About Willow Tree Mental Health
The First Thing Your Kid Notices Is the Candy Jar
Walk into our Exton office and it doesn’t look like the waiting room you might be picturing.
There are soft pillows and blankets. A candy jar and a basket of fidgets. Toys and art supplies sitting out on the shelves, within arm’s reach.
We set it up this way on purpose.
For a lot of kids, the word “therapy” sounds scary or intimidating long before they ever walk through the door. Our space is built to take that down a few notches.
It’s comfortable, and honestly not scary at all, more like a room a kid actually wants to hang out in than anywhere that feels clinical.
By the time your child settles in, the candy jar has usually done half our job for us.
Your Child Gets a Therapist Who’s Genuinely Easy to Talk To
Our clinicians are relaxed, relatable, and easy to be around.
We make therapy seem like no big deal, because for your kid, it really shouldn’t feel like one.
Sessions stay light. We’re also not the least bit afraid to talk about the hard stuff.
When something painful comes up, we don’t flinch and we don’t rush past it. We help your child look at it honestly, and we help them believe it can actually change.
That mix matters more than any single technique. A kid who likes their therapist keeps coming back, and a kid who keeps coming back is a kid who starts getting better.
When You Can’t Tell If Something’s Actually Wrong
Most parents who call us have been quietly worried for a while.
Maybe your teenager has gone quiet. She stays in her room, doesn’t want to go to school, says everyone there is awful and she just wants to be left alone.
You lie awake wondering whether this is normal teenage stuff or something more. You walk on eggshells, scared that pushing too hard will only make it worse.
Or maybe your younger child’s meltdowns have outgrown anything that feels normal. The tantrum in the grocery store over a red popsicle instead of a purple one, with other parents watching.
The quiet voice afterward telling you you’re failing, that it’s probably your fault.
Here’s what we want you to hear: you’re not a bad parent. And you don’t have to figure this out by guessing.
We Work With Your Child and Coach You at the Same Time
This is the part that makes us different.
When your child comes to Willow Tree, you don’t get handed a polite update at pickup and sent on your way.
You get real coaching. When this thing happens at home, here’s what to do about it.
It works a little like family therapy, without the part where everyone has to sit in a room and call it that.
Your child still has a space that’s entirely theirs. The office is neutral ground, somewhere they can practice naming what they feel without worrying about anyone’s reaction.
Then they carry it back to the people who matter most: you.
We’re never trying to replace you. Our whole goal is to put you back at the center of your child’s world.
With our youngest clients, the work begins with play instead of a conversation about feelings. Play is how a child says what they don’t yet have words for.
For them, play isn’t a warm-up before the real therapy. It’s how they show us what’s hurting and start to work it through.
Parents tell us they didn’t see this part coming: their kids actually want to come back.
The resistant teenager keeps showing up. The skeptical parent turns into the biggest advocate.
And years later, a graduated kid sometimes circles back just to say hello.
The People Your Kid Will Actually Want to Talk To
Our clinicians are all Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and between us we’ve been doing this work for more than two decades. Our training covers play therapy, child development, and DBT, along with ecotherapy, yoga philosophy, and LGBTQAI+ supportive care.
EMDR is offered through our associate clinician, Kelly Wood, who is EMDR-certified.
We see LGBTQ+ and gender-questioning kids the way we see every young person who walks in: as someone figuring out who they are, and deserving of real support while they do.
Willow Tree is a private-pay practice based in Exton, working with children as young as three and teens into early adulthood.
Our Staff
Joy Wawrzyniak, LCSW
Kelly Wood, LCSW
Find Out What’s Really Going On With Your Child
If something on this page sounds like your family, the next step is a free fifteen-minute consultation.
It’s a chance to tell us what’s happening at home and hear how we’d think about it, before you commit to anything.
Think of it as the first move in figuring out the mystery together. Call us, and we’ll help you sort out what the right next step is for your kid.
Testimonials
Our work speaks through the voices of those we’ve served
There’s something about her warm energy, the cozy room, and that incredibly comfy couch that makes it easy to open up. It’s a space where I’ve laughed, cried, healed, and grown more than I ever expected. I’m truly grateful for the space she’s held for me on this journey.
When my daughter started therapy she was in a tough place – both mentally and physically. During her time with Joy, I’ve watched her become more resilient, positive, and confident. She’s developed healthy coping mechanisms to deal with anxiety and stress. She has returned to being excited about life! I would HIGHLY recommend working with Joy. She creates an accepting atmosphere and quickly makes progress. She brings humor and play to therapy – which disarms clients and builds trust.
From the moment we first encountered Joy, her lighthearted approach and encouragement for growth helped to heal my child’s issues of adoption, identity, anxiety, and ADD. She seems carefree and was accessible to my child when everything seemed dark and overwhelming to them. And she was able to diagnose underlying complications that contributed to the anxiety. As parents, she was able to partner with us periodically to let us know her strategy and message to our kid. She helped me navigate parenting when my child was hiding behind a curtain and I was fumbling in the dark– all while protecting my child’s privacy and process.
Our family has had the privilege of working with both Joy and Kelly for different needs over the years, and we can’t say enough good things about them and the practice. They’ve each connected with me and with my kids in their own special way – through play therapy, talk therapy, and plenty of patience and kindness. They’ve helped us navigate the every day family struggles as well as more difficult times and we’re so grateful for the support we’ve found and the different they’ve made.
I’ve been lucky enough to have Joy in my life for over 20 years, she was actually my therapist when I was a teenager! Now I bring my two kids to see her and it’s been an incredible experience. Joy’s gift is that she creates a space where everyone feels safe and comfortable enough to be vulnerable and brave enough to dig deep for the root of the issue. The space itself is so cozy. There are tons of games, comfy couches to lounge on, and always a piece of candy to look forward to! Watching her navigate the choppy waters of big feelings is seriously amazing. She has the expertise to make my kids feel completely seen and heard. She’s then able to translate for me, teaching me how to see and hear them while still feeling confident in setting necessary boundaries and stepping fully into my role as a parent. We always leave our sessions feeling closer and better equipped to handle conflict together at home.
Your Home Can Feel Steady Again
Your child needs help, and you need help. We can give you both.
Fill out the form and we’ll be in touch within a day. You can start feeling some hope right away.
