Finding a child therapist can be tough, especially if you're a stressed-out parent in San Jose looking for the best help for your anxious kid. It means researching, asking for recommendations, and sorting through tons of options, all while juggling the daily challenges of parenting.
As a child therapist in San Jose, I know how hard this stretch can be, for parents and for kids. Looking for a child therapist who can help your kids is hard, especially when you aren’t sure what good child therapy looks like.
So I’ve put together the questions I get asked most in my child therapy practice. My hope is that the answers help you with knowing what to look for in a therapist, figuring out the right fit, and supporting your child’s emotional health along the way.
Common Questions Parents Have About Child Therapy
1. How long will child therapy take?
There isn’t a set number of sessions. Every child is different, but many children are in weekly child therapy for 6 to 12 months, and some need longer.
The length of child therapy depends on
- Ongoing stressors in the household and other environments
- Reinforcement of skills learned in therapy at home
- The level of support the child feels from the adults in their life
These are worth thinking about as you plan for therapy, because they shape how quickly things can shift.
2. Is there a difference between child therapy and regular therapy?
Yes. A generalist therapist may say they see children, teenagers, couples, and adults, but they often don’t have specialized training and experience with children.
Children’s language is play. They express themselves through play and need this outlet to grow.
A child therapist should have therapeutic toys for children in their therapy room, and they should be excited about sharing about it when you are talking on the phone with them or meeting them for the first time.
3. Can we do telehealth for child therapy?
For younger children, I find telehealth to be less effective than in-person therapy. In my practice, play therapy is a cornerstone, and having therapeutic toys available for the child to explore and use to express themselves is essential.
While teenagers and pre-teens often engage well in telehealth sessions and I have had some success with younger children, I generally believe that in-person therapy is more beneficial for both children and teenagers.
4. Once we see improvement, can we decrease child therapy sessions to twice a month?
I get this question a lot, and while it makes sense for adults to go to twice a month therapy sessions when there is stability in symptoms and they are in the maintenance stage of therapy, it’s not the same for children.
I find that for children, having weekly therapy for the duration of treatment helps reach therapy goals faster, builds on the skills and processing from previous sessions, and allows for a high amount of consistency for children, which helps with overall mental health in kids.
5. How will we know child therapy is working?
I find that having clear, measurable goals at the beginning of therapy will help you know how your child is doing and what progress still needs to be made.
It is important to identify the successes and changes in behavior when your child is in the midst of therapy, to be able to provide feedback to the child therapist and adjust goals as needed.
That’s why consistent parent sessions matter so much. They keep everyone on the same page about how your child is doing, and they help the therapist adjust what we are doing in therapy to fit what is coming up for your child.
6. What are common modalities used in child therapy?
It can help to know the names of the different approaches. In child therapy, the approach depends on what each child is needing.
For example, play therapy helps children express themselves and process emotions through play, which is a natural communication method for them.
Art therapy lets children explore their feelings and experiences through drawing and making things, which helps when the words are hard to find.
Other modalities may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps in reshaping negative thought patterns, and family therapy, which involves the child's family members to support and improve the child's mental health.
The approach should fit your child, not the other way around.
7. How involved do parents need to be in their child's therapy?
Very involved. Children don’t grow up in a vacuum, and what happens at home matters as much as what happens in my office. That usually means extra sessions, parent coaching, and open collaboration with the child therapist.
Parents aren’t spectators.
You are part of the team, and your consistent support and understanding at home is what helps the skills from therapy stick.
When you stay actively involved, your child feels supported in the playroom and at home, and that is where growth happens.
Why Choose a Child Therapist in San Jose?
I know the local culture and the schools here. And unlike generalist therapists who see everyone, my practice is only children, teens, and their parents, so I can help families figure out what kind of help their child needs and how to get it.
My practice is set up for kids, with an emphasis on fun, creativity, and care.
San Jose has experienced a growing demand for child therapists, fueled by an anxious school culture and intense academic competition. The city's diverse population further heightens the need for multilingual therapists, particularly those fluent in Spanish.
Many parents seek therapy for their children to address issues related to academic pressure, social anxiety, and family-related stress. Despite this demand, there are few therapists offering in-person therapy for children.
Get Started with Child Therapy
If you're looking for a child therapist in San Jose, a play therapist or an anxiety therapist who works with kids is a good place to start. Academic pressure, social anxiety, and stress at home are all things children bring into therapy, and finding the right fit matters.
The best parents ask for help. If you’ve been wondering whether your child needs it, that is reason enough to start a conversation.
To talk it through, book a free 15-minute consultation with me today.
About the Author: Hannah Ly, San Jose Child Therapist
Hannah Ly, San Jose Child Therapist
Hannah Ly is a child therapist based in San Jose, specializing in child therapy, play therapy, anxiety therapy, trauma therapy, teen therapy, and parent coaching. She has worked with children and families for over a decade, and her approach is creative and child-centered: she follows the child’s lead and shapes therapy around what each child is needing. As a child therapist in San Jose, she knows the pressures local kids carry, from academic pressure and social anxiety to trauma.
