Liz Bammann,
ME.d, APC, NCC
Associate Professional Counselor
Atlanta Location
WHO I WORK WITH:
AGES 3-18
AREAS OF SPECIALITY:
- ADHD
- Anxiety
- Family Issues/Transitions
- School-Related Issues
- Grief
- Spirituality/Faith-Related Issues
Hi, I'm Liz!
I have spent most of my life working with kids and families, and I truly believe it is one of the greatest privileges there is! Walking alongside children and the people who love them is work I care deeply about. Before joining the team at Early Connections, I spent four years in the Madison County and Atlanta Public School systems, working closely with school counselors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. During that time, I provided individual and group counseling and partnered with parents, teachers, and administrators to support students as they navigated emotional, social, and academic challenges.
Outside of schools, I have spent the past three years working with kids and families in a ministry setting, where I currently serve in an Associate Director role. Being in a faith-based environment has greatly shaped the way I approach my work It has taught me how important it is to create spaces where every parent, teen, and child feels seen, welcomed, and supported. My hope is always that families experience a sense of belonging and radical acceptance within their community.
My education is grounded in child and family development, with a strong emphasis on advocacy. I value cultural empathy and am deeply committed to creating a safe, warm space for every child and family member. I approach my work with a systems-focused and strengths-based perspective, which means I pay close attention to the bigger picture of a child’s life while also helping families recognize and build on the strengths they already have.
At the heart of my work is the belief that healing happens in relationships, especially for kids and teens. The relationships they have with their counselor, parents, teachers, family, and community matter deeply, and they are often where the most meaningful growth takes place. Because of this, I offer parent sessions and school consultations in addition to individual work with children. These spaces allow us to collaborate, share tools and resources, and think together about how to best support your child both in and outside of the therapy room.
When I’m not in session, my favorite hobby is hosting friends for dinner and I try to cook for people as often as I can. I’m an Atlanta-native and love exploring the city’s coffee shops and restaurants or curling up at home with my sweet dog and a good book. I’m also a proud Georgia Bulldog! Go Dawgs!
If you’re considering therapy for your child, I know that step can feel big. My hope is to meet your family with care, curiosity, and compassion—and to walk alongside you as you support your child’s growth and healing.
Education & Trainings
- Master of Education in School Counseling (2025)
- Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Certification
- Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Training Certification
- Psychological First Aid (PFA) Certification
- Registered Play Therapy Certification (In-Progress)
- Positive Discipline Parent Educator Certification (In-Progress)
Modalities & Interventions Used
- Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT)
- Adlerian Play Therapy (AdPT)
- Expressive Art Therapy
- Adventure Therapy
- Attachment-Based Therapy
- Existential Therapy
What Does a Session Look Like With Me?
When you come into my therapy office, you’ll immediately see a cozy couch, warm lighting, and a wide variety of toys, games, and art supplies for different age groups.
With younger children, play is how they communicate. Sessions focus on toys, art, movement, and imaginative play to help them express feelings they may not yet have words for and to practice coping skills in a natural, supportive way.
With older elementary-aged children, sessions are a mix of play and conversation. Kids may still use games, art, role-play, or activities, while also talking more about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. This age group benefits from both creativity and guided discussion.
With teens, sessions look more like conversations, with creative or activity-based tools when helpful. Teens often focus on emotions, stress, relationships, identity, and coping skills in a collaborative and respectful way.
No matter your child’s age, therapy is always paced to them and grounded in relationship. The tools may change, but the focus is always on helping your child or teen grow and feel supported.
Favorite Modalities & Therapeutic Interventions
I believe every person is born with three core longings: to be seen, to be significant, and to belong. People, especially families, are incredibly adaptive and resilient. I believe every story has an opportunity for redemption and every person is capable of resilience. As a therapist, I believe empathy is the driving force for this change. I have an integrative theoretical view which primarily draws from Adlerian theory. I also utilize techniques drawing from person-centered, existentialist, and attachment theories in my sessions with clients.
I emphasize creating a space within the therapy room where nonjudgemental, unconditional positive regard is what every interaction is built upon, which creates a safe space for clients to be their authentic selves. An Adlerian lens allows me to see all behavior, even “unhelpful” behaviors, as goal-driven. In the therapy room, we work to establish a relationship, identify these deeply meaningful goals, and make deep, lasting changes in spaces where there is a disconnect between the goal of the client and the behaviors they are experiencing. I believe that when empathy is present in this process, we experience true change. Change can often be challenging and messy, and almost always involves some form of grief. When we see ourselves clearly as we are and are able to lovingly embrace that self, we are often also letting go of a version of ourselves we thought we “should” or “would” be.
Fortunately, humans are also wired to heal. This is where existentialist theory provides a helpful lens for the therapy room. I believe that the depth to which people experience grief only increases the depth of which they may know joy and hope. Grief is not a condition to be healed from, but rather a tool used to process and be reconciled to the deep experiences of love and loss in our lives. From these experiences, we make meaning from the story of our lives, even from a young age. The therapy room is a sacred, playful space for healing, rewriting, and connection. To children, play is both work and language. This is why I believe play therapy is so beautiful and effective. By speaking your child’s language fluently, play therapists are able to help kids to know they are deeply seen, uniquely significant, and they undeniably belong.
