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Child and Adolescent Therapy

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Young people today have a lot to cope with. On top of managing academics, family life, friends, and activities, many children have added pressures related to media use and fears for their future. We often see children and teens struggling with emotional expression, healthy communication, and decision making.

 

Our team has specialized training in working with children, teens, and families with a variety of concerns including:

 

We use compassionate and proven therapy techniques including:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

  • Parent Behavior Management Training

  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

  • Play Therapy

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Tailored Support for Every Stage

Play Therapy (Ages 5-8)

Play therapy is an evidence-based therapy approach that support emotional expression and processing for children. Just as adults use language to work through emotional experiences, children use play. Play therapy is often recommended for children who are processing difficult life events or struggling with anxiety, depression, or behavioral issues. Parents are always included either during sessions (family play therapy) or outside of the play therapy sessions. 

Individual Child Therapy (Ages 8-13)

Individual child therapy provides a space where children are guided to navigate emotions and build skills. Our therapists integrate evidence-based approaches and use age-appropriate techniques, incorporating conversation, activities, and direct skills teaching. Common interventions include cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy skills, and mindfulness approaches. Through this personalized approach, we empower each child to develop coping skills, build resilience, and foster a strong foundation for emotional well-being. Parents are often included through parent check-ins and family sessions.

Individual Teen Therapy (Ages 14-18)

Teen therapy closely resembles therapy for adults, consisting mainly of talk therapy and skills instruction. Our adolescent experts specialize in working on topics such as identity development, navigating social situations, media use concerns, LGBTQ+ topics, and life transitions. Most teens appreciate having a confidential space to explore the excitements and challenges of this vulnerable period in life.

Comprehensive Intake

From the outset of therapy, our intake process ensures that we understand your perspective, concerns, and goals for child/adolescent therapy. Depending on the age of the child/teen, we may meet with the parents first, the child first, or everybody together first. During the initial meeting, we explore various aspects of your child's development, emotional well-being, and family dynamics. From day one, we want to join you on your child's support team. 

Parent Involvement

Parent involvement is central to our therapy process, although it may look different depending on the age of the child. For young children, parent involvement is arguably the most crucial component of a child's therapy treatment plan. For older children and adolescents, we often provide therapy updates to parents but ask that parents respect the privacy of the therapy relationship. We always notify parents if there are any safety concerns.

Relationship Building

As child therapists, we know that we cannot help clients if we don't first build a strong therapeutic alliance with them. This is especially important for children and teens (and their parents), so we strive to make therapy a warm and welcoming space where all feel heard and valued. Our Denver child therapists have experience working with children of all ages, and many young clients actually end up feeling like therapy is fun and enjoyable!

Evidence-Based Approaches

At Panorama Psychology, we use evidence-based therapy approaches, meaning that your child's treatment will be backed by science and research. Our therapists incorporate proven methods that have been developed specifically for young children and their families. 

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

  • Parent Behavior Management Training

  • Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

  • Play Therapy

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We Get Teens

Our virtual and in-person adolescent therapists in Denver specialize in teen-specific issues:

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