Child Counseling

Children And Teens Can Face Challenges As They Grow And Become Individuals

Are you the parent of a child or teen experiencing emotional or behavioral setbacks?

Do big emotions—including irritability, anger, and tearfulness—take over when they are distressed?

Are you concerned that your child is withdrawing, engaging in self-destructive behaviors, or losing interest in their activities and relationships?

As a parent, you are always concerned about your child’s well-being no matter what age they are. And when emotional issues begin to surface, everything from your child’s academic performance to their social life to their behavior at home can be affected. Do you find that the more you try to help, the more your child or teen becomes defiant and pushes you away?

If You’re The Parent Of A Young Child, You May Be Concerned That They Don’t Handle Their Emotions Appropriately

If your child is younger, they may have difficulty with transitions or maintaining their stress response. Perhaps you have noticed changes in their routine, separation anxiety, or developmental delays when compared with other children their age. Or maybe your child struggles with physical symptoms, including headaches, stomach aches, insomnia, or changes in their eating and toileting habits.

You may not know what is appropriate for them at this age, or perhaps you’re unsure how to address their mental health in a supportive, meaningful way. But with a counselor, your child can explore their emotions and build a toolbox for coping.

As A Teen, You May Struggle With Feelings Of Inadequacy

If you’re a teen experiencing anxiety or depression, you may have encountered mental and emotional hurdles. In becoming your own person, you are likely questioning aspects of your identity and forming your own unique value system. As you examine the cultural and religious forces that have shaped you, you may be feeling the need to resist your parents or other authority figures. Not to mention, you are contending with the pressure to succeed in school, measure up to your peers, and establish a sense of belonging.

Yet, instead of trusting you to forge your own path, you may feel like the adults in your life want to control or “fix” you. You aren’t trying to create conflict or come off as the stereotypical defiant, angry teen, but you can’t help but feel alienated and misunderstood.

In therapy for teens, you can work with a skilled, empathetic therapist who will put you at the center of the counseling process so that you can feel better.

Growing Up Is Hard Enough, But Today’s Youth Face Unprecedented Challenges

Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health setbacks have always been common among children and teens. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that up to one in five children experience a mental health disorder. Of that one in five, only 20 percent receive the treatment they need.

But that data was collected before COVID-19 arrived on the scene. Life has changed drastically since then, and we have all experienced pandemic-related trauma and anxiety in the face of uncertainty.

For children and teens in particular, these changes have been dramatic and difficult to adjust to—especially if additional stressors (including intense academic or athletic pressure, loss, separation, and/or abuse) are complicating life at home. A 2020 survey of thousands of teens across the country found that at least one-third of high schoolers experienced symptoms of depression and anxiety at higher rates than usual. There have also been sharp increases in mental health crises since the onset of the pandemic, with a 31 percent increase in adolescent and teen ER visits between 2019 and 2020.

Unfortunately, there is a shortage of children’s mental health resources. With the surge in mental health crises, there aren’t as many child and teen counselors available to help.

At The Next Step, we specialize in counseling for both children and teens, offering customized therapy that encourages healing and growth.

Therapy Helps Children And Teens Build Lifelong Skills For Success

Whether you’re a teen or the parent of a child who’s younger, you probably know that there aren’t many unconditional, expectation-free environments where kids can go to receive individualized mental health support. The therapists at The Next Step provide a warm, inviting, and safe atmosphere where we aim to understand our clients on a deep level.

Using a combination of interactive therapeutic approaches, we can help address behavioral concerns, emotional dysregulation, and relationship issues. We often incorporate activity-based modalities of counseling, including play, sand tray, and art therapies, to promote mindfulness and exploration.

Our Approach

Because we tailor child and teen counseling to meet the needs of each client, we will determine the therapeutic process and treatment on a case-by-case basis. We encourage parents/caregivers to be involved, but also acknowledge the importance of confidentiality when it comes to maintaining the trust of our underage clients. Parents of children under 18 are required to provide consent for treatment, and they are likely to be included in the initial session to determine goals for counseling.

Our child and teen counselors work hard to develop rapport towards a trusted, secure therapeutic relationship. There is always an overarching goal to teach, practice, and encourage the implementation of stress management techniques so that teen and child clients can feel prepared to address core emotions and experiences. As they learn to identify their feelings, clients can recognize how they respond to felt experiences and what their triggers are.

We understand that if you’re a struggling teen or parent troubled by your child’s behaviors, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty of what’s next. But it is okay to stop, take a breath, and ask for help. The peaks and valleys of life can be challenging to navigate, but therapy can make the process less daunting.

Let the teen and child counselors at The Next Step help you find your way.

Maybe You’re Considering Counseling For Your Child, But Not Sure If Therapy At The Next Step Is Right For You…

We are committed to making therapy for all of our clients affordable and accessible. Therefore, we are in-network with Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Cigna/Evernorth. And even if those providers don't cover you, we are happy to give you a superbill to submit for out-of-network benefits.
Our therapists understand that you are juggling a lot of responsibilities as a parent and that your teen probably has other commitments beyond school, limiting their availability. That’s why we offer evening and weekend opportunities for therapeutic sessions, as well as in-person and telehealth appointments. Please contact us to find out more.
It’s important that parents and caregivers see therapy as a collaborative process. We will include you in the intake and first session and, depending on the age and needs of your child, incorporate you into treatment as necessary. The children and teens that we see in therapy are ultimately our clients, but you can be confident that we value communication and coordination of care in order to support your child’s healing.

Positive Growth And Learning Are Possible

If you are a teen or parent of a younger child searching for empathetic, effective counseling, the therapists at The Next Step can help.

To learn more about our services, you can schedule a free, 15-minute consultation with our clinical director by filling out our contact form or calling (480) 702-1001 anytime between 5a and 5p Monday through Friday.

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