Getting Started is the Toughest Part
Not gonna lie, this is going to take a few phone calls and a likely a few visits. When you are worried about your child, it adds an emotional layer that is really hard. We suggest you start by making a list of questions to ask. You don’t have to commit to anything just yet. Just know going in, that like finding a great acting coach, sometimes it can take a couple of tries to find the right fit.
6 Things to Consider When Looking for a Mental Health Provider for Your Child
1. Your concern. Sometimes you don’t know how to “name” the problem, but if you do, it could be best to find a provider that specializes in that. There is a wide variety of available specialties and types of kids counseling. These options include:
- Grief and trauma: If your child has experienced loss, grief counseling may help them heal from the trauma and develop healthy coping methods.
- Anxiety and depression: Around 70% of teens in the U.S. say that anxiety and depression are major issues among their peers. With talk therapy, children and teens build problem-solving skills and resilience that can help them manage symptoms of depression and/or anxiety.
- Bullying: This is extremely common for child actors, especially those returning to regular school after filming. A therapist can also help your child build their self-esteem and confidence after being bullied.
- Eating disorders: Let’s face it, our industry has a heavy emphasis on looks. Kids may absorb that, even if parents aren’t saying a word. Therapy can help children and adolescents with eating disorders, such as binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, or anorexia nervosa.
- Psychiatry: Child and adolescent psychiatrists can prescribe and manage medications, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications if needed.
- Family therapy: In many cases, the challenges a child or teen is facing can impact—and be impacted by—the whole family. Family therapy can help you develop a better family dynamic, improve communication skills, and build relationships.
2. The provider’s education, training, licensing, and years in practice. Licensing varies by state. Review this page for the types of mental health professionals you could be looking for.
3. Areas a provider specializes in, and the services offered. You may find that your child needs more than one provider, if for example, they need talk therapy (likely a psychologist) and also medication (likely a psychiatrist).
4. Treatment approaches and philosophy, such as behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, group therapy, humanistic therapy, etc. This might be hard for the non-medical ones of us, but ask the question, “How would you describe your philosophy?”. Then write down their answer and look it up later.
5. Can your insurance be used? Some therapists don’t take insurance at all, but most insurance plans and HMOs provide a minimum amount of mental health visits within their network (10-20 sessions). This might be enough to at least identify the issue and make a plan to address it. Often you can access mental health services without going to your primary care doctor – check the back of your insurance card.
6. Office hours, the option for virtual visits, fees and length of sessions.
For more tips on how to find a therapist for your gifted and talented child, check out the Davidson Institute tips HERE.