Child therapy
Compassionate Mental Health Support for Children at Light Within Counseling
Child therapy provides a safe and nurturing space where young children can express their emotions, learn healthy coping skills, and build confidence during their formative years. At Light Within Counseling, our group practice specializes in helping children ages 6-12 navigate the challenges of growing up, from managing big feelings to developing resilience in the face of life’s changes.
Childhood is a time of rapid growth and discovery, but it can also bring unique struggles. You may notice your child experiencing mood swings, withdrawing from activities they once enjoyed, or having difficulty at school or with friends. Perhaps they’re dealing with anxiety, displaying behavioral challenges, or struggling to process a significant life change like divorce, loss, or a move. These signs often indicate that your child could benefit from professional support.
Child therapy at our Roseville, CA office gives children the tools they need to understand their emotions, communicate their needs, and develop the skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Our team of compassionate therapists creates a warm, judgment-free environment where children feel heard, valued, and empowered to grow.
Why Children Benefit from Therapy
Many parents wonder if therapy is right for their child. The truth is that therapy can be transformative during childhood, providing support during both everyday challenges and more significant struggles. Children who participate in therapy often develop:
Emotional Intelligence and Regulation: Young children are still learning to identify and name their feelings. Therapy helps them understand what they’re experiencing and gives them age-appropriate strategies to manage emotions like frustration, sadness, or worry.
Improved Communication Skills: Many children struggle to articulate what’s bothering them. Through play therapy and other child-centered approaches, we help kids express themselves in ways that feel natural and comfortable.
Stronger Relationships: Therapy can improve how children interact with family members, teachers, and peers. We work on social skills, empathy, and healthy conflict resolution.
Confidence and Self-Esteem: Children who feel understood and supported develop a stronger sense of self-worth. We celebrate their strengths while gently addressing areas where they need additional support.
Healthy Coping Strategies: Instead of acting out or shutting down, children learn constructive ways to handle stress, disappointment, and change.
Signs Your Child May Need Therapy
Every child experiences challenges, but certain signs may indicate that professional support would be beneficial:
- Persistent anxiety or excessive worrying about everyday situations
- Frequent tantrums, aggression, or difficulty controlling anger beyond what’s developmentally typical
- Withdrawal from friends, family, or activities they previously enjoyed
- Changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Declining academic performance or school refusal
- Difficulty concentrating or sitting still
- Expressing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or low self-worth
- Experiencing trauma symptoms following a difficult event
- Struggles with major life transitions
- Behavioral issues at home or school
If you’re noticing any of these patterns in your child, reaching out for professional guidance is a sign of strength, not weakness. Early intervention can prevent small challenges from becoming bigger problems down the road.
Our Approach to Child Therapy
At Light Within Counseling, we understand that children aren’t just small adults—they need therapeutic approaches designed specifically for their developmental stage. Our associates particularly enjoy working with children and have specialized training in evidence-based, child-centered modalities.
Play Therapy: For many children, play is their natural language. Play therapy allows children to process experiences, work through emotions, and develop problem-solving skills in a way that feels comfortable and engaging. Through creative activities, games, and expressive arts, we help children make sense of their world.
Family Involvement: We take a systemic approach to working with children, recognizing that family dynamics play a crucial role in a child’s well-being. We may incorporate family therapy sessions or provide parenting support to ensure everyone has the tools to support your child’s growth. Parents are partners in the therapeutic process, and we’ll communicate regularly about progress and strategies you can use at home.
Evidence-Based Treatment: Depending on your child’s needs, we may utilize approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) adapted for children, trauma-focused interventions, or anxiety management techniques. For children dealing with OCD symptoms, we offer specialized Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy tailored to younger clients.
Trauma-Informed Care: If your child has experienced trauma, we provide gentle, effective treatment using modalities like EMDR and Brainspotting. These approaches help children process difficult experiences without having to repeatedly talk about what happened.
What We Treat
Our team has advanced training in working with children facing various challenges:
- Anxiety: From separation anxiety to generalized worry, social fears, and phobias
- OCD: Obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors that interfere with daily life
- Trauma: Processing abuse, neglect, accidents, medical procedures, or witnessing violence
- Grief: Coping with the loss of a loved one, pet, or other significant losses
- Depression: Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or lack of interest in activities
- Behavioral Challenges: Aggression, defiance, or difficulty following rules
- Life Transitions: Adjusting to divorce, new siblings, moves, or school changes
- Social Difficulties: Trouble making or keeping friends, bullying, or peer conflicts
Getting Started: What to Expect
We know that reaching out for help for your child is a big step, and we’re here to make the process as smooth and supportive as possible. You can self-schedule directly with one of our therapists through our online scheduling system, or you can call, text, email, or fill out our contact form. Our coordinator will help match your child with a therapist who is the right fit for their needs and personality.
Before your first session, you’ll complete some online paperwork, including informed consent and background information that helps us understand your child’s history and current concerns.
The First Session: Your child’s intake session is designed to build rapport and gather information. For younger children, we typically meet with parents first or for part of the session to hear your perspective. We’ll explore what’s bringing you in, learn about your child’s strengths and challenges, and begin to identify goals for therapy. We create a warm, non-judgmental environment where both you and your child feel comfortable sharing.
Ongoing Care: Once therapy is established, sessions become more focused and goal-oriented. Your child’s therapist will create a personalized treatment plan using evidence-based approaches tailored to their age and needs. We don’t believe in surface-level solutions—our goal is to help your child develop deep, lasting skills for emotional health and resilience.
Sessions are structured yet flexible, always responsive to what your child needs that day. We’ll check in regularly with you about progress, celebrate growth, and adjust goals as your child develops. You can count on us to be compassionate, honest, and fully committed to your child’s healing and success.
Serving Roseville and Surrounding Communities
Light Within Counseling provides in-person child therapy at our office in Roseville, CA, conveniently located near Granite Bay, Rocklin, Loomis, and Lincoln. Our welcoming office space is designed to help children feel comfortable and at ease.
Why Families Choose Light Within Counseling
Parents throughout the Roseville area trust us with their children’s mental health for several important reasons. Our team consists of younger therapists, mostly in their 30s, who bring fresh perspectives combined with advanced training in evidence-based treatments. We’re relatable, down-to-earth, and skilled at connecting with children in ways that feel natural and comfortable.
We’re not a treatment center—we’re a therapy office focused on providing personalized, compassionate outpatient care. We genuinely care about your family’s well-being and take the time to fully understand your child’s unique situation. Every treatment plan is crafted specifically for your child, because we know that cookie-cutter approaches don’t work.
Our team has specialized expertise in treating childhood anxiety disorders and trauma, using highly effective approaches to help children find relief and build the skills they need to thrive. We believe therapy doesn’t have to feel intimidating—for children or parents. We’re here to support your family in a way that feels empowering and hopeful.
Insurance and Scheduling
Light Within Counseling works with out-of-network benefits, and our team can help you understand your coverage. For specific questions about pricing and scheduling, we encourage you to reach out to our office directly. We’re happy to answer any questions and help you take the next step toward supporting your child’s emotional well-being.
Light Within Counseling
970 Reserve Drive, Roseville, California 95678, United States
Info@lightwithinlmft.org