A Better Approach To Childhood Mental Health — Built Around Your Family
As parents, we want the very best for our kids. If they break an arm, we rush to the hospital. If they have a cough, we head to the pediatrician. But sometimes the problems aren’t so obvious. Internal struggles with anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, grief, or major transitions can create big feelings that little people aren’t equipped to handle on their own.
At Innovative Family Therapy in Louisville, KY, our licensed child therapists work with children ages 3 to 12 using age-appropriate, evidence-based methods — primarily play therapy — to help kids process emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and find a path forward. We also work closely with parents so the progress made in session continues at home.
We see kids in-person at our Louisville office and offer secure teletherapy throughout Kentucky and Indiana.
Meet Your Child Therapists
Three of our licensed clinicians specialize in working with children:
Sandra Pollard Nelson, MFT Associate, EMDR Trained
Specializes in trauma work and brings EMDR training to adult clients processing past experiences.
Kathy Begley, LPCA and Hannah Welling, LPCA
Licensed Professional Counselor Associates supporting adults through anxiety, depression, life transitions, and personal growth.
Hannah Smith, Clinical Counseling Intern
Sees adult clients at a reduced rate ($45 per session, $65 initial) under licensed supervision. A great option for clients seeking quality care at a more accessible price point.
Want to see the full team? Meet all our therapists →
What Is Child Therapy?
Child therapy is mental health treatment designed specifically for kids — typically ages 3 to 12 — who are struggling with emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges. Children don’t always have the vocabulary to explain what they’re feeling the way an adult would, so child counseling uses age-appropriate tools — play, drawing, storytelling, role-playing, and conversation — to help them express what’s going on inside.
At Innovative Family Therapy, our child therapists work with the whole picture: your child, your family system, and the environment around them. Because kids exist within a family, school, and community, we collaborate with parents throughout the process to make sure what we do in session translates into real change at home.
Our Approach to Child Therapy
Our primary therapeutic approach with children is Play Therapy. It is an evidence-based method recognized by the American Psychological Association as one of the most effective ways to help children process difficult experiences and develop emotional regulation skills.
We tailor our approach to each child’s age, personality, and what they’re working through. There is no one-size-fits-all method.
How We Work With Kids at Different Ages
Children develop rapidly. What works for a 4-year-old won’t necessarily work for an 11-year-old. Here’s how we adapt our approach:
Ages 3–5 (Preschool & Kindergarten) At this age, sessions are heavily play-based and often shorter. We focus on emotional vocabulary, simple coping tools, and helping parents understand their child’s developmental needs. Half-session options (30 minutes) are often a better fit for younger kids’ attention spans.
Ages 6–8 (Early Elementary) Sessions blend play with structured activities. Kids this age can typically engage for a full 50–60 minute session. We focus on identifying feelings, learning to self-regulate, and building social skills.
Ages 9–12 (Late Elementary & Preteen) Older kids can engage in more direct conversation while still benefiting from creative activities like art, journaling, and games. This is a developmentally critical age. Sessions often focus on self-esteem, peer dynamics, academic stress, and the early stirrings of adolescence.
7 Signs Your Child May Benefit From Therapy
Trust your instincts as a parent. If you feel something is off, it usually is. Listed here are the common signs that a child could benefit from professional support.
If any of these patterns are showing up at home or school, our child therapists can help your family figure out what’s going on and what to do next.
Conditions & Challenges We Treat in Children
Our child therapists work with kids facing a wide range of mental health, behavioral, and developmental challenges:
- Anxiety — generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, school anxiety, social anxiety
- Depression — sadness, withdrawal, low motivation, loss of interest
- Trauma — including loss, accidents, medical experiences, family disruption, bullying
- Grief — death of a loved one (including pets), parental divorce, major loss
- ADHD — attention, impulse control, and behavior regulation
- Behavioral issues — defiance, aggression, frequent tantrums, school behavior problems
- Academic struggles — underachievement, school avoidance, performance anxiety
- Bullying — both being bullied and bullying behavior
- Social skills challenges — making friends, group dynamics, conflict resolution
- Adjustment issues — moving, new sibling, divorce, blended families
- Self-harm and suicidal ideation — early intervention is critical
- Sleep and eating concerns that don’t have a medical cause
What Happens in a Child Therapy Session?
Kids learn by doing. So child therapy doesn’t look like a kid sitting on a couch talking about their feelings. A typical session might include:
- Play with purpose — dolls, action figures, sand trays, or games that allow your child to act out scenarios and feelings
- Drawing or art — a low-pressure way to explore what’s going on inside
- Role-playing — practicing social situations, conflicts with friends or siblings, hard conversations
- Storytelling — using books or making up stories that mirror your child’s experience
- Problem-solving activities — building coping skills they can use at home and school
- Direct conversation — especially with older kids who are ready for it
Parents are often part of the process. Depending on what’s happening and your child’s age, your counselor may bring you into the session, meet with you separately for parent updates, or work primarily with your child while keeping you informed of progress and how to support them at home.
