Clinical counseling is a mental health service that provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals experiencing emotional, mental, or behavioral health challenges. It involves using evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help individuals improve their mental well-being and cope with various life difficulties. Various types of providers are qualified to provide child, adolescent, adult and/or family counseling services, including Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and other therapists with specialized training.
While both provide therapy, counselors focus on individual psychological and emotional concerns, while social workers also consider social and environmental factors contributing to the person’s mental health concerns. At Midwest Pediatric Therapy, our clinical counseling services are provided by LCSW, who understands that many factors, internal and external, have impacts on how we take in and take on everyday life. Our LCSW's extensive education and training related to look at the "whole person" fits best with the mission to provide high-quality, collaborative therapeutic services that are child- and family-centered.
Individuals may benefit from clinical counseling if they have difficulty, or noted concerns, in one or more of the following areas:
Our LCSW is specifically trained to assist children and teenagers, and their parents, in navigating challenges experienced in both typical development and those related to developmental disabilities and differences.
Our LCSW aims to engage in a variety of therapeutic modalities to help support emotional regulation and processing, and individualize treatment to the client’s individual interests and preferences. Some modalities that may be used are talk therapy, art therapy, motivational interviewing, journaling, and play therapy. Sessions may vary in length (30, 45, or 60 minutes) depending on the client's age, area(s) of need, and family priories.
Initial therapeutic sessions will focus on developing a therapeutic rapport with clients and customizing a safe space for them. Creating a safe space is the start to building up a child’s stamina for managing difficult emotions and situations. Throughout the therapeutic process, the clinician will focus on normalizing all feelings, and separating the feeling from the actions that follow. Regular and repeated mindfulness practice helps children become aware of body cues and sensations that indicate they need to use a coping strategy. In-session modeling and practice of coping strategies will also be incorporated to teach strategies and build the "muscle memory" needed to independently use strategies across environments.
