Therapy
for Kids & Tweens in Philadelphia, PA
Helping kids and tweens (3-12) grow steadier, braver, and more confident through art and play.
In-person child therapy across four locations in Philadelphia, PA and the Main Line, with online options across Pennsylvania.
When your child’s feelings are bigger than their words.
You’re worrying about them nonstop, and it feels like nothing you try is making a difference.
Maybe they’re melting down, snapping, shutting down, or stuck in a grumpy mood more days than not. And in some moments, you might even think, “I have no idea how to help them feel better.”
At our four Child and Family Art Therapy Centers around Philadelphia, PA, we use creative, child-friendly therapy to help kids feel calmer and more confident, and we give parents practical tools so that home can feel more comfortable, too.
Thoughts your child might be carrying:
- “Why do I worry so much?”
- “Why do my feelings feel so big?”
- “Why do I get in trouble even when I try?”
- “What if I mess up?”
- “Why is this so hard for me?”
Let our art and play therapists for kids add a little spark of “I can do this.”
Children’s Therapy Philadelphia, PA
What Therapy Can Do For Your Kid or Tween
Kids don’t always have the words for what’s going on.
They show you instead.
Maybe it’s meltdowns that seem to come out of nowhere, big reactions to small stuff, or nonstop worry about school, friends, or being away from you. A lot can pile up fast: school pressure, family changes, ADHD or autism needs, and big emotions that feel too loud to manage.
In therapy for kids and tweens, we slow things down and make it feel safe to let it out. We use art therapy, play therapy, and child-friendly CBT to help your child show what’s happening inside, then we practice coping skills they can really use in daily life at home, at school, and with friends.
And as a parent, you’re not on the sidelines! We offer parent support and training so you understand what your child is learning and how to reinforce those tools at home.
Over time, things usually start to feel lighter. You and your child can enjoy: Calmer days. Less anxiety. Fewer blow-ups. More love. More fun together!
Therapy for Kids & Tweens | Philadelphia, PA
What Child Therapy Helps With
Anxiety & worry
Helping your child feel calmer, braver, and more in control when worry shows up.
Neurodivergent support
Helping kids with ADHD and ASD build focus in ways that fit their uniqueness.
Low mood
Helping kids lift the fog, open up about their feelings, and find their spark again through creativity.
Grief & change
Making room for big feelings after loss, moves, divorce, blended families, or other major shifts.
Confidence & self-esteem
Replacing “I can’t” with “I’m learning”, and “I’ll try”, and helping your child feel proud of themselves.
School stress
Easing overwhelm, building coping skills, and making school feel more doable and fun again.
Big feelings & anger
Learning calm-body skills and better ways to handle anger, frustration, and overwhelm.
Family conflict
Less power-struggle energy, more teamwork and connection at home with parents and siblings.
Therapy for Tweens & Kids | Philadelphia, PA
Tools We Use in Therapy for Kids & Tweens
We use creative, evidence-informed approaches and tailor therapy to your child’s age, temperament, and learning style. Your child’s therapist may use:
Art Therapy for Children
Art gives kids a natural way to communicate, process emotions, and practice coping skills without needing the perfect words.
Play Therapy for Children
Through games, stories, and imaginative play, children explore feelings and build problem-solving skills in a comfy, developmentally appropriate way.
Child-Friendly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
We teach practical coping tools that help children notice thought patterns, manage their feelings and impulses, and build emotional awareness.
Strengths-Based Child Therapy
We focus on what your child does well and build from there, helping confidence grow naturally.
Parent Support and Training
Parents learn alongside their child so progress continues at home, not just in session. We also offer breakout parent support and training meetings to review progress and build home strategies that support your child’s growth.
Neurodiversity & Social Skills Groups
Groups are also available for neurodivergent kids with autism, ADHD, and learning differences.
Open the door to
“Hey… we did it!” moments.
Fewer meltdowns. More giggles. More high-fives at bedtime. Therapy for kids is a family fun project, and we’ll help you through it. Book a free 30-minute consultation to begin.
Meet Our Team
Connect With a Child Therapist in Philadelphia, PA and its Suburbs
Our therapists wrap support around kids, tweens, and the whole family.
We blend creativity, warmth, and real clinical skill, helping progress feel doable as you and your child find the sweet spot between love and limits.
Board Certified Registered Art TherapistSM, Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Registered Art TherapistSM
Licensed Associate Professional Counselor, Provisional Registered Art Therapist
Board Certified Registered Art TherapistSM, Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Registered Art TherapistSM
Board Certified Registered Art TherapistSM, Licensed Associate Professional Counselor
Our Approach
How Our Therapy for Kids & Tweens Works
Launch with Connection
Great therapy begins with a great assessment! We start with a free 30-minute consult with you, then ease your child in with a 3-session getting-to-know-you process, and therapy is also happening throughout the assessment sessions, as your child builds trust and gets their feelings out. They are easing into successful therapy!
Build Real Momentum
Session 1 is caregiver-only so you can speak freely about strengths, challenges, history, and goals. Session 2 is an art-based family assessment, where art projects help us see how your family connects and communicates. Session 3 is your child’s first individual art/play assessment.
Soar Toward Success
From there, we keep therapy for kids and tweens moving with parent support and training, clear home strategies, and regular check-ins, all the way to a confident and successful “graduation.”
Neurodiversity Support & Social Skills Groups
Children with autism and ADHD don’t need to be “fixed”. They just need the right space to practice, belong, and shine.
Through the nationally renowned Art of Friendship Social-Coping Program and Camp Pegasus, we help kids build social skills, coping tools, and confidence. Our friendly, success-oriented groups are where strengths are celebrated and friendships grow.
