Watching your child struggle can be difficult, especially when you’re not always sure what they need or how to help. Maybe you’ve noticed changes in their mood, behavior, friendships, confidence, or school experience. Maybe they’re overwhelmed, having bigger emotions, withdrawing more, or simply having a hard time putting what they’re feeling into words. Therapy can give children and teens a space of their own to feel supported, better understand themselves, and build skills that can help both now and as they grow.

What type of support do you provide for children and teens?

Our therapists support children and teens experiencing a variety of emotional, behavioral, social, and developmental concerns. This may include autism, ADHD, selective mutism, trauma, grief and loss, difficulty with emotional regulation, self esteem, friendship challenges, school stress, family changes, life transitions, and other challenges that can come with growing up.

We also recognize that sometimes a child’s behavior is communicating something they may not yet know how to explain. Therapy gives us an opportunity to understand what may be happening underneath the behavior rather than focusing only on changing it.

How do I know if my child or teen could benefit from therapy?

There doesn’t have to be a major crisis for your child to benefit from having additional support. You may notice they seem more anxious, irritable, sad, overwhelmed, withdrawn, or frustrated than usual. They may be struggling at school, having difficulty with friendships, experiencing changes at home, having trouble managing emotions, or simply not seeming like themselves.

Other times, your child may be doing well overall but could benefit from having a supportive person outside of their family to talk to, develop coping skills with, and better understand themselves.

What does therapy look like for children and teens?

Therapy looks different depending on your child’s age, personality, needs, and comfort level. Younger children may communicate and process experiences through play, activities, creativity, games, and conversation. With older children and teens, sessions may include more conversation while also incorporating activities, coping strategies, psychoeducation, or other approaches that help them feel comfortable engaging.

We don’t expect every child to walk into therapy ready to sit down and talk about their feelings. Building trust and creating a space where they feel comfortable being themselves is an important part of the process.

Will I be involved in my child’s therapy?

Parents and caregivers can be an important part of supporting a child’s progress, but involvement will look different for every family. Your child’s age, needs, level of independence, treatment goals, and what is happening outside of therapy will all help determine what makes the most sense.

At times, your therapist may check in with you, ask for additional information, discuss ways you can support your child at home, or recommend parent or family sessions. For some therapeutic approaches, parent or caregiver participation may be an important or required part of treatment. For example, Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) actively involves the parent or caregiver in sessions and in practicing skills outside of therapy.

Your therapist will help you understand what involvement may look like while also discussing confidentiality and its limits.

How will my child’s therapist work with them?

Our clinicians use individualized approaches based on your child’s age, developmental needs, personality, and goals. Depending on the clinician and your child’s needs, therapy may incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, PCIT (Parent Child Interaction Therapy), Play Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, trauma informed care, strengths based approaches, mindfulness techniques, play based interventions, psychoeducation, executive functioning support, and other therapeutic approaches.

Rather than expecting every child or teen to engage in therapy the same way, we work to meet them where they are.

How do you find the right therapist for my child?

We genuinely care about finding a clinician who feels like a good fit for both your child’s needs and your family. We consider what your child is experiencing, their age and personality, the areas they need support with, scheduling needs, insurance, and the clinicians on our team who may connect well with them.

Sometimes someone seems like the perfect match on paper and it just doesn’t feel right once therapy begins. That’s okay. Your child can explore working with another clinician on our team. Our priority is helping them find someone they can build trust with and feel comfortable being themselves around.