Jeffrey LaPonsie, LMSW-C
Does your child become anxious or hesitant when trying new things? Are past experiences making it difficult for your child to feel safe, manage emotions, or connect with caregivers? Jeff LaPonsie, LMSW-C, works with children and families experiencing anxiety, trauma, behavioral challenges, and difficulties in parent-child relationships.
Jeff has particular experience working with children who have experienced foster care, adoption, guardianship, trauma, or other significant changes in caregiving relationships. His approach emphasizes helping children feel safe and connected while giving parents practical tools to support their child’s emotional and behavioral needs.
About Jeff LaPonsie, LMSW-C
Jeff is a clinical social worker who provides child and family therapy at Kalamazoo Child & Family Counseling. His clinical interests include childhood anxiety, trauma and post-traumatic stress, disruptive behavior, parenting concerns, and strengthening relationships between children and caregivers.
Jeff received his master’s degree in Social Work from Western Michigan University and has extensive experience working with children, adolescents, parents, and families.
A central part of Jeff’s approach is the belief that parents and caregivers can play a powerful role in a child’s healing. Whenever appropriate, he works collaboratively with caregivers to help them better understand their child’s needs, strengthen their relationship, and develop skills they can continue using outside of therapy.
Trauma-Focused Therapy for Children
Jeff is nationally certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.
His trauma-focused work may include children coping with traumatic experiences such as abuse, exposure to domestic violence, traumatic loss, medical trauma, foster care experiences, or other events that continue to affect their emotions, behavior, relationships, or sense of safety.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
Jeff is internationally certified as a therapist and within-agency trainer in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).
PCIT is an evidence-based treatment for young children, generally ages 2–7, who may experience frequent tantrums, aggression, defiance, difficulty following directions, emotional dysregulation, or other challenging behaviors. PCIT actively involves parents and caregivers in treatment and focuses on strengthening the parent-child relationship while teaching effective behavior-management skills.
Adoption, Foster Care, and Caregiver Relationships
Jeff also has a special clinical interest in supporting children and families affected by adoption, foster care, guardianship, and changes in caregivers. Children with these experiences may struggle with trust, emotional regulation, grief and loss, behavior, anxiety, or relationships with caregivers.
Therapy is individualized to the child and family rather than assuming that every child with an adoption or foster care history has the same needs. Treatment may focus on strengthening caregiver-child relationships, processing traumatic experiences when appropriate, developing coping skills, and helping caregivers respond to their child with greater understanding and confidence.
Clinical Interests
Jeff’s clinical interests and areas of experience include:
- Anxiety in children
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress
- Behavioral and emotional challenges
- Oppositional and defiant behavior
- Adoption, foster care, and guardianship
- Parent-child relationship concerns
- Exposure to domestic violence
- Sexual abuse and other traumatic experiences
- Grief and loss
- Medical trauma
- Parenting support
- Play-based approaches
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Looking for a Therapist for Your Child?
If you are interested in working with Jeff or another member of our child and family therapy team, you can request a therapy intake online. Our team can help determine which available provider may be a good fit for your child and family.
You may also call 269-615-7637 and select Extension 1 for assistance.
