ABOUT Fortitude Children’s Therapy
About US
RYAN PLOCH, LISW-CP
LICENSED INDEPENDENT SOCIAL WORKER - CLINICAL PRACTICE | LICENSE # 17715
Hello, my name is Ryan Ploch. I am a licensed and professional children’s mental health therapist. I have received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Oakland University and a Master of Social Work degree at Michigan State University. I was born and raised in the state of Michigan. I am married to my beautiful wife Bekah and have four awesome children - Madelyn, Emma, Annabelle, and Clayton. We also had a child named Calvin with Trisomy 13, who passed away after a short time. I love sports, spending time outside, and being with my family.
As a professional, I have worked with children for over 15 years in a multitude of settings - including individual and family therapy, groups, residential treatment programs, and inner-city schools. In these settings, I have had the pleasure of working with preschool children up 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 find relief from difficult feelings and find joy, happiness, and fulfillment.
There is nothing I have more passion for than watching children overcome past circumstances, trauma, and struggles. I strive to care for your child as my own, support them through the hardest of situations, and make a long-lasting difference in their lives. Children are incredibly resilient and strong, but sometimes they need a little help to find their inner fortitude.
"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."
Experience
Over 15 years of experience working with children, teenagers, young adults, parents, and families in different settings including - clinical therapy, residential treatment, and education.
education
Master of Social Work - Michigan State University
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology - Oakland University
our Purpose
OUR MISsion
Fortitude Children’s Therapy has a mission to change the trajectory of children’s lives affected by trauma, hardships, and struggles. It is estimated that over 45% 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, emotional, behavioral 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, emotional, and behavioral health services to children ages 5 to 25 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 relationships 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 that 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 is 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, perseverance, and fortitude - so they are able to handle and cope with difficult circumstances in the future.
Research-Based Interventions
Your child’s therapy will be based on researched and proven interventions to provide your child with the most effective therapy. Different modalities, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Directed Child-Centered Play Therapy, Family Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy, may be used with your child as well as others.
LEARNING METHODS
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.
