If you believe your child needs a therapist, the best place to start is by speaking with their pediatrician or school counselor.  These professionals are well connected to community resources, and will have a refined list based on the experiences of other families they have worked with.  Additionally, you could start with a provider search through your health insurance company, and then find what you can about each provider online to determine the best fit.

One of the most important factors in finding the right therapist is how connected and comfortable your child feels with them.  I encourage parents to include their children in this process (at an age appropriate level, of course) as it helps to get them engaged in therapy early on.  Would they be more comfortable with a male or female therapist?  Would they prefer someone older or younger? 

I regularly have parents who reach out and want their child to see me for counseling. During our first meeting, it often becomes apparent that what could be more helpful than individual counseling for the child is solid resources for parents to understand their child, as well as practical strategies for dealing with the regular ups and downs in parenting, and a straightforward and down to earth approach to understand what this looks like in action.

These conversations became my inspiration for founding The Real Parent.  I came to understand that parents everywhere were facing similar challenges, and that with the right knowledge and tools, the entire family would thrive. The little things are the big things. 

If you would like to learn from me, be sure to follow @therealparent on Instagram, and check out the courses page for course offerings.

I am a child and family therapist and a mom.  My husband and I have 6 kids.....including one set of identical triplets (talk about a surprise!).  Once upon a time, this meant we were parents to six kids under six, and we lived to tell the tale!  Two boys, four girls and I can confidently say that I'm a better mom because of my training as a therapist, and I'm a better therapist because I'm a mom.

I received my bachelor's in psychology and my master's in social work, both from the University of Utah.  After completing my master's degree, I trained as an advanced clinical  social work fellow at the Yale Child Study Center through the Yale School of Medicine.  I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and have had my own private practice working with children and families for 17 years.