How to Find the Right Therapist for Your Child or Teen
As a parent of a child/teen who is experiencing anxiety you may be feeling hopeless, defeated, frustrated, etc. You may be trying to balance supporting your child through these "big feelings" and "big behaviors" and also feeling "at the end of your rope". You only want what's best for your child and you want to make sure that the therapist you're choosing to work with is someone dependable, compassionate, and experienced.
When it comes to finding the "right fit" for your child, here are 3 main things you want to consider (from a licensed child and teen therapist). *Please note - most therapists will offer a FREE 10-15 minute discovery call where you can speak with them directly and discuss the following topics.
Professional License/Credentials
License Types: LCMHC, LCSW, LMFT, or PhD
All therapists are required to meet certain educational and ethical requirements through their licensing board. For example, I am a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) in the state of North Carolina and am licensed by the North Carolina Board of Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Different licensing boards have different educational and practicing requirements. Other common license types held by child/teen therapists can include Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology.
Personality/Style of Therapy
Play Therapy, Art Therapy, EMDR, etc.
There are numerous types of therapy that can be helpful for children and teens including play therapy, art therapy, mindfulness interventions, EMDR, etc. Some questions you can ask that target learning more about a therapist's personal style include:
"What does a typical therapy session with you look like?"
"Do you have additional training/experience in certain types of therapy?"
"What types of therapy do you typically use with children/teens?"
"How do you involve parents/caregivers in the process when you are working with the child/teen?"
Financial Investment
Insurance vs. Self-Pay
A third topic to consider discussing during your discovery call with a therapist is what the financial investment would be. Some therapists accept insurance and are able to honor your insurance benefits (i.e. copay amount, coinsurance, etc.). Some therapists choose to not credential with commercial insurance providers and services are offered at a self-pay rate. One option with self-pay providers is they may offer a limited number of reduced rate sessions or the option to work with an intern (again, at a lower rate than typical self-pay rates).
Are you interested in getting your child connected to counseling services? I offer a FREE 10-15 minute phone consultation and would love to speak with you. You can reach out to me directly by visiting this link
You can also follow my Instagram account @counselingwithkiddos for more free resources, parenting tips, and information on how to support children/teens when they are experiencing anxiety.