongside their child. While children attend individual play therapy sessions, Andrea works closely with caregivers to help them understand their child’s unique needs, nervous system responses, and communication style.

Parents often gain:

• Insight into what their child’s anxiety or behavior is communicating

• Tools to support emotional regulation and co-regulation at home

• Guidance around routines, transitions, and sleep challenges

• Support navigating school or medical stressors

• Increased confidence and connection in the parent-child relationship

This collaborative approach supports lasting change beyond the therapy room and helps families feel less overwhelmed and more supported.

About Andrea Miller, LCMHCS, RPTS

Andrea Miller has over 20 years of experience serving children, families, and adults in the greater Charlotte/Lake Norman, NC area. As a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, she has advanced training in working with children impacted by trauma, ADHD, anxiety, grief and loss, medical trauma, and neurodivergence.

Andrea is know for her warm, relational, and developmentally informed approach. Andrea integrates trauma-informed approaches, including Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Synergetic Play Therapy to support deeper healing when appropriate. Andrea provides child-centered, trauma-informed play therapy for families in the Charlotte and Lake Norman area, helping children express emotions through play, process stressful experiences, and develop coping skills in a safe, developmentally appropriate way. She partners closely with parents, offering education and practical tools to support positive change at home.

In addition to play therapy, Andrea provides counseling for adults and couples and is a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Therapist, supporting individuals and families through fertility challenges, pregnancy, postpartum adjustment, and early parenthood.

Andrea is also a mother to teenage twin boys and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work—particularly with parents raising neurodivergent children.

She offers a free 15-minute consultation to help families determine whether play therapy is the right fit for their child.

Schedule with Andrea today!