Child Therapy in Chicago: Helping Kids Feel Calm, Confident & Connected
At Balanced Awakening, our child therapists help kids (ages 3–12) manage emotions, build confidence, and improve behavior through play-based and evidence-informed therapy. We support children experiencing anxiety, big feelings, or life changes—in a space that’s safe, warm, and fun.
Schedule Your First Appointment
Meet Our Therapists for Kids
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![Southeast Asian therapist Chicago with long dark hair smiling, wearing a light purple collared shirt and a thin necklace, against a plain white background.]()
Nishma Patel, LCPC
What Our Clients Are Saying
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During our first session Hannah was proactive in creating a plan of action to properly diagnose me and address my concerns. Detailed. Office is beautiful. Love the decor, relaxing ambiance and free tea.
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She was very kind and thorough during intake and the entire office looks like something out of a lifestyle magazine.
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The office is lovely and welcoming, the in-take paperwork helped me prepare for what I wanted to talk about and gave me a starting point.
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Dr. Yang is warm and empathic, and made me feel comfortable from the very beginning.
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Emma has been very supportive through major life changes for me. Her sweet and gentle nature made it easy for me to feel safe to open up to her. I am very grateful for her support and kindness.
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It was my first visit and she made me feel so safe. I opened up right away!
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Is your child having a hard time managing big feelings or fitting in at school?
Maybe you’ve noticed your child feeling more anxious, acting out, or pulling away — and you're not quite sure why.
They might be struggling with friendships, having a tough time adjusting to changes, or just seem overwhelmed in ways they can't fully explain.
Or maybe they’ve been feeling sad, frustrated, or easily upset, and you’re worried they don’t have a safe space to process it all.
Childhood can be full of emotional ups and downs, and sometimes kids need extra support to make sense of it all. Our child therapists specialize in working with children as young as 3 and understand the unique challenges they face. We offer a warm, supportive environment where your child can feel seen, heard, and helped — all at their own pace - and at a way that matches where they are in their development.
Common Reasons Parents Seek Therapy for Young Children (Ages 3–6)
Early childhood is full of big feelings, rapid development, and new experiences. At this age, kids are still learning how to understand and express their emotions — and sometimes, they need extra support along the way.
Here are some common reasons parents choose therapy for their preschool or early elementary-age child:
Frequent tantrums or emotional outbursts
All young children have meltdowns, but if your child’s reactions seem especially intense, frequent, or hard to manage, therapy can help them (and you) find calmer ways to cope.Separation anxiety or clinginess
It’s normal for young kids to want to stay close — but if your child becomes overly distressed when apart from you or refuses to go to preschool or daycare, therapy can provide support.Delays in emotional or social development
Your child may struggle to play cooperatively, share, take turns, or understand social cues. Therapy can gently guide them toward stronger social-emotional skills in a playful, supportive way.
Aggression or difficulty with impulse control
If your child is hitting, biting, or having trouble following directions, it may be a sign they’re struggling with emotional regulation. Therapy helps them learn safer, more effective ways to express themselves.
Big life changes
Events like a move, divorce, new sibling, or loss of a loved one can feel especially confusing at this age. Therapy gives children a safe space to make sense of their feelings and regain a sense of security.Sleep issues, toileting concerns, or regression
If your child is having trouble sleeping, experiencing toileting regressions, or returning to earlier behaviors, these may be signs they need extra emotional support.Exposure to trauma or stress
Even young children can be affected by stressful or traumatic experiences. Therapy can help them feel safe again, process their experiences in age-appropriate ways, and build resilience.Support for developmental differences
Children with autism, sensory sensitivities, or other neurodevelopmental needs may benefit from therapy to support emotional regulation, communication, and comfort in the world around them.You just know something’s not quite right
Sometimes it’s not one big thing, but a parent’s intuition that their child needs support. That’s reason enough. Early support can make a meaningful difference in a child’s emotional wellbeing.
Common Reasons Parents Seek Therapy for Their School-Age Child
There are many reasons parents choose to bring their child to therapy — and often, it begins with a simple concern that something just doesn’t feel right. It could also be that a trusted person in your life - your child’s teacher or pediatrician - has mentioned some concerns.
Some concerns we routinely see are:
Emotional struggles
Your child may seem unusually sad, irritable, or withdrawn. A parent, teacher, or caregiver might notice signs of depression, or observe that your child is easily overwhelmed by anxiety, even in day-to-day situations.Friendship difficulties
School-age kids are still learning how to build and maintain healthy friendships. Some children have a hard time making friends, feel left out, or struggle with social cues. Therapy can help kids build confidence, empathy, and important social skills.Low self-esteem or self-doubt
Your child may be overly hard on themselves, comparing themselves to others, or feeling like they’re not "good enough." Therapy can help them build a stronger, more positive sense of self.Academic pressure or school stress
Even young children can feel stressed by schoolwork or pressure to perform well. Therapy can support kids in managing frustration, improving focus, and developing healthier coping strategies.
Behavioral challenges at home or school
You might notice more frequent meltdowns, defiance, or emotional outbursts. Therapy helps children understand and express their emotions in more constructive ways.
Family stress or conflict
Big changes like divorce, a move, or a new sibling can deeply affect a child. Even tension at home that seems manageable to adults can feel overwhelming to a child. Therapy can give them a safe space to process these experiences.Trauma or difficult experiences
Some children have been through scary, confusing, or painful events. Therapy can gently support them in making sense of what happened and moving forward with more resilience.Sensory, developmental, or neurodivergent support
Children with ADHD, autism, or other developmental needs may benefit from therapy to build emotional regulation, social confidence, and coping tools that fit their unique strengths.Just needing someone to talk to
Sometimes there isn’t a clear “problem,” but your child could still benefit from a trusted adult who listens, understands, and helps them work through all the changes and emotions that come with growing up.
