Individual Therapy for Children and Teens

The first order of business in child therapy is to help our clients feel comfortable. No child or teenager will be open unless she feels safe and secure and knows she is well liked and cared for. Therapists at Chicago Counseling Services are expert in helping kids feel comfortable. We will build this positive relationship with you and your child however necessary - whether that be through playing together, talking about your child's favorite games or music, or jumping right into the problem areas. Our therapists are versatile and flexible to meet your family where you are at.

While developing the therapeutic relationship, counselors are also working toward understanding the nature of the problem that has brought you in for child therapy. We will inquire about your child's behavior at home and at school, sleep, appetite, and social and family relationships. Perhaps most importantly, counselors will seek to gain insight how your child understands herself and the world. Often children have negative beliefs about themselves such as "I'm not good enough." Beliefs like this can not only be painful and create anxiety, but lead to disruptive or withdrawn behavior.

After gaining a sense of the problem, we will work with your child to overcome her fears and anxieties, change her negative beliefs, and to increase self-esteem. Through the accepting counseling relationship and our therapists' expertise, your child will learn new ways to navigate her world more effectively.

There are many reasons to seek out child therapy . Below is a list of some of the most common:

  • Bullying
  • Isolation or difficulty making friends
  • Coping with divorce or family discord
  • Impulsivity
  • Difficulty managing emotions
  • Abuse history
  • Drug or alcohol problems
  • Self-injury
  • Low self-esteem
  • Adjusting to a new sibling, school, or other change
  • Whatever your reason for seeking child therapy, we are interested and eager to meet with you to see if we can help. Below are our clinicians the work with children and teens.

    Claudia Ángel, LCPC

    773.345.8330 x228

    cangel@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Dominique Barnes-Walker, PhD

    773.345.8330 x223

    dbarneswalker@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Sarah Cheung, LPC

    773.345.8330 x234

    slim@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Anabel Martinez, LCPC

    773.345.8330 x232

    amartinez@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Chantelle Miller, MA

    773.345.8330 x239

    cmiller@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Darnell Motley, PhD

    773.345.8330 x226

    dmotley@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Crystal Ortiz, LPC

    773.345.8330 x237

    cortiz@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Sivan Schneider, PsyD

    773.345.8330 x224

    sschneider@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Elena Vertti, LCSW

    773.345.8330 x230

    evertti@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Sadaka Whitehead-Smith, LCPC

    773.345.8330 x242

    ssmith@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Daniela Zermeno, LPC

    773.345.8330 x240

    dzermeno@chicagocounselingservices.com

    Call for your free 15 minute phone consultation 773.345.8330