Child and Teen Therapy

Play Therapy and Teen Counseling in San Antonio and Schertz

In-person and online counseling for children, teens, and parents

Watching your child struggle is hard. You find your mind racing with more concerns than you can number, from understanding what’s caused the recent challenges to making sure you find the right counselor to support them. Confusion, frustration, disappointment, and even guilt begins to take up unwanted space in your mind. You’re constantly worrying about their well-being and future. You just want your child to be okay.

Our child and teen counselors will help you and your child navigate challenges, understand emotions & resolve mental health struggles

Whether you have a child who has been having big emotions, a teen that is wrestling with who they are and where they fit in this big wide world, or you’re a parent looking for parenting support, our team of counselors can help.

Our Specialties for Child and Teen Therapy

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FAQs about Child and Teen Therapy in San Antonio & Schertz, TX

  • Child and teen therapy is a specialized form of counseling designed to help minors navigate emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges. It provides a safe and supportive environment for children and adolescents to express their feelings, develop coping skills, and improve their overall mental health.

  • Child and teen therapy can address a wide range of issues including anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, trauma, grief, family conflicts, social skills, identify formation, academic stress, school refusal, and developmental disorders.

  • Signs that your child might benefit from counseling include persistent sadness, withdrawal from previously enjoyed activities, changes in eating or sleeping habits, isolation, declining school performance, excessive worry, anger outbursts, or any behavior that seems out of the ordinary and is affecting their daily life.

  • It’s common for children and adolescents to be hesitant about counseling. Try to listen to their concerns and validate their feelings. Explain the benefits and offer to attend a session together if that helps. Sometimes, speaking to the counselor beforehand can help address these concerns.

  • It is important that parents are involved in the counseling process, especially in the initial assessment and in sessions where family dynamics are discussed. The level of involvement varies depending on the child’s needs and the type of counseling provided. For play therapy, parents are expected to engage in parent coaching prior to play therapy starting. Afterwards, parent progress meetings are scheduled on a consistent basis. For tweens and teens, our counselors meet with parents for monthly progress meetings. Consistent parent meetings give counselors the chance to update parents on treatment plan progress and hear parental observations.

  • Explain to your child what counseling is and why you think it could help them. Reassure them that the counselor is there to help and that it’s a safe space. Encourage them to be open and honest. The counselor will take it from there.

  • In your first initial session, you and your child’s counselor will discuss treatment plan goals based on the concerns that you have for them. Sessions will then be focused on resolving those concerns. It is important for your child to feel safe in sessions without fear that everything they say will get back to you. Therefore, we do ask that you trust that your counselor will share with you “need to know” information and respect the limits of confidentiality that will also be discussed in your first session. Additionally, you will meet with your child's counselor for progress meetings after every 4-6 sessions to discuss your child's progression toward established goals.