Find a child therapist
Worried about your child's mood, behavior or a hard change at home or school? Tell FindSupport your child's age and what you're seeing, and we'll match you with licensed therapists who work with children and teens.
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Therapy by the numbers
Based on 2748 licensed therapists across the United States · Updated July 2026
Specialization breakdown
Online vs. in-person therapy
Compare the two formats to find what works best for you
| Aspect | Online | In-Person |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience | Sessions from home, no commute | Dedicated space away from daily life |
| Cost | Usually similar rates, no travel costs | Standard rates, plus travel time |
| Scheduling | More flexible, evenings/weekends | Standard office hours |
| Privacy | Private from your own space | Confidential office setting |
| Effectiveness | Equally effective for most conditions | Gold standard, all conditions |
| Best for | Anxiety, depression, stress, coaching | Complex trauma, severe conditions, children |
| Technology | Requires stable internet + camera | No technology needed |
| Accessibility | Anywhere in the therapist's licensed state(s) | Limited to local area |
What to expect from therapy
Parent consultation
The therapist will meet with parents first to understand the child's history, current concerns, and family dynamics. This helps create a safe, informed treatment plan.
Building rapport
The first few sessions focus on building trust with your child through play, art, or conversation — depending on their age. Children need to feel safe before they can open up.
Age-appropriate methods
Younger children (3-8) often work through play therapy. Older children and teens may use talk therapy, CBT, or creative expression. The approach matches your child's developmental stage.
Parent involvement
Parents are typically involved in the process — through regular updates, family sessions, or learning strategies to support their child at home.
Why FindSupport, not a directory
Traditional directories list everyone. We match you with the right one.
AI-powered matching, not endless scrolling
Traditional directories show you hundreds of profiles and leave you to figure it out. FindSupport asks what you're going through and matches you with therapists who specialize in exactly that.
Comparable profiles, not just names
Profiles are built from public professional listings — license type, specialties, session formats and insurance where the therapist lists them — so you can compare like for like and confirm details directly.
Matches on what matters to you
Matching weighs what you tell us — your concern, location, language, insurance and budget, online or in person — against what each therapist lists, not just proximity.
From search to contact in minutes
Instead of bookmarking profiles and comparing them later, you can describe your situation, see your matches, and reach out — all in one conversation.
Signs a child or teen might benefit from therapy
Children rarely say they need therapy. Parents usually notice changes instead: worries or tantrums that are bigger or longer than other children's of the same age, trouble sleeping, refusing school, pulling away from friends, a shift in behavior after a move, divorce or loss, or teachers raising concerns. Teenagers may show it through irritability, withdrawal, slipping grades or risky behavior.
A child therapist or counselor can help sort out what is typical development and what needs support. Your pediatrician is a useful first stop too: they can rule out medical causes and often know child therapists nearby.
How child therapists and counselors work with kids and teens
The approach depends on age. Play therapy lets younger children work through feelings with toys, drawing and stories. Behavioral therapy for children often works through the parents: parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) and other parent-training programs coach parents directly and are often used for behavior problems in young children. CBT adapted for children and teens is widely used for anxiety and low mood, and trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) was developed for children who have been through frightening events.
With teenagers, sessions look more like adult talk therapy. The therapist will usually agree ground rules at the start about what stays between them and your teen, and what gets shared with you.
What happens at a child's first appointments
The first appointment is often with parents alone, or parents first and then the child. Expect questions about development, family, school and what has changed. With younger children the early sessions may look like play, and that is the work. The therapist should also say how involved you will be: parent sessions are a regular part of child therapy, not an extra.
Age drives the format here more than preference does. Younger children work through play, drawing and physical materials, which needs a room; from roughly the teenage years video often works well, and teenagers sometimes open up more from their own space. Parent sessions can usually be remote either way.
What to ask a child therapist before the first visit
Ask what ages they usually see and how they involve parents. Ask how they handle confidentiality with a teenager: what they will share with you, and when. If your child has had an ADHD, autism or learning evaluation, ask whether they have worked with children with that profile. And if your child is old enough, ask them how the first meeting felt. Their comfort counts.
Ask whether parent-only sessions are billed at the same rate, whether school meetings or letters cost extra, and whether the therapist is in-network with your child's plan. The school counselor may also be able to offer some support at no cost. FindSupport doesn't handle insurance, so confirm coverage with the practice and your plan.
Child therapy in FindSupport's listings
Across the 120 cities where FindSupport has local listings, about 107 of 1759 profiles (6%) say they work with children. Many profiles don't say who they see, so treat that as a floor and ask if a profile is silent on it.
By city, the most profiles that say they work with children are in Bethesda, MD (7 of 27), Boulder, CO (4 of 31), and Boise, ID (4 of 40). In all, 66 cities have at least one, and each city has its own child therapy page with the local listings.
Only about 6% of profiles nationwide say they offer online sessions, so if you'd like child therapy by video, check each profile or ask. Our city guides put typical fees between $70 and $300 a session, depending mostly on the city.
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Find child therapy help now →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a good child therapist?
Start with your child's age and what you're noticing at home and at school. FindSupport shows licensed therapists and counselors whose profiles say they work with children or teens. Ask each one which ages they see most and how they involve parents before you book.
Is online child therapy effective?
For teenagers, yes, and many prefer it. For younger children it depends on the work — play-based therapy generally needs a room, while parent coaching and follow-up sessions do fine over video.
How much does child therapy cost?
Sessions generally run $80–$300. Ask specifically how parent sessions are billed: some practices include them, others charge separately, and that changes the real monthly cost. School reports or assessments are usually priced on their own.
How long does child therapy take?
Children's therapy is often measured in terms rather than sessions, partly because progress is checked against how things are going at school and at home. Many families see change within a few months; work involving the whole family usually runs longer.
Can my child see a therapist without me in the room?
Usually, yes, especially from school age. Younger children may have a parent nearby or join for part of the session; teenagers usually meet alone, with the therapist agreeing up front what will be shared with parents. Therapists generally tell parents about serious safety concerns.
Do we need a child psychologist, or will a therapist or counselor do?
For most worries about mood, behavior, anxiety or a hard change, any licensed clinician who works with children can help: licensed counselors, clinical social workers and marriage and family therapists all provide child therapy. Psychologists can also do formal testing, so look for one if you need an evaluation for ADHD, autism or a learning difference. A child psychiatrist is the one to see if medication may be part of the picture.
How do I explain therapy to my child?
Keep it short, honest and pitched to their age: a therapist is someone whose job is helping kids with feelings and worries, and lots of children see one. Avoid presenting it as a punishment. Teenagers often respond better when they have a say in who they see.
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