Choosing a Therapist for Your Child

Choosing a therapist to work with your child can be hard. Finding someone who accepts your insurance, or any insurance, is the first hurdle. Then, finding a therapist who practices close by or is accepting new patients is another challenge. Making sure your child has a good connection with a therapist is crucial. Talking to a stranger can be quite an adjustment, especially for kids on the spectrum.

My child has several diagnoses. Anxiety is a symptom of each one. Anxiety leaves him feeling very challenged at school and home. Following rules and controlling his reactions can be very hard for him. 

We also have had major changes in our family. He is in a new school as well as a new town. To help him adjust to these changes, seeing a therapist was suggested. Our therapy goals include reducing school refusal, not running out of the classroom and not using foul language when he’s upset. 

By some stroke of luck, I found someone in town who accepted our insurance. This particular therapist also has deep experience with all of my son’s diagnoses. 

This therapist is a former school psychologist and the parent of a child with disabilities. This gives me confidence that he understands all sides of the issue. He also was a child who acted up in school. He knows what it feels like to feel frustrated and bored at school.

Will therapy help? I don’t know. It’s just one of the tools to use in possibly making the world more manageable for my son. He has been responsive to the questions and open to the games the therapist has offered. He has been very compliant, and he hasn’t refused any exercise. 

I’m hopeful we can get some insight on improving his ability to read social cues and manage impulsivity. My son still says he’s not going to go to therapy, but gets into the car and rides to the appointment. He is cheerful by the time we get there. Ultimately, I hope it helps him find inner calm and resilience! 

You can learn more about helping your child with mental health conditions.