Mental health is a crucial part of a child’s overall health and profoundly impacts a child’s physical health and ability to succeed in school and society. The mental health of a child is as important as their physical health in affecting how they think, feel, and act, both internally and externally. Mental health issues can have long-term impacts on a child’s ability to fulfill their potential as an adolescent and as an adult. Child and Adolescent Counseling is critical in addressing these challenges, providing specialized support to help children and adolescents navigate the complexities of growing up.

The American Psychological Association (APA) estimates that 15 million children in the United States are currently experiencing some form of mental disorder, and many more are at risk of developing a mental disorder due to various risk factors, including biology and genetics, family, school, and community influences, and peer pressure. It is also estimated that only about 7 percent of these youths receive appropriate Child and Adolescent Counseling from professional mental health service providers. This lack of access underscores the importance of specialized counseling services tailored to the unique needs of children and adolescents.

Research in Child and Adolescent Counseling has led to significant advancements in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders in children and adolescents. Our professional staff is trained to consider the complete spectrum of a child’s or adolescent’s mental development, including identity, emotions, social relations, cognition, and biology and genetics. Child and Adolescent Counseling can help children and adolescents meet the challenges of growing up, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and a variety of emotional and behavioral issues. Therapy administered by a professional can also assist children and adolescents in overcoming the effects of significant life events, such as a death in the family, trauma, abuse, or parental separation, which can lead to problems with stress, mood, appetite, sleep, and issues at school or home. Other factors that may indicate a child or adolescent could benefit from Child and Adolescent Counseling include developmental delays, learning disabilities, behavioral issues, a significant downturn in academic performance, withdrawal from friends or family, mood swings, insomnia, bullying, signs of alcoholism or drug abuse, and sudden changes in appetite or eating habits, especially in adolescents.