Counseling for Children
That Partners With You
Providing gentle guidance to help your child navigate big emotions while offering your family support to grow together.
We offer in-person therapy at our Cedar Park office, conveniently located to serve clients from North Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Georgetown, and Liberty Hill.
Right Place
Serving Williamson County and Northwest Austin
Right Time
Monday through Friday after school session times.
Right Now
We’re ready to start when you are!
When Did Your Little One Realize the World Could Feel So Big and Scary?
Do any of these sound familiar?
Your child clings to you more than usual, or pulls away and hides in their room.
Tantrums or meltdowns happen over small things, leaving everyone exhausted.
They struggle with sleep—nightmares, bedtime battles, difficulty sleeping in their own bed, or waking up anxious.
School feels like a battleground: trouble focusing, making friends, handling changes, or frequent calls from the school about their behavior.
Your child feels different from other kids and frequently talks down to themselves.
Big changes like a move, loss, or family shifts have left them withdrawn or acting out.
Life throws curveballs at kids too—whether it's a single tough moment or ongoing stresses that build up. Their little brains are still wiring how to handle emotions, and when overwhelm hits, it shows in their body (tension, tummy aches), thoughts (racing worries), and actions (outbursts or shutdowns). As a parent, you feel the weight: sleepless nights wondering if you're doing enough, tension in the family, and that ache of wanting to fix it but not knowing how.
You're not alone—many families face this, and it's a sign of your child's strength that they're signaling for help.
We can help your family.
Your child can learn to understand their feelings, build coping tools, and bounce back stronger— all in a fun, playful way that feels like an adventure, not "work." We'll guide them to let go of unhelpful habits, face challenges with courage, and rediscover their spark. And we'll partner with you, so you gain insights to support them at home, reduce family stress, and bring back those moments of laughter and ease.
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Did your child experience a scary or distressing event in their lives? We use a trauma-informed approach to help your child feel safe and gently work through the trauma so that they can be their best selves. Some of the approaches I use include play therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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We can help your child to grieve through play, art or stories. Grieving this loss doesn’t mean that you will forget that person. Instead, you will remain connected to your loved one as your child and your family honor what’s lost, find comfort and move forward with hope.
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New school, family changes, or growing pains can feel huge. We equip them with tools to adapt, build resilience, and thrive amid change.
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Easily frustrated or blowing up over changes, transitions or not getting their way. We can uncover the roots of their anger and then teach tools such as increasing their frustration tolerance, being more flexible or accepting no.
Yeah, we’ve worked with that.
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Did your child experience a scary or distressing event in their lives? I use a trauma-informed approach to help your child feel safe and gently work through the trauma so that they can be their best selves. Some of the approaches I use include play therapy, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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Bedtime battles or restless nights? We'll uncover causes and teach simple routines for peaceful rest, so everyone wakes refreshed.
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Is your child struggling with social skills or feeling bored or overwhelmed at school? We use a neuroaffirming, sensory friendly approach to help your child express themselves, feel more confident and happy, and have tools to navigate school and social situations. Our team has worked in school setting and have seen many parents of neurodivergent kids who feel exhausted or frustrated with the school system. We are here to encourage and support you too.
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Siblings fighting over things not feeling fair, age or personality differences. With siblings, I will help them to figure out the situations that cause the fights and then help them find solutions. This could include adjusting their expectations, realizing their role in the fights, not just their siblings, or tools to manage their anger or jealousy.
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Avoiding situations, crying and stomachaches? We can help them to face their fears, feel better and be more confident without overwhelming them.
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Focus issues, homework drama, or social struggles? We teach strategies for success, self-advocacy, and confidence in learning.
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When screens become an escape or battle. We guide balanced habits, address underlying needs, and foster real-world connections.
Our Process
Getting to safety
In the beginning, we focus on helping your child to feel safe and to earn their trust. This can take 1-6 sessions, but it can vary based on what your child has experienced in life so far.
Release
Next, your child will explore the playroom and start expressing themselves through their play. We can also begin detecting themes which tell us more about what they are working through and areas where support is needed.
Working It Out
In this stage, your child will start problem-solving, practicing new coping skills and managing their emotions. They will be able to better manage and respond to the problem that they struggled with in the past. You may notice this growth at home, in school, or with their friends.
