Services · Child & adolescent therapy

Child and adolescent therapy in Richmond, VA

Children and teenagers rarely announce what is wrong. It arrives as a stomach ache before school, a slipping report card, a temper that comes from nowhere, or a bedroom door that stays shut. Child and adolescent therapy gives a young person one adult outside the family whose whole job is to listen. We see children under 12 and teenagers in Richmond, VA, at our Staples Mill Road office and by video.

Most major insurance plans accepted. Check your coverage →

Supportive care for child and adolescent therapy at The Westwood Group in Richmond, VA

One adult outside the family, on their side.

Younger children work things out by playing. Teenagers want to be taken seriously rather than managed. Both start in the same place, with a clinician who is theirs.

Who it is for
Children under 12 and teens 12 to 17
Formats
In-person & telehealth
Parents
Involved throughout
Fees
$175 a session, $200 intake
Who it helps

Is this what you are looking for?

It is not always easy to tell an ordinary rough patch from something that needs help. These are the reasons families call us.

  • Your child is too young to sit and talk a problem through
  • Grades are slipping, or school mornings have become a fight
  • Withdrawing from friends, family, or the things they used to enjoy
  • Big swings in mood, irritability, or anger
  • Changes in sleep or eating
  • Something hard happened at home and they will not discuss it
  • A pediatrician, a teacher or a school counselor suggested therapy
  • Any talk of hopelessness or self-harm

You don’t need to check every box. If a few of these feel familiar, get in touch.

How we treat child and adolescent therapy

How the work actually goes.

Your clinician shapes this around your goals, your history and your pace. These are the approaches they draw on.

Play therapy for younger children

Young children work things out by playing, so that is where the session goes: with toys, with drawing, with pretend. The therapist follows your child’s lead and watches for what keeps coming back, because that is usually the thing. Brandy Hart, LCSW is the clinician here trained in this way of working.

Talk therapy for teenagers

Teens open up to someone who treats them as a person rather than a problem to be managed. Sessions are confidential within the limits of safety, which is a large part of what makes them worth turning up to.

Parent guidance

You are part of this. We meet with you along the way to talk about what we are seeing, what it may mean, and what tends to help at home between sessions, without breaking your child’s trust.

Care that keeps up with your child

Play carries most of the work with younger children and gives way to talking as they grow. Several of our clinicians see children, teens and adults, so a young person can stay with the same therapist instead of starting again with a stranger.

What to expect

Here’s what to expect.

  1. Reach out

    Call 804-264-0966 and our front desk will help match you with the right clinician, usually in a single phone call. Check with your insurer separately to confirm that clinician is in network.

  2. Your first session

    A relaxed, conversational meeting about what brings you in, what you’ve tried, and what you’re hoping for. You won’t be judged, and there’s no pressure to have it all figured out.

  3. Ongoing care

    Most clients start weekly, then taper as things improve. You and your clinician set the goals and revisit them together.

Our clinicians

Clinicians who offer child and adolescent therapy.

Each of these clinicians offers child and adolescent therapy. Browse profiles to find the right fit, or let our front desk help you choose.

See all 14 providers →
Common questions

Child & adolescent therapy, answered.

Still have a question? Call 804-264-0966 . Our front desk is glad to help.

What ages do you see?

Children under 12 and teenagers 12 to 17, and most of our clinicians go on seeing young adults after that. Not everyone here works with every age, so call 804-264-0966 and we will point you to the clinicians who see children your child’s age.

My teenager does not want to come. What do we do?

That is common, and it is not a reason to wait. A first session with no pressure to fix anything lowers the resistance more often than not. Call us and we will help you put it to them in a way that lands.

Will you tell me what my teenager says?

Teens need a confidential space to be honest, so we do not report sessions back to you line by line. Anything involving safety we always share, and we will guide you on how to support them.

What happens in a session with a young child?

The therapist follows your child’s lead rather than arriving with an agenda, so the session is spent playing: with toys, with drawing, with whatever your child picks up. Play is how young children sort through things they cannot yet put into words. The therapist watches for what repeats and shapes the work around it.

Do I stay in the room with my child?

It depends on your child’s age and on what brought you in. Sometimes a parent is in the room and part of the play, sometimes the child is seen alone and you meet with the therapist separately. Your child’s therapist will talk it through with you at the first appointment.

What does it cost, and will insurance cover it?

The first appointment is an intake evaluation at $200, and sessions after that are $175. We cannot check your benefits for you, so call the number on your insurance card and ask whether the clinician you want is in network and how your plan covers outpatient therapy for a child.

Ready to talk to someone?

We’re accepting new clients now. Reach out today and we’ll help you take the first step, usually within a week or two.

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