How do I find a child therapist?

child therapy

Choosing a therapist for your child or choosing a family therapist is a difficult decision. As a parent you want the best for your child and you want to find the "right" person who can help your child be successful in managing their behaviors and expressing their feelings.

Here are my professional recommendations:

• Ask another parent or professional for recommendations of child therapists in your community. Your pediatrician, school counselor, tutor, or other professional should give you the name of several resources for you to choose from.

• Find a therapist who understands your child's issues and your concerns as a parent.

• Schedule a consultation with a several professionals and ask them questions about how they would best support your child. You'll learn much about the potential therapist by how promptly they return your call and how they interact with you during the consultation.

• Do not just rely on your insurance company for therapist referrals. Not all therapists specialize in working with children and many blanket their services as "child, adult, and family", yet they have no additional training specializing in children's specific developmental needs.

• Let your child meet with the therapist and decide if that is the person they would like to work with. Let them know they have to see someone, and you can give them a choice of who they see.

• As the famous Dr. Benjamin Spock said, "Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do". Listen to your intuition and find the right person who respects your and your child and is willing to help you find new positive ways to communicate.

Need some more support to help your child? Schedule a complimentary Support Consultation to learn more!