How to Find a Therapist For Your Child in Royal Oak, Michigan

As a parent, you probably have a lot of questions about how to best help your child. Are they learning the right social and emotional skills to be successful in the world? When your child is struggling – to make friends, take care of themselves, do well in school, or manage their feelings, you likely want to find a professional who can help. That person should be a team player – who can help understand your child’s difficulties, help you come up with a game plan and work with your family to make things better.

Luckily, if you live in Royal Oak, you have plenty of therapists to choose from. You have a thriving group of child therapists right next door in Ferndale!

Your child must have a trusting and mutually respectful relationship with their therapist in order for therapy to work, so picking the right therapist is important. Here are some signs your child and their therapist are working well together.

These questions can help you decide which therapist may be right for your child:

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Does your child feel like they can easily talk to their therapist?

Connection can take time, especially if your child is more reserved. The therapist needs to be able to find ways of talking with your child- for example, can the therapist elicit something through a game or activity? The therapist (and family) should be working hard to get to know who the child is and how they communicate. Kids are often not very verbal about their difficulties, so therapists need to be patient but also encouraging, open minded, and inviting the child to show who they are. Kids often communicate through their actions, but can learn to pay attention to how they feel and behave and use those skills to better manage their challenges. Over time, your child can learn to be more verbally expressive and learn better ways of handling adversity and enjoying their life.

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Does the therapist offer new perspectives and insights for your child?

Therapy for both adults and kids is about learning new skills to tackle life’s challenges, big and small. The therapist and your child should be working on understanding your child’s challenges, motivations, and goals. Can your child gradually take insights from therapy and apply them to their life? Can they start to tackle problems one at a time and begin to deal with setbacks more maturely? The therapist doesn’t do the work for them, but they should be a good companion for the journey.

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How closely is your child’s therapist working with your whole family?

When a child or teen is in therapy, sessions naturally focus on helping the child grow, but the whole family is also important. Is your therapist meeting with you and offering tips for how you can help your child between sessions? ? The therapist and parent(s) are a team, working closely and communicating often to help your child grow and develop new skills.

It can be difficult to gauge whether therapy is helping, because it is a gradual process. Sometimes, it can feel like pulling teeth to get details about your child’s school day, let alone their therapy sessions! But it’s important to pay attention to clues like enthusiasm about their sessions, their willingness to share, and marked improvements in their behavior and communication to see how things are going. Your child should be learning how to communicate better, how to take better care of themselves, and how to overcome challenges.

And remember – it takes time! That’s why it’s crucial that you and your child see therapy as a commitment. There might be times where life gets in the way of therapy – or your kid complains from time to time. But it’s important that once you find the right therapist to stick to therapy consistently so it can be effective.

Sometimes you may decide to switch therapists. That’s why it is crucial to know what to look for in a child therapist, and make sure therapy is helping along the way. Right now, Start My Wellness has several therapists who specialize in working with kids and/or teens currently. Since SMW is located in Royal Oak by 696 and I-75, it’s convenient to visit us from most of Metro Detroit. Schedule your appointment to start your child’s wellness journey today!

     Excellent  
     Based on 88 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   David Sims 
 2023-10-11
 
 
  I received an affordable, thorough psychological assessment by Dr. Bloom. He was very helpful, knowledgeable and insightful. I very much appreciate the service he offers because full neuropsychological testing is expensive and nearly unobtainable for people with certain types of insurance. I paid out of pocket and it was worth every cent.
  
 
       
   Curtis Jemison 
 2023-08-19
 
 
  It's not normal for me to  write reviews.  The service that I received from the staff at Start my wellness, was absolutely amazing!  The response and help from Rayven at the front desk was extremely helpful.  She was able to walk through the process without making me feel rushed or pressured.  She was knowledgable of the everything I need to be seen in a timely and professional manner.  The treatment team was caring and warm.  I didn't feel like "Just another patient", or embarrassed about my conditions.  Thank you all for helping me.
  
 
       
   Sabreen Nafsu 
 2023-07-30
 
 
  I love talking with Laila. I feel really comfortable and she seems genuinely kind. I look forward to my appointments with my psychiatrist now thanks to her, which is something I never thought I would say.
  
 
       
   Chelsey Steele 
 2023-07-12
 
 
  I love this place. I look forward to coming here! Everyone is helpful around the office and my particular person help me stay sane every week!
  
 
       
   Irene Roberts 
 2023-07-11
 
 
  Wonderful practice. Provide primarily virtual sessions which is preferred for me. Dr. Marashi is very knowledgable and helped me finally for the first time in my adult life nail down a combination of medications to help manage my PMDD and ADHD struggles. I could not have achieved everything I have in the past year without her support and knowledge. I recommend to everyone that struggles with their mental health.
  
 
       
   Pearl Fonbuena 
 2023-07-11
 
 
  They understand and listen. Couldn’t ask for a better place to go to!
  
 
       
   Sean Gossard 
 2023-07-11
 
 
  Lauren Anderson is the best!

Make an Appointment

To get started with Start My Wellness, schedule an appointment online or call 248-514-4955. During the scheduling process, we will ask questions to match you with the therapist who will best meet your needs including service type, emotional symptoms and availability.

Call (248) 514-4955

-OR-

Schedule Appointment Online

Therapy Services in Royal Oak, MI

At Start My Wellness, we connect patients in Royal Oak, MI with high-quality therapists and counselors devoted to helping people redesign their mindsets so they can live better lives.