Finding the right therapist for a child can take some effort. Knowing the types of professionals, where to look and what to ask makes the search easier.
Types of professionals
Child and adolescent psychiatrists are medical doctors who can diagnose, provide therapy and prescribe medication.
Psychologists hold a doctoral degree, provide therapy, and can do psychological and educational testing.
Licensed clinical social workers, licensed professional counselors and licensed marriage and family therapists hold master's degrees and provide therapy, often including family therapy.
Pediatricians and family doctors often screen for and manage common conditions such as ADHD, and make referrals.
Titles and license names vary by state and country. What matters most is that the person is licensed, has training and experience with children of your child's age, and uses approaches suited to the problem.
Where to look
Your child's pediatrician or family doctor
Your health insurance company's list of in-network providers
Your child's school counselor or school psychologist
Children's hospitals and university clinics, which often have child psychiatry and psychology departments
Community mental health centers, which may offer sliding-scale fees
In the US, the SAMHSA treatment locator at findtreatment.gov
Questions to ask
Are you licensed in this state? You can usually check a license on the state licensing board's website.
How much of your work is with children or teenagers of my child's age?
What experience do you have with problems like my child's?
What approach would you use, and what research supports it?
How will parents be involved, and what will you share with us?
How will we measure progress, and how long might treatment take?
What are your fees, do you accept our insurance, and do you offer telehealth?
The first appointment
The first one or two sessions are usually an assessment. The therapist will ask about your concerns, your child's development, health, school and family, and may use questionnaires. They may meet with parents alone, with the child alone and together. Afterwards they should explain what they think is going on and propose a plan. It helps to prepare your child by explaining, in simple terms, that they will meet someone whose job is to help kids with feelings and worries.
Confidentiality
Therapists generally keep much of what an older child or teen says private, to build trust, while telling parents about safety concerns. Ask how the therapist handles this at the start.
Is it working?
Progress is rarely steady, but after several weeks you should see some movement toward the goals you agreed on, and your child should feel at least reasonably comfortable with the therapist. If not, raise it with the therapist. It is acceptable to seek a second opinion or change therapists if the fit is poor.
Types of Therapy for Children and TeensA plain-language overview of common therapy approaches for children: CBT, play therapy, PCIT, family therapy, DBT, trauma-focused CBT and more.
Signs Your Child May Need to See a TherapistHow to tell ordinary ups and downs from problems worth a professional's opinion: what to watch, how long to wait, and who to call first.
Family Therapy: What to ExpectWhat family therapy is, when it can help, who attends, what happens in sessions, and how to prepare your family for the first appointment.
This guide is general information, not medical or psychological advice. For questions about your child, talk with a pediatrician or a licensed mental health professional. In a crisis in the US, call or text 988 or call 911; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.