Our counselors provide therapy for children and teens in West Bloomfield, MI

Riley: My initial approach to child therapy is based on connection. Therapy should feel as pleasant as possible for kids who are usually stepping into a new experience. I find benefit in showing genuine interest and compassion up front to represent what we are doing in therapy. Kids are often dismissed and their lives thought of as simple—showing that I do not see it that way is a good first step.

Carri: My go-to approach for helping kids in child therapy is helping them understand and express their feelings. I enjoy helping develop their sense of individual identity, and I encourage parental involvement to develop a family plan to address the identified need.

Riley: In child therapy, the tools I teach are very dependent on age. Broadly speaking, these tools involve understanding how and why things happen, providing insight to better grasp the dynamics of their own situation, and teaching mindfulness to better manage the realities of daily life.

Carri: I encourage identity exploration that includes awareness of others as well. I reinforce personal responsibility to address negative behaviors. I focus on self-control and mindfulness.

Riley: I look for indicators of meaningful progress in children in sessions and based on reports of child and parent for out of sessions. When children engage with concepts in sessions and are able to make connections to larger life contexts, I know that they are making progress.

Carri: I know a client is making meaningful progress in child therapy when behavioral concerns are reduced or eliminated. I also look for a positive sense of self-awareness.

Riley: Clients can supplement therapy by looking for opportunities to connect concepts in sessions to life outside of therapy. Context is a difficult part of any person's therapy process, and remaining mindful of the potential for out-of-session application is very helpful.

Carri: Clients can supplement their time in child therapy by following the agreed-upon schedule that includes school, chores, downtime, and sleep.

Riley: For beginning child therapy, I think kids should be given as much information as possible—who they will see, what to expect, and why this is a good idea. Therapy can often (for adults and children) feel like a place to “fix a problem,” and I prefer people to engage with therapy as a place to learn and heal.

Carri: To prepare for their first child therapy session, a child can be told that they are attending therapy to get help for them so they can feel better. A parent should attend the initial session.