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686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a child/teen can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

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Stephen Medina

Hear from Stephen Medina, Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)

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What is your go-to approach for teen counseling?

A go-to approach for helping people in teen counseling is a mixture of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), some mindfulness, and a check-in. I usually start my sessions with a check-in to see how the week was, including the highs and lows of the week, and it usually dovetails into discussing what we need to in the session. I find the best benefit with CBT because it helps connect thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while also increasing some mindfulness to reduce autopilot.

What tools do you teach in teen counseling?

I teach the following tools in online therapy:

  • Cognitive restructuring: Challenging negative thinking patterns and putting them to the test to create space for a more balanced way of thinking
  • Strengths identification
  • Coping skills identification
  • Problem-solving skills/communication skills building

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in teen counseling?

I know a client is making meaningful progress during treatment when they report they were able to utilize the tools and strategies we talk about in our sessions and they can apply it outside of sessions.

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement teen counseling?

Clients can supplement their time in teen counseling by finding additional strengths and interests outside of our sessions. It is very beneficial to find interests and build social supports.

What should someone do to prepare for starting teen counseling?

To prepare for your first therapy session, you can think about what you are wishing to accomplish in treatment and set your goals. The first few sessions are for information gathering and goal setting to figure out where you want to go in and out of treatment. Always feel free to ask questions as well as they pop up.

Starting Child/teen therapy

Need more help deciding?

Child Therapy and Teen Counseling in Salem, MA

As your child’s parents, you can help them by providing unconditional love and support. You can do your best to help them cope with stress or other mental health challenges. However, sometimes child therapy or teen counseling is necessary, especially if the individual is experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or another major problem.

If your child is showing signs of a mental illness, an extreme amount of stress, or another troubling problem, please consider pairing them with a child therapist. Thriveworks Salem Counseling has child therapists on our team who can meet with your child or teen as soon as today. They understand that quick help is important and can mean the difference between healing and a worsening state. To schedule child therapy at Thriveworks Salem, just call our office. Our scheduling team will answer your call and assist you.

Is My Child Stressed Out? Signs of Stress in Children

Because every child reacts differently to stress, it is sometimes difficult to tell how well your child is coping. Here are a few signs to watch for:

  • Frequent stomachaches or headaches
  • Mood swings or overreacting to small problems
  • Changes to sleep patterns, such as trouble falling asleep or nightmares
  • Acting out, either with aggression, defying authority or lying
  • Trouble concentrating on schoolwork or a drop in academic performance
  • Regression activities, such as bedwetting or thumb sucking

If you feel as though your child is exhibiting one or more of these signs then he or she may be having a difficult time processing the stressors in their life. Talking to one of our qualified child therapists at Thriveworks Salem Counseling who are skilled in assessing and evaluating childhood behaviors will help give you peace of mind and get your child the help they need.

How Can Thriveworks Salem Child Therapy Help My Child?

The aim of Thriveworks Salem child therapy is to effect both cognitive and behavioral changes for the best outcomes and long term change. Our counselors use their experience, compassion and understanding to build a strong rapport with your child and create a safe, confidential environment in which to explore his or her feelings and learn the skills necessary for dealing with difficult situations.

If your child can recognize the stressors in their own life and understand the impact on health and behavior, then he or she can begin learning techniques to reduce stress, increase problem solving strategies, and integrate these lessons into their daily life. Call our office today to find out how our trained child counselors can help or to book a consultation.

Start a Relationship with a Child Therapist at Thriveworks Salem Counseling

Thriveworks Salem Counseling offers compassionate care for kids and teens. These young individuals need specialized care, provided by an experienced counselor who has skills and training specific to helping these individuals. Thriveworks Salem gets it. If you want to secure this compassionate care for your child or teen, just get in contact with our office. You can call or schedule an appointment right from our website.

We are committed to providing all of our clients with an overwhelmingly positive experience in counseling—even the young and the little ones! You can trust that we’ll go the extra mile to ensure that your child is finding health, happiness, and success in child therapy. This is our mission, and we are dedicated to seeing it through.

 

Child Therapy — TherapyLand™

Our Salem, MA office is a TherapyLand location: A positive, empowering place for kids to get the mental health care they deserve. Equipped with sandboxes, dollhouses, easels, puppets, blocks, basketball hoops, and other tools, our play therapy rooms are designed to help kids explore and express their emotions. Learn more about TherapyLand and how it could help your child.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Salem therapists and counselors accept 29 insurance plans

  • Aetna

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS Medicare Advantage (HMO | PPO)

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts | BCBS

  • Carelon

  • Cigna | Evernorth

  • Cigna | Evernorth EAP

  • Cigna | Evernorth Medicare Advantage

  • Compsych

  • Fallon Health

  • First Health Network

  • Harvard Pilgrim

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Self-pay costs at Salem
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

5.0 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
The therapist at Thriveworks ( Stephen Medina) is absolutely fantastic. He is very well educated and is able to get me to open up.
Read more The therapist at Thriveworks ( Stephen Medina) is absolutely fantastic. He is very well educated and is able to get me to open up.
Sharron Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Outstanding from first call to assigning me a therapist for my particular needs. I would recommend them to anyone. My therapist is top notch!
Read more Outstanding from first call to assigning me a therapist for my particular needs. I would recommend them to anyone. My therapist is top notch!
Sharron Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
My therapist, Stephen Medina is professional, caring, smart and is very good at gaining my trust. He is highly skilled in PTSD. I am starting to feel whole again.
Read more My therapist, Stephen Medina is professional, caring, smart and is very good at gaining my trust. He is highly skilled in PTSD. I am starting to feel whole again.
Sharron Feb 2024
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Celine is very compassionate and professional
Debra Dec 2023
Thriveworks.com verified review

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Salem is located in McIntire Historic District on Washington St. where it intersects with Lynde St. We share a building with MassHire North Shore Career Center - Salem, Koto Grill & Sushi, and other businesses.

Phone number

(978) 637-8213

Languages spoken by MA providers

  • English
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in ET

Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm

Shown in ET

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