Outpatient counseling is a process of courageous conversations with a trained counselor that can help children, teens, and parents or guardians in difficult situations. Some children need to heal from the effects of a traumatic event, abuse, neglect, or family breakdown. Others need help to overcome anxiety, depression, or another kind of mental health concern.
Our clinicians help children learn constructive ways to deal with problems or issues. Typically, children and teens see their therapist once a week for a 50-minute appointment. At the beginning of treatment, the therapist and the child work together to create an individualized treatment plan with specific goals. On average, treatment lasts about four months. Therapists connect with the child’s parents/guardians and family members and consult with the child’s school as needed. For more complex problems, psychiatric services are added as an important part of multidisciplinary treatment. When children have extremely difficult problems to overcome, medication can help with mood and behavior and put children back on track more quickly. Our psychiatry staff can determine if medication is necessary, prescribe it, follow up frequently to make sure the medicine is helpful, and watch for side effects.
