Online and In-Person Therapy for Children
Children should be innocent and free from stress, fear, anger, and other complex emotions even during the most tumultuous times. At least that’s what we, as parents and caregivers, hope we can give our children. For many adults, it’s hard to see that kids actually deeply feel their emotions, and they can struggle with life transitions and changes just like we do. No matter how hard you work to protect your child from the difficulties of daily life, it can still get to them, but you don’t have to handle these tough situations on your own. Instead, we hope you’ll consider online therapy for children with the Lakeside Counseling team. Therapy might feel like a big step for a child, but the skills young people learn during therapy can set them up for a lifetime of managing their complex emotions and navigating difficult situations with ease. You can learn more about therapy for children on this page or by getting in touch with our therapists to schedule a consultation session.
Why Would Children Need to See a Therapist?
As parents or guardians, we work hard to keep our kids safe, but just like adults, kids can struggle to navigate challenges presented by their everyday life. Some of the issues your child may be having a tough time dealing with include:
Changes in their home, school, or other routines
Bullying and trouble fitting in at school
Loss of a loved one or pet
Unexplained behavioral issues
Parental separation or divorce
Difficulty expressing tough emotions like grief, anger, or fear
Healing after a difficult or traumatic experience
What Happens During Children’s Therapy?
Depending on the age of the child, we will set appropriate boundaries for parental involvement in therapy sessions. For very young children, it may be necessary to have a parent or guardian present during therapy sessions, but for the most part, parents will not be present during their child’s appointment. Instead, your child’s therapist may request to meet with you between sessions to discuss any areas of concern. When it makes sense, the therapist may also schedule a family therapy session with the parent(s), child, and/or siblings and other family members as appropriate. These sessions can help resolve issues that arise during individual children’s therapy sessions.
During children’s therapy sessions, your child’s therapist will utilize evidence-based therapy approaches that allow them to communicate clearly with young clients. For younger children, this may look like play or storytelling. This is how your child is able to engage with their world, and we want to meet them where they are. Even though it might not look like therapy to an adult, these approaches can be extremely beneficial for children, giving them a safe and comfortable way to access difficult emotions or life situations. If you ever have questions about the therapist’s approach, please don’t hesitate to ask. We can provide you with information and resources to better understand the work your child is doing in therapy sessions as well as encouraging you to build upon this work outside the office.
Get Started with an Intake Appointment
At Lakeside Counseling, we begin the therapy process with a 55 minute intake session to explore the reasons you are seeking therapy and to set goals. When you’re ready to get started, we look forward to hearing from you.