If your child’s symptoms are starting to interfere with friendships, school, or daily life at home, therapy can be a helpful resource. Children and teens are still learning how to manage emotions and cope with life’s ups and downs. Therapy provides a safe space to express feelings, build confidence, and develop skills that will help them handle challenges now and in the future.

Many kids want to open up, but it can be hard to talk honestly with parents or teachers. A therapist offers a safe, neutral space where your child doesn’t have to worry about disappointing anyone. Research shows that having even one trusted adult to confide in — whether that’s a parent, teacher, coach, or therapist — is one of the strongest protective factors for children and teens. Kids who feel connected to a caring adult are more resilient, have better coping skills, and show fewer signs of anxiety or depression.

It depends on the severity of the diagnosis and mental health concerns, but it is typical for most new clients to start with weekly 1-hour therapy sessions. This helps to build the relationship with their new therapist while also starting to learn new coping strategies. 

As clients make progress in therapy, and their symptoms become less bothersome, it is common to move to every-other-week sessions. Once clients have met their therapy goals, they often move to as-needed sessions. 

It isn't uncommon for clients to come back for "booster" sessions here and there as they hit bumps in the road 6-12 months after taking a break from therapy. We are always willing to expedite seeing our previous clients in an effort to get them back on track!

When kids and teens start therapy, the first step is building trust. They need to feel safe and supported before they’re ready to open up and share their feelings. That’s why child therapists work hard to create a warm, non-judgmental space where kids feel comfortable. We often use hands-on activities, movement, and games to help build that connection, teach coping skills, and make therapy feel safe (and sometimes even fun!). But don’t worry, there’s a lot more happening than just playing UNO! Skilled therapists weave important questions and strategies into these activities to help kids discuss their challenges.

As therapy continues, sessions become more focused on developing and practicing specific skills tailored to each child’s needs. At Ballard Clinic, our therapists use evidence-based, skill-building approaches that help kids and teens learn how to manage emotions, improve communication, and handle stress more effectively. 

That’s ok! For many of the children and teens we work with, speaking directly about feelings is difficult. For some children, they are still developing their ability to connect situations with body sensations, thoughts, and feelings. We support the development of this skill with visuals, like mood meters, drawings of facial expressions, or books about emotions. Using these supports means that kids may not have to talk directly about their own feelings while still getting exposure to this skill. 

In addition, art therapy can be a helpful and effective option for children who may not feel comfortable expressing themselves with words. It uses creative activities such as drawing, painting, collage, and building to support emotional expression and help children process their thoughts and feelings in a more natural, less pressured way. Through art-making, children and families can explore emotions and experiences in a safe, supportive environment using materials that feel familiar and engaging. This approach allows therapy to feel more accessible and enjoyable while still supporting emotional growth and healing.

While therapists are not trained or licensed in prescribing medications, they are often knowledgeable in this matter and can provide recommendations to take to the prescriber. Licensed medical professionals, such as general practitioners, pediatricians, and psychiatrists are responsible for medication prescribing and management.

In some cases, it is evident that your child is able to learn therapy skills and tools, but not able to apply and practice those skills in real-life moments. Medications can be utilized to help the brain process and respond differently to situations, allowing your child to use the skills they have learned in therapy. Research shows that a combination of therapy and medication can be an effective treatment approach for more challenging mental health concerns.

Parents are an important part of the therapy process, especially for elementary-aged children. They offer insight into their child’s life at home and learn how to support the skills their child is building in therapy. It is common that parents are a little less involved in a teenager's therapy, as many of them value the autonomy in their therapy process. Our therapists balance respecting a client's privacy while always keeping parents informed if any safety concerns come up.