Wrapping Up
As the child consistently demonstrates new skills and emotional stability, therapy winds down. Termination is planned collaboratively, often with a gradual reduction in sessions and a celebratory goodbye ritual to honor the journey. Parents usually report sustained positive changes, and the child leaves feeling empowered.
Schedule a free 20 minute consultation or your introductory session.
You’re child’s withdrawl, defiance, outbursts, and threats are not going to get better on their own. And there’s truly only so much they can say to you, the adult with the power to punish and the need to protect. You both need a no-judgment zone where the power of truth can set them free to become (and you free to return to joy and fun again).
Free 20 Minute Consultation Available
Lydia Royer, LCSW
Immediate availability for new clients. $150/session.
Lydia Royer is passionate about working with children and families and has over seven years of experience working with school problems, behavioral challenges, anxiety, trauma, ADHD and much more.
She has worked as a school-based therapist and in special education, which has given her unique insight into the special education process and tools to help students and their parents navigate this system.
Her approach is trauma-informed, neuroaffirming, encouraging and insightful. She utilizes play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and parent coaching to help children and their families meet their goals.
She wants children and their families to feel supported and empowered too.
Free 20 Minute Consultation Available
Ethan Patterson, LPC-Associate
Supervised by Katrina Fairchild, LPC-S
Immediate availability for new clients. $125/session.
Ethan works with children and families. He has been working in mental health since 2023, and has experience working with children and adults in education and justice settings.
Ethan’s talent for working with children and neurodivergent kids emerged in non-clinical settings as a swim instructor and child care worker.
Ethan uses play therapy and person-centered approaches to help children process overwhelm and learn skills to productively use emotions.
Ethan is available Monday to Thursday 1 pm to 8 pm. Read Ethan’s full bio here.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Play therapy provides a safe, child-friendly space where your child can express big feelings, experiences, and worries they may not yet have the words for.
Through toys, games, art, and pretend play in our dedicated playroom, children naturally process emotions, rehearse new skills, and work through challenges.
Sessions feel like playtime to them, yet they create meaningful growth. We also partner with you as the parent so you can support these changes at home.
Over time, many families notice calmer emotions, fewer outbursts or withdrawals, better sleep, and stronger confidence in their child.
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We believe parents are essential partners in your child’s healing journey.
Your process begins with a parent-only initial session (often virtual), where we listen carefully to your concerns, family story, and goals. This helps us create a clear plan tailored to your child.
After each play therapy session, we normally check in with you to share insights into what we observed, progress made, and practical ways you can support your child at home.
We also schedule additional parent-only sessions when needed to equip understanding.
By working closely together, you can reinforce the growth happening in the playroom and help your child experience lasting, positive change.
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Every child’s needs are unique. Some children show meaningful progress in just a few weeks, while others with more complex challenges may benefit from longer support.
In general, many families work with us for between 16 to 24 sessions, often starting weekly and then spacing out as your child gains skills and confidence.
Play therapy sessions are typically 45–50 minutes, with regular parent check-ins so you stay closely involved.
Our focus is steady, lasting growth rather than rushing the process.
We regularly review progress with you and adjust the plan so therapy ends when your child is thriving and you feel equipped to support them at home.
We’ll partner with you every step of the way to help your child experience meaningful, positive change.
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Lydia Royer, LCSW is $150/session.
Ethan Patterson, LPC-Associate is $125/session.
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.
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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 your child to therapy, what chnges you hope to experience.
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You will typically notice positive changes in your child’s everyday life.
Many parents report fewer emotional outbursts, reduced anxiety or withdrawal, better sleep, and improved relationships at home and school.
Your child may begin expressing feelings more openly, show greater confidence, and demonstrate stronger problem-solving skills.
During our regular parent check-ins, we’ll share specific observations from the playroom and help you recognize meaningful progress.
We also track goals together so you have clear markers along the way.
Every child is different, but when therapy is working, you’ll see your child becoming calmer, more resilient, and more like their true self again.
We partner with you closely so you feel confident about the progress and know when your child is ready to thrive independently.
In Person
We offer counseling for children in person in Cedar Park, at our office easily accessible to Round Rock, Liberty Hill, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Leander, and North Austin.
Our offices are located at 507 Denali Pass, Suite 101