Child and Adolescent Therapy

Therapy sessions are available for children ages 5-18. We work to match you with a therapist based on your individual preferences and goals. Sessions are 45 minutes in length and are typically scheduled weekly, though biweekly is also an option. Both telehealth and in-person therapy options are available.

For telehealth services, you must be located in New York State.

Illustration of a woman counseling a child, sitting on chairs, with the woman holding a notebook.

For people under the age of 18, parents or guardians will need to consent to therapy. Depending on the age and needs of child or adolescent, parents may be more or less involved in the therapy work. Each therapist will discuss limits of confidentiality and collateral sessions during the initial session.

How to get started

Step 1: Phone Intake

When you reach out to us, we’ll get you set up with a phone intake. Phone intakes typically take 45-60 minutes, is done with the parent/guardian, and consist of demographic questions, questions about what is bringing your child to therapy, any prior experiences with therapy, and what you’re looking for in a therapist.

Step 2: Therapist Options

After you finish the intake, we’ll reach out to you to discuss what therapists are available based on the preferences you identified. If there isn’t a therapist who matches your preferences, we’ll talk to you about who is available so that you can make an informed decision. Often people are surprised by how they relate and connect to someone who might be different than who they imagined.

Step 3: Connecting with the Therapist

When there has been an agreement on who you’d like to work with and confirmation that the therapist has availability, you’ll receive an email connecting you to the therapist. This email will outline important policies and procedures. The therapist will reach out to you to via email to schedule an initial session.

FAQs

  • If it is a family therapy session parents should come to each therapy session. For individual therapy sessions for kids, parents may not have to attend each session, but may be having check-ins with their child’s therapist depending on the therapeutic expectations set in place.

  • A safe and trusted confidential environment where the therapist will meet with you and ask you questions on your background, any issues you're facing, as well as questions pertaining to your family and school life.

  • If the child gives permission for the release of information then a parent can be informed, additionally parents can have access to their child's records and progress. However, children do have the right to confidentiality during their sessions. There are exceptions to this confidentiality such as the child is harming themselves, others, or facing some type of abuse or imminent danger.

  • You should avoid being judgmental or critical when talking to your child about therapy. Be a good listener and try to understand your child’s point of view.

  • If therapy makes your child upset, it is important that your child expresses these feelings and emotions to their therapist, so they can navigate what the problem is and how they can resolve it or change their approach. By the child asserting their feelings, the therapist will gain a better understanding of them and any issues. If the child is upset because of an inappropriate or unethical action conducted by the therapist they should terminate the therapeutic relationship and report them to another licensed mental health professional or licensing board for misconduct.

  • Therapists play games with your child to facilitate conversation, walk-through scenarios, build trust, focus the child’s attention, and help the child to relax or open up.

  • To make parents more actively involved with their child’s therapy because therapy tends to be more effective if parents are involved to support and even reinforce some of the skills that the child is being taught during their sessions.

  • If you are concerned that your child doesn’t seem to be improving, check in on what you hoped therapy would help with. Sometimes, if our goals for what we want our child to get help with are not specific enough, it can be hard to celebrate the small wins and see the incremental progress. Next, check in to see how your child is feeling about therapy. Ideally, this would happen together with the therapist and your child. Lastly, talk to your child’s therapist about your concerns and what you are seeing. You are the expert on your kid and the therapist will depend on what you are noticing and experiencing to help contextualize their work with your child.