Counseling for Children

Well, let’s dismiss some myths first. Counseling is not a chat with a paid friend (though you may come to quite enjoy the conversation). Therapy is not getting advice like you would expect from a lawyer. 

Counseling (at least the way we do things) works by helping you discover how your thoughts, emotions, and actions dance together in your mind. 

When placed next to your lived experience, sometimes these three interplay in ways that fix your mind on sad or hurt or scared or stressed. At other times, these three interplay in ways that give you flexibility that is effective in navigating circumstances and relationships. 

When we see ineffective patterns, we work to alter those patterns so that the different parts of your mind work together. That process is sometimes called integration. When your mind is working as it should, you will likely notice that emotions calm and new solutions to old problems can present themselves.

When working with teens in counseling, two things are in tension: the teen’s need for privacy that allows for honesty about things they may feel guilty for even thinking and (2) the parent’s need to work cooperatively (and not at odds) with the process.

To resolve this tension, we promise teens that we will not share detailed information about what they say (unless it involves their safety).

We promise parents that we will keep you informed of (1) goals, (2) progress, and (3) what you can do to be helpful at home. We recommend parents take every 7th session as a parent session for this purpose. This parent session also is a way to provide feedback to your teen’s therapist about what is changing (good or bad).

Every person’s experience is different. Some reach their goals in just a handful of weeks. Others face more complex or ongoing problems that require more time. That said, the most common time frame for those who work with us is between 12 and 24 sessions. This usually starts with weekly meetings and tapers to every other week later on. Ask your therapist what’s right for you.

Chad Patterson, LCSW - $160 per session. 

Cameron Tuggle, LPC-A - $125

We do not bill insurance directly. Many policies allow you to file for out-of-network benefits using a superbill automatically generated each month. Please contact your insurance provider to see if you have this benefit. 

As time is reserved exclusively for you by our therapists, we require a 48-hour notice to cancel a session. Exceptions to this policy are considered on a case-by-case basis

Yes! We encourage you to book a FREE 20-minute consultation with the therapist you want to work with. In that call, you can discuss what brings you to therapy, what you hope to get out of therapy, and how your new therapist can help you.

We look for two things to change. First, you will take various assessments meant to gauge how many symptoms you experience and at what severity. Over time, we expect the scoring on these assessments to improve. Second, we will talk about what things you cannot do now that you want to be able to do later. As therapy progresses, you will likely notice improvement here too. So over time, your assessment scores get better and your ability to do stuff (that is, your ability to function) gets better too.

Yes, it is normal to be nervous. Reaching out to your new therapist fills many with a strange sense of vulnerability. We know how hard that first call can be (because we’ve made that call for ourselves at one time or another), and we want to make it as easy for you as possible. 

We promise that we are not analyzing you or judging you. We promise we can’t “see into your soul.” 

We can work with you over time to discover your strengths and your unique dance with thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

Your first session will start either by meeting in our office or logging onto a secure, private, and online meeting room. 

If in person, you’ll have a code to get into the front door. There is a quiet waiting area with water and Jolly Ranchers for you to enjoy. 

When your appointment time comes, your therapist will bring you back to a quiet, comfortable room. 

In our first conversation together, your therapist’s primary goal is to get to know you better and start a partnership. You are a unique and amazing person, and we refuse to make assumptions about you or your experience. 

We’ll also give you the opportunity to ask us anything. 

We are also likely to propose a direction for moving forward and see how that sounds to you. 

Many clients report feeling a sense of relief and hope when that first hour has passed. We hope you will, too.

Probably. Much of the work of therapy happens outside the counseling room. This is usually a request for you to complete a form or take an action each day. A typical assignment takes about 5 to 10 minutes per day. This doubles the amount of time each week you are setting aside to feel better (from one hour in session to 2 hours total). Research in CBT and CPT shows that doing homework improves your results.

No. But we know some folks we trust if you need medication. We will work with you regardless.

You can cry. (I did when I went to therapy). You don’t have to cry. Not everyone does. Sometimes counseling surfaces big emotions because your nervous system recognizes that you are at long last in a safe enough place to actually let them be there. No matter how you express your emotions, know you won’t be judged for it.

When your goals are met, you’ll have some choices. Some taper to monthly or even semi-quarterly meetings. Others ask to go to an “as needed” status, whereby they are no longer making regular appointments but maintain client status for a time (this option is time-limited and requires your therapist's approval). Some ask to be discharged. 

The ultimate goal is not to be dependent on your counselor but to learn how to practice resilience skills on your own.  We’re not here to make you a forever client. We are here to be a support and help as long as you need us.