Children and Teen Therapy | Portland, Oregon
Helping Kids and Teens Feel Safe, Understood, and Supported
Your Child Deserves More Than Just Coping. They Deserve Clarity and Connection.
If you’ve been Googling “find teenage therapists Portland” or “find children therapists Portland,” you’ve come to the right place.
If you’re looking for help with:
+ Reducing meltdowns and helping your child feel safe
+ Connecting with an ever distant teenager
+ Bullying and school challenges
+ New siblings or new family dynamics
Families come to us when they find themselves having trouble connecting and communicating with their littles and middles.
Oftentimes each individual in the family system feels unheard and conflict is persistent and cyclic, leading to an overall experience of stress that impacts the family members both at home and in other areas of their lives.
Change takes time and a commitment to altering the functioning of a family as a whole, and our team works to ease the stress that comes with difficult transitions by teaching families physiological calming skills and providing families with new communication techniques.
Our Child Therapists are
Specializing In
Teen Therapy | Portland, Oregon
For teens ages 13-17
Teens that come to our clinic will find an open and engaging environment to explore who they are and who they want to be in the world. Our team works with teens who are experiencing everything from adjustments to depression or anxiety to ever present mood changes. We encourage our teens to be curious and interactive in the therapy process as they seek ways to define their experiences and what they want out of life.
Child Therapy | Portland, Oregon
For children ages 3-12
Children will find an inviting space to explore their internal world here. Our team will approach your child from a play based modality, allowing your child to engage in the process in a way that meets their development needs and interests. We provide support from behavior concerns, to anxiety and depression to exploring what it means to be a friend. Your child will receive new tools and coping skills and the help to integrate these into their world.
“Toys are children’s words and play is their language” — Gary L. Landreth.
We are an inclusive clinic providing care and support to all communities and walks of life. We are affirming of LGBTQI+ members and strive to provide a safe space for children and teens to discuss and explore their questions and beliefs in this area and how this may be impacting their life.
Who is my child seeing?
Our therapists on the team each bring a different approach
Sean (ages 12-17) uses systems theory to understand the dynamics of each individual family that we work with and he works with each person within the family to understand their needs.
Alyssa (ages 3-12) works from an integrated approach, helping kids explore their inner world and how to best communicate with the outside world.
Parents, a reminder
You are a crucial piece in helping us understand your child’s/teen’s needs.
We will ask you about the behaviors you are concerned about, when they began, and in what context the behavior changes occurred in. We will communicate with you broadly about the symptoms your child/teen is experiencing in a way that does not violate their trust or privacy. We will also provide coaching on how to interact with your child/teen by teaching you about the science of mirror neurons, and how you can use your presence to influence the physiology of your child/teen’s body to help feel safe to open up and connect with you.
Occasionally it will be appropriate to work with the entire family system in a family counseling session. We will discuss this need when it arrises, and set boundaries for this work. We will also provide referrals for additional or different support when needed.
Teen and Play Therapy | Portland, Oregon
Getting Started with Child + Teen Therapy
Step One:
Fill out the contact form, here.
Step Two:
Our Intake Coordinator will contact you to verify insurance benefits, complete intake documents and gather payment information.
Step Three:
You’ll be matched with a therapist, and schedule your first session- in person or online. You can always request a specific therapist during intake!
Family Therapy | Portland, Oregon
Answering Your FAQs
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Therapy for adolescents can range anywhere from talk therapy utilizing narrative, CBT or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, DBT or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or mindfulness. Depending on the child’s maturity and interest level sometimes weaving art interventions or play-based strategies can be beneficial as well.
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Any child that has had ongoing scholastic, social, or behavioral challenges can benefit from counseling support. In addition, any child that is going through a difficult transition can benefit from therapy. Often times children express their emotions through behavior, so if your child has suddenly changed the way they are communicating or connecting with you or their peers or teachers, these are signs they likely need some extra support.
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There is not a “best” treatment for trauma, however the modalities our clinicians have in their tool kit will be drawn from based on the specific needs of each child/adolescent that comes to us for support. CBT, Narrative, DBT, Art, Play-based are all effective options that our team utilize.
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Finding the right therapist has a lot to do with how your child feels about the relationship they have and the connection they have with the therapist. It’s ok to interview a therapist and assess for best fit for your child. It’s important that your child feel comfortable with whomever they are working with and for them to have a voice in what feels helpful to them.
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Yes, 12 year olds can have mental health challenges. Middle school years are rich in developmental growth and changes that can be unique and challenging to a pre-teen. Our clinical team is well equipped to provide both assessment and treatment of symptoms from anxiety and depression to mood changes, in addition to supporting your pre-teen through social and academic challenges.
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Depending on the age of the child, this will impact the limits of confidentiality. In general we want children to feel they have a space that is their own to process their emotions and experiences, without worrying everything will be shared with their parents. We ask parents to respect this space for their child. We will always encourage children and youth to bring up important topics with parents/ guardians and will help facilitate this when needed. Confidentiality will be broken when one of the following is reported: There is a threat of harm or harm being done to a minor (your child included) or any other protected person. If your child has an active and accessible plan to commit suicide. If your child reports experiencing or witnessing Neglect, or abuse and some other unsafe situations where their safety is jeopardized. *important note regarding age of confidentiality in the state of Oregon. A mental health therapist is not required by law to disclose anything shared in the therapy setting by a adolescent age 14 and above, unless that adolescent is deemed to be in serious or imminent risk.
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It can be helpful to frame therapy as a place that is confidential and safe from judgement where the child/adolescent can discuss any topic they need some outside help with. This is a place where they can learn more about communicating with peers, parents, and siblings or bring up any goals they have and will receive support to work towards reaching them. It is impactful for some children to understand that therapists are special helpers, to help them explore their inside experiences and learn how to share them with others that care for them and want to connect with them.
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Play-based therapy incorporates many different forms of play and self expression. From Sandtray to drawing or painting, to pre-tend play and card games. Engaging in play-based therapy can help a child make sense of their own experiences, this can range from processing trauma, expanding self-expression, problem solving, learning to communicate effectively, releasing stress and managing anxiety.
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Our sessions range from $130-180 depending on length of session and specific clinician. Please see specific clinician bios for more information.
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Yes we offer both virtual and in person sessions in SW Portland. Our clinicians strongly prefer in person sessions for children 12 and under, and even for many teens. Please inquire with the specific clinicians to further discuss your child's needs and best fit for age and venue of therapy.
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We do not offer medication management in our center. We do however work side by side with medication providers in the community to help insure that our clients are getting the right medication for their needs.