Therapy for Children on the Autism Spectrum
At Balanced Awakening, we offer thoughtful, individualized therapy for children on the autism spectrum, tailored to meet each child’s unique strengths, challenges, and communication style. And we try to make it a fun and enjoyable experience as much as possible! Our therapist, Nishma Patel, LCPC has worked for many years with children on the autism spectrum and with other complex developmental needs. Whether your child needs support with emotional regulation, sensory processing, social connection, or navigating changes in routine, Nishma can help. Through play-based approaches, visual supports, and parent collaboration, we create a safe and supportive space where your child can grow, connect, and thrive — all at their own pace.
Art Therapy for Kids
Art therapy is a powerful way for children to express feelings they might not yet have words for. Using materials like paint, markers, clay, and collage, kids can explore their emotions, tell their stories, and work through challenges in a hands-on, creative way. For children, art therapy is especially helpful because it taps into their natural way of communicating — through play and imagination. Whether a child is dealing with anxiety, grief, trauma, behavioral struggles, or just feeling overwhelmed, art gives them a safe outlet to process what they’re experiencing. It’s not about making “perfect” art — it’s about helping them feel seen, heard, and understood in a gentle, non-threatening way. Art therapy also helps build confidence, improve emotional regulation, and strengthen the connection between child and therapist.
Benefits of Therapy for Children
Therapy gives children a safe, supportive space to explore their feelings, build confidence, and learn healthy ways to cope with life’s challenges. There are benefits for the child and everyone in the child’s life!
Often, engaging in therapy will help with improved emotional regulation and healthier coping strategies. Therapy helps children recognize, name, and manage big emotions like anger, sadness, fear, and frustration. Whether dealing with anxiety, stress, or change, kids learn tools they can use to calm themselves and feel more in control.
Children learn how to express their needs, thoughts, and feelings more clearly and appropriately — with both peers and adults, leading to better communication skills now and for the rest of their life. Relatedly, children’s usually also develop stronger social skills, improving in areas like sharing, taking turns, reading social cues, and making and keeping friends.
With improved emotional regular and communication skills, we often see increased self-confidence and self-esteem, too.
Has your family recently gone through a transition? Even things like moving in the same neighborhood, that can be less disruptive to adults, can have a big impact on kids. Therapy can provide support during life transitions and ease the emotional impact of events like divorce, moving, changing schools, or the arrival of a new sibling.
Therapy can provide an important space to heal from trauma or loss. Children who’ve experienced difficult or frightening events can process those experiences in a safe, age-appropriate way.
Home and school environments often benefit from a child’s experience in therapy with improved behavior. As children learn to manage their emotions and communicate better, challenging behaviors often decrease — improving family dynamics and classroom experiences.
And finally, parents can strongly benefit through parent support and insight! Therapy often includes parent involvement, especially with the youngest children, offering caregivers tools, guidance, and deeper understanding of their child’s emotional world.
Getting Started with Therapy for Children at Balanced Awakening
If you’re not sure where to start, take a few minutes to complete our matchmaking form and we’ll connect you with a therapist who is a good fit for you! You can also book an appointment directly with Nishma Patel, LCPC who loves working with children as young as 3.
We see kids for therapy in Chicago’s Andersonville, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and Loop neighborhoods — and online anywhere in Illinois.
Blog Posts for Parents
Therapy for Kids FAQs
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We provide therapy for children ages 3–12. Our therapists specialize in early childhood and school-aged development, helping kids with emotional, behavioral, and social challenges. We’ll match your child with a clinician who fits their age, personality, and needs. We also have therapy for teens aged 12-17!
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Common reasons parents seek therapy include anxiety, big emotions, tantrums, low self-esteem, shyness, attention or behavior struggles, friendship issues, and family transitions like divorce or a new sibling. We also support kids adjusting to school stress, perfectionism, or changes in routine.
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The first session is about building comfort and understanding your child’s world. We’ll talk about what’s been happening, what you hope to see improve, and how your child responds at home or school. Younger children may join for part of the session to meet the therapist in a gentle, playful way.
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Sessions are usually 55 minutes and blend talking, play, art, and emotion-regulation activities. For younger kids, play and creative expression are the main ways they communicate. For older kids, we may use mindfulness, CBT, or social skillsto help them manage feelings and behavior.
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Yes — we believe therapy works best when parents feel supported, too. You’ll receive updates, guidance, and home strategies to reinforce what your child is learning. For children under 8, parent involvement is more frequent; for older kids, we balance privacy and collaboration.
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We offer both in-person therapy at our Chicago offices (Lakeview, Andersonville, Lincoln Park, and the Loop) and virtual sessions throughout Illinois. For younger kids, in-person is often most effective, but many families find virtual sessions helpful for older children.
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Our therapy rate for the first two sessions is $250. After that, individual 55 minute sessions are $225. Most of our providers are in network with BCBS PPO and Aetna insurance. We partner with Thrizer to maximize our of network benefits.
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Every child is different. Some families see progress in just a few months, while others choose ongoing support to build emotional resilience and confidence over time. Your therapist will collaborate with you to set goals and check in regularly on progress.
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You might notice frequent meltdowns, trouble sleeping, withdrawal, clinginess, or anxiety about school or social settings. If your child’s emotions or behavior feel “bigger” than usual or you’re unsure how to help, therapy can provide tools for both you and your child to feel calmer and more connected.
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You can book online or schedule a matchmaking call to match with a child therapist who fits your family. We’ll guide you through insurance and scheduling and make the first session easy for you and your child.
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Many parents wait until things feel “serious” before seeking support—but therapy can be preventative, too. Our therapists help kids learn healthy emotional skills early, so they feel confident navigating life’s ups and downs.