ABOUT Fortitude Children’s Therapy
About US
Ryan Ploch, LMSW | License# 6801107731
Hi, my name is Ryan Ploch and I am a professional and licensed children’s mental health therapist. I am married with three children - ages 6, 5, and 2. I received my bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Oakland University and my master’s degree in Social Work at Michigan State University.
As a professional, I have worked with children for over 10 years in different settings - including individual therapy, group therapy, residential treatment programs, and schools. In these settings, I have had the pleasure of working with preschool children to young adults. I have experienced and worked with adolescent children with extreme behaviors of aggression, defiance, non-compliance, and disrespect in residential and school settings.
I have helped young children express and cope with heartbreaking trauma such as sexual and physical abuse. I have supported families in impoverished communities who fight for necessities many take for granted. I have been able to connect and engage 5-year-olds in play therapy, but also build strong and impactful relationships with teenagers to prepare for adulthood.
My experience does not settle in one setting, one age group, or one specialty. I have grown to learn how to uniquely plan my therapy approach based on your child's age, abilities, struggles, and environment. Mental health therapy takes careful planning and steps to create a therapeutic experience that will be most effective for your child specifically. Children's therapy for me starts with the relationship.
By creating a trusting and respected relationship with your child, I am able to help them express thoughts and emotions they may have never released and help them find coping strategies that work for them. Together, your child and I will then continue their journey to finding relief from difficult feelings and discovering joy and happiness.
"My mission and passion is to create long-lasting change in children's lives who have been effected by trauma, hardships, and struggles - returning them to a trajectory towards fulfilling their full potential."
our Purpose
OUR MISsion
Fortitude Children’s Therapy has a mission to change the trajectory of children’s lives effected by trauma, hardships, and struggles. It is estimated that over 43% of children are impacted by some type of adverse childhood experience, therefore creating barriers and obstacles for them to achieve their potential and reach their future goals as adults. Most children affected by these experiences, without intervention, struggle with mental, behavioral, and emotional challenges that ultimately impact their adult lives. Fortitude Children’s Therapy seeks to provide effective therapeutic intervention as early as possible to realign the children’s trajectory back on a course towards the joyful, fulfilling, and successful life they deserve to experience. Fortitude Children’s Therapy provides mental, behavioral, and emotional health services to children ages 3 to 17 to support them to overcome past traumatic experiences, cope with current emotional and behavioral struggles, reduce symptoms of mental health disorders, and develop character traits such as fortitude, resiliency, grit, and perseverance.
How We Create Change
Rapport & Relationship
Therapy is mostly about relationship and connection. The reality is that the more your child connects with and trusts their therapist, the more they will express their feelings, be honest, and begin their journey to change. Therefore, building trust, respect, and a relationship is the first goal in therapy. As the relationship grows and develops, your child will create more and more opportunities to grow.
Fun & Engaging
Therapy is often portrayed in movies and television as a therapist sitting in a chair with a clipboard, mumbling words like “uh huh” and “tell me more.” Therapy, especially children’s therapy, does not have to be boring. My belief is your child should enjoy therapy. Maybe they talk about things that they can’t with no one else, learn things that are interesting, and get excited as they begin to grow. Most of all, their therapy experience should be fun and engaging.
Individualized Treatment
Therapy for your child will be unique and individualized. A plan, including goals, objectives, and interventions, will be made specifically for your child that best suits their needs and situation. Every child’s world and perspective is different, therefore, it’s important to treat your child as the unique person they are.
Character Development
An important role for a therapist is not only providing the child insight, feedback, and skills to manage their symptoms or struggles, but to develop character traits such as resiliency, strength, grit, perseverance, and fortitude, so they are able to handle and cope with difficult circumstances in their future.
Research-Based Interventions
Your child’s therapy will be based in researched and proven interventions to provide your child the most effective therapy. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Directed Child-Centered Play Therapy, Family Therapy, Strength-Based Therapy, and Group Therapy interventions may be used with your child as well as others.
Multiple Modalities
No child is the same. Therefore, therapy cannot be the same for every child. At Fortitude, different modalities and learning techniques are used to teach your child the skills and strategies to improve their mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Your child may be an auditory learner, kinetic learner, or visual learner. Therapy will consist of all kinds of tools that can be used with your child based on how they learn and listen best. These tools may include books, toys, games, videos, music, hands-on activities, worksheets, journals, and so many more.