Free Neurodiversity Support Seminars for Parents and Professionals
Grab a coffee, bring your curiosity, and leave with tools you can use today!
If you’ve been trying everything and still thinking, “There has to be a better way,” you’re in the right place. Led by Mike Fogel, these free sessions support parents, educators, and professionals working with neurodivergent kids with autism, ADHD, and learning differences. Join live or watch the recording later. Either way, you’ll leave feeling more confident!
Child and Family Art Therapy Center
Therapy in Philadelphia, PA and its Suburbs
Therapy for Kids & Tweens: FAQs
How do I know if my child needs therapy?
All children have ups and downs. Not every challenge requires therapy.
Support may be helpful when changes in your child’s emotions or behavior are ongoing, intense, or begin to interfere with daily life at home, school, or with peers.
As child specialists providing therapy for kids & tweens in Philadelphia, we understand typical development and can help identify when extra support may be beneficial. Families often reach out for concerns such as anxiety, big emotions, behavioral or social challenges, academic stress, ADHD, autism support, trauma, or difficulties following life changes.
A diagnosis isn’t required. Sometimes children simply need steady guidance to work through a stuck challenge and get back on track.
At the Child and Family Art Therapy Center, we are thoughtful and ethical in our recommendations. We offer a free 30-minute consultation call to discuss your child’s situation and determine next steps. If therapy isn’t needed, we’ll say so. If it is, we’ll guide you forward with clarity and care.
Do we really have to do the three assessment sessions before therapy begins?
Yes—and here’s why.
Great therapy begins with a great assessment.
Child therapy is different from adult therapy. Kids can’t always explain their history, needs, or goals, so we begin with a parent-only intake. Because children grow inside family and school systems, we also need to understand how everyone interacts.
Our child therapy in Philadelphia and the Main Line blends child-centered therapy, family work, and parent support and training. Those first three sessions help us understand strengths, patterns, coping style, and family dynamics so we can tailor treatment thoughtfully.
And therapy is already happening throughout the assessment sessions, as your child builds trust and gets their feelings out. They are easing into successful therapy!
Many kids feel nervous at first. These sessions ease them in and show how natural and engaging art therapy for children and play therapy can feel.
The three sessions include:
- Session 1: Parent-only intake so you can speak freely.
- Session 2: Art-based family assessment to observe connection and communication.
- Session 3: Individual art or play therapy assessment to build trust and show your child what therapy feels like.
This sets the stage for meaningful, lasting progress.
Isn’t therapy just talking about feelings? What do we actually gain from it?
It’s completely normal to wonder this.
Therapy for kids and tweens is not just about talking about feelings. It is an active, skill-building process designed to create meaningful change.
At Child and Family Art Therapy Center, each session addresses challenges on multiple levels: emotional understanding, practical coping skills, and parent support and training. In addition, we also offer free neurodiversity support seminars for parents and professionals working with neurodivergent kids with autism, ADHD, and learning differences. Join live or watch the recording later.
Through art therapy for children, play therapy, and child-friendly CBT, children gain:
- A safe place to feel understood
- Real tools for anxiety, anger, trauma, ADHD, autism, and emotional regulation
- Practice with problem-solving and healthy relationships
Parents gain:
- Clear insight into what’s underneath behavior
- Practical tools to use at home
- Breakout meetings to strengthen progress
- Support in reducing parent-child conflict
This is intentional, goal-directed therapy. Skills grow. Confidence grows. Home feels steadier.
Do you only work with young children?
Nope.
While we specialize in therapy for young children, elementary-aged children, and tweens, we also provide therapy for teens, college students, young adults, and adults.
Many of our therapists in Haverford, Paoli, Plymouth Meeting, or Center City, Philadelphia have extensive experience supporting adults across a wide range of concerns. We offer individual therapy for adults with flexible appointment hours between 9 AM and 3 PM.
If you or another adult in your family could benefit from therapy, we would be honored to support you.
We’re here for your whole family.
What treatment approaches do you use with children?
We blend creativity with evidence-informed approaches and add a little Clinical Love on top.
During the parent-child portion, we often use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to teach practical coping skills. We may also integrate Narrative therapy, strengths-based and solution-focused work, family systems, and attachment-informed approaches.
During individual therapy for kids & tweens, we use child-centered art therapy and play therapy. Your child chooses materials that feel natural, allowing therapy to unfold at their pace. Following their lead builds safety and trust while giving us insight into what needs support.
Your child therapist in Philadelphia is trained to use art and play to help release overwhelming feelings, process difficult experiences, and build coping skills in developmentally appropriate ways.
Your kid has questions. You have questions. We love questions!
Therapy for Kids & Tweens | Philadelphia, PA
The Difference Therapy for Kids & Tweens Can Make
Starting therapy can feel like a big step. We make it feel doable. At Child and Family Art Therapy Center, we use art, play, and coping tools to help kids and tweens move from hard days to brighter ones.
Over time, you may notice:
- No more walking on eggshells and more peace in your home
- Fewer explosive meltdowns, less screaming, and far less crying
- Real coping skills your child actually uses when big feelings or anxiety show up
- More confidence in your child and more confidence in you as a parent
- More fun together, and that feeling of “Hey, we got through that rough patch!”
This is what we mean by Clinical Love.
We meet your child where they are, accept their unique wiring, and give them what they need to grow. Then we help you do the same at home, with love and limits working together like sun and rain.
Child and Family Art Therapy Center
How To Get Started
When you’re ready to help yourself or your child feel steadier and shine more, we’re ready too.
Here are a few easy ways to begin:
Use the contact form or complete our Individual Therapy Appointment Request Form to book your free 30-minute consultation as the first step.
Call us or send us an email with your questions and we’ll respond within 24 hours.
Send Us a Message