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.

At Ballard Clinic, our therapists focus first on building trust and connection, because meaningful change starts with feeling safe, understood, and supported.

It depends on the severity of the diagnosis and mental health concerns. It is typical for most new clients to start with weekly 1-hour therapy sessions so that they can 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. 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 grow and navigate their challenges.

Parents are an important part of the therapy process. They offer insight into their child’s life at home and learn how to support the skills their child is building in therapy. Therapists balance respecting a child’s privacy while keeping parents informed if any safety concerns come up. This teamwork helps kids apply what they learn in therapy to everyday life.