Elysia Aufmuth, MA, LCSW

Elysia Aufmuth, MA, LCSW

Elysia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who earned her master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She has more than 15 years of experience working with children and families in various mental health, social service, and educational settings. Elysia has worked as a teacher and child care director and has knowledge of those settings and the challenges children can sometimes face adjusting to structured environments.

 

Elysia has provided clinical services and educational supports to children with complex or multiple needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s, Downs Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, traumatic exposure, anxiety, and sensory integration needs. She enjoys supporting children to develop their emotional regulation skills, to think about ways to apply them, and to engage children in meaningful play-based activities that support their developmental needs. She has worked with families grieving the loss of a child and understands the challenges of fertility struggles.

 

In addition, Elysia has worked with child care providers and teachers to reflect on their work and the social and emotional needs of young children. She has presented various trainings to Head Start and national early education conferences on ways to minimize challenging behaviors, to use reflective approaches, and to incorporate social-emotional learning into academic curricula.

 

Elysia uses a strengths-based approach to understand each client’s needs and develop appropriate goals. She incorporates various approaches to engaging children and families, including understanding the attachment needs of each child, looking at family systems and dynamics, using play-based activities, art therapy, parent coaching, and dramatic play tools. Her focus is on understanding client’s needs holistically to build strengths and resilience that will support children and families through stressful and challenging times.

 

When Elysia isn’t working with clients, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, puttering in her garden, and cooking.