What to Expect at the First Session
Your child’s first session at Innovative Family Therapy is 90 minutes. It’s a chance for the therapist to meet your child, observe how they engage, hear from you about what’s bringing your family in, and start building the trust that makes therapy effective.
For younger children especially, parents are usually included in the first session — both so you can share context and so your child feels safe with their new counselor.
Subsequent sessions are typically 50–60 minutes (or 30 minutes for younger kids or shorter attention spans). You and your therapist will set the cadence together, usually weekly to start.
How to prepare your child:
- Use age-appropriate language: “You’re going to meet a special helper who helps kids with big feelings.”
- Reassure them they’re not in trouble.
- Let them know it’s a safe place to play and talk.
- Validate any nervousness. It’s normal for kids and parents alike.
Investment & Insurance
Innovative Family Therapy is a private-pay practice. We do not bill insurance directly. Many families prefer this because it means more privacy for their child’s records, more flexibility in treatment approach, and faster access to care without insurance-imposed session limits.
Our Child Therapy Fees:
- Initial session (90 minutes): $165
- Ongoing individual sessions (50–60 minutes): $110
- Half-session (30 minutes — common for younger kids): $55
- Family session including 2 people: $120
- Family session including 3+ people: $130
Reduced-rate option: Our Clinical Counseling Intern Hannah Smith sees children at a reduced rate: $45 per regular session and $65 for the initial session. She works under licensed supervision and is a wonderful option for families seeking quality care at a more accessible price point.
Payment options:
- We accept most HSA and FSA cards (a great way to use pre-tax dollars for your child’s mental health)
- We can provide a superbill for out-of-network insurance reimbursement (check with your insurance about pediatric mental health out-of-network benefits)
Frequently Asked Questions
School counselors do important work, but they’re typically focused on academic and immediate behavioral support — and they’re shared across hundreds of students. Private child counseling provides longer sessions, deeper clinical work, evidence-based modalities like Play Therapy, and ongoing partnership with your family.
That’s normal — most kids (and adults!) feel some resistance at first. Don’t frame it as punishment. Try: “You’re going to meet a special helper who helps kids with big feelings.” Most children warm up to their therapist within 1–2 sessions once they realize it’s a safe, playful space.
Yes — we offer secure video sessions for children throughout Kentucky and Indiana. Telehealth works better for some kids than others; your therapist will help you decide whether in-person or virtual is the better fit for your child.
A few helpful questions: Is the behavior new or escalating? Is it interfering with school, friendships, or family life? Has it lasted more than a few weeks? If you answered yes to any of these, an evaluation with a child therapist can give you clarity; even if the conclusion is “this is developmental, here’s what to do at home.”
It varies. Some children make significant progress in 8–12 sessions for a specific issue. Others, especially those processing trauma or managing ongoing challenges like ADHD, may benefit from longer-term support. Your therapist will share their honest assessment after the first few sessions
That depends on your child’s age and what you’re working on. For younger children, parents are often in the room or involved frequently. For older kids and preteens, the therapist will typically meet with your child individually and check in with you separately. Your counselor will explain their approach in the first session.
We work with children as young as age 3. For toddlers and younger preschoolers, sessions are heavily play-based and shorter (often 30 minutes), and parents are deeply involved. There is no “too young”, earlier intervention often means easier intervention.
Why Choose Innovative Family Therapy for Your Child?
- A team of 10 licensed therapists — three of whom specialize in child therapy, so we can match your child with the right fit
- Play Therapy and EMDR for kids — evidence-based methods that meet children where they are developmentally
- A family systems perspective — we treat your child as part of your family, not in isolation
- No waiting list — when your child needs help, we’re here
- In-person at our Louisville office and teletherapy throughout Kentucky and Indiana
- Reduced-rate options via our Clinical Counseling Intern
- Founded by Chelsey Gorham, MSC, LMFT, GC-C — a Louisville-based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Grief Counselor
Explore All Our Counseling Services
Innovative Family Therapy supports your whole family, at every stage of life. If someone you love needs help too, explore our other services:
Help Your Child Find Their Voice
Just because children can be resilient doesn’t mean they should have to be. If your child is struggling, our licensed therapists in Louisville, KY are here to help them — and your whole family — find a path forward.
Call us at (502) 612-9129 or schedule online. There’s no waiting list, and we’ll match you with the right child therapist on the first call.
