Counseling for Kids and Teens

What will my child experience in a therapy session?

Psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy, aims to help people understand their feelings and equip them to face new challenges in the present and cope with problems that come up in the future. Some of those challenges might include:

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Disruptive Behavior

• Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

• ADHD

• Autism

• Eating Disorders

A therapy session with your child will depend entirely on your child’s needs, age, and ability to process their experiences verbally. Our clinicians are skilled in various therapeutic techniques that can help kids and teens manage their symptoms so they can better function at home, in school, and in their community.

Psychotherapy for kids and teens may look like:

• Play therapy: This type of therapy uses play to help your child express their feelings or process through difficult situations. It can look like many different things, such as coloring, playing card games, listening to music, or playing with dolls/action figures. These strategies can help your child connect with the therapist and allow them to open up.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This type of therapy helps to identify the connections between one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors to that the child can better manage all three. In session, the child might learn to use their thoughts to regulate their emotions. They might practice calming their body so that their thoughts stop racing. Or they might examine their behaviors to find different solutions.

• Family Therapy: Even though you’ll be involved in all your child’s therapy process, Family Therapy emphasizes the family dynamics, interactions between parents and children, and making changes in the family system.

• Behavior Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on understanding and changing a child’s behavior. These strategies can be used to strengthen helpful behaviors and reduce unhelpful ones. Often times, parents will be trained in specific skills and techniques to try.

Our therapists will work with you, the parent, to develop a treatment plan specially designed to help your child feel better and begin to thrive. You will be involved in each step of the way for your child. The therapist will work closely with you to ensure a safe, positive experience for your child or teen.