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Child & Teen Therapy in Westlake and Across Ohio
When your child is struggling, you want support that feels safe and personal. CLE Counseling & Wellness Center offers child and teen therapy for ages 5–18, helping young people work through trauma, anxiety, identity questions, family stress, school challenges, and the feelings that can be hard to put into words.
Our therapists meet each child where they are. That may mean talking, playing, creating, using sandtray activities, or simply taking time to build trust. We offer in-person child therapy in the Westlake, on the west side of Cleveland, as well as telehealth for children ages 10 and up anywhere in Ohio.
We provide trauma-informed, neurodivergent-affirming, LGBTQIA-affirming care that respects your child’s full identity and your family’s unique needs.
What does child therapy look like at CLE Counseling?
Child therapy is a supportive space where children and teens can understand their feelings, build coping skills, and feel more confident handling what life brings. Therapy is not about labeling a child as “the problem.” It is about helping them feel understood and supported while creating meaningful change.
At CLE Counseling, we may draw from play-informed and sandtray-informed approaches, trauma-informed therapy, family therapy, and other evidence-based tools based on your child’s age, needs, and goals.
Child and teen therapy may help with:
- Anxiety, worry, panic, or fears.
- Trauma or distressing experiences.
- Big emotions, anger, sadness, or shutdowns.
- School stress, social pressure, bullying, or peer conflict.
- Changes at home, grief, or family transitions.
- Self-esteem and confidence.
- Identity exploration and questions about sexual orientation or gender.
- Neurodivergent experiences, including the stress of masking or feeling misunderstood.
- Parent-child conflict and communication challenges.
Parents and caregivers are an important part of the process. We collaborate with you while also protecting your child’s privacy and helping them develop a sense of ownership in therapy.
What is EMDR therapy for kids?
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy that can help children and teens process distressing memories and experiences that still feel overwhelming. Rather than requiring a child to tell every detail repeatedly, EMDR helps the brain make sense of what happened so the memory becomes less emotionally intense.
Children can carry difficult experiences in many ways. They may become anxious, avoid certain places or conversations, have nightmares, feel constantly on edge, struggle at school, or react strongly to situations that seem small to others. EMDR can be one part of a thoughtful treatment plan when past experiences continue to affect a child’s daily life.
Our EMDR-trained therapists adapt the process to each child’s developmental level, comfort, and readiness. EMDR with children often includes creative, visual, and play-informed elements rather than expecting a child to sit and talk like an adult. Developmentally adapted EMDR may use drawing, storytelling, movement, or other child-friendly ways of engaging with feelings and memories
How does EMDR work for children and teens?
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, which means gentle back-and-forth input such as following movement with the eyes, alternating taps, or another agreed-upon rhythm. While using this stimulation, the child works with the therapist to notice thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and memories connected to an upsetting experience.
The goal is not to erase a memory. The goal is to help the child’s brain and body recognize that the experience is in the past and that they have more safety, choice, and support now.
Before beginning memory-processing work, the therapist focuses on relationship-building, emotional safety, and coping skills. EMDR is always paced carefully. Your child will not be rushed into discussing or processing something before they are ready.
What can EMDR help children with?
EMDR therapy for children may be helpful when trauma, anxiety, or a difficult experience continues to affect their emotions, relationships, behavior, or sense of safety. A therapist will discuss whether EMDR is appropriate for your child’s specific needs.
Children and teens may seek EMDR support after:
- A frightening or traumatic event.
- Medical experiences or hospitalization.
- A car accident, injury, or sudden emergency.
- Bullying, harassment, or social rejection.
- The death of someone important.
- Family conflict, separation, or major life changes.
- Experiences of discrimination, rejection, or identity-based harm.
- Ongoing anxiety connected to a specific distressing memory or event.
What is LGBTQIA+-affirming therapy for children?
LGBTQIA-affirming therapy is therapy that respects and supports a child or teen’s sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and lived experience. It does not treat a young person’s identity as a problem to solve.
For some children and teens, therapy is a place to explore questions about identity. For others, it is a space to manage anxiety, depression, bullying, family stress, school pressure, or the exhaustion of feeling misunderstood. An affirming therapist understands that these concerns can be shaped by experiences of stigma, discrimination, rejection, or lack of support, not by being LGBTQIA+ itself.
At CLE Counseling, your child deserves to be seen as a whole person. We create a welcoming space where young people can show up honestly, without fear of judgment or pressure to be someone they are not.
What is LGBTQIA+-affirming therapy for children?
A child is more likely to engage in therapy when they do not have to hide important parts of themselves. Affirming care creates room for honest conversations about identity, relationships, safety, stress, and hope.
For parents and caregivers, affirming therapy can also offer a place to ask questions, strengthen connection, and learn ways to support their child with compassion. Family therapy may be helpful when a family wants guidance navigating communication, change, conflict, or shared healing.
Therapy that includes caregivers
You know your child in ways no one else does. We value your insight and work collaboratively with parents and caregivers throughout the therapy process. Caregiver involvement can look different for every family. It may include check-ins, parent sessions, family therapy, support around coping skills at home, or guidance for responding to difficult moments. We also make space for children and teens to have a therapeutic relationship where they can speak openly and feel heard. Our goal is to help your child feel supported both inside and outside the therapy room.
Frequently asked questions
Is EMDR safe for children?
EMDR can be adapted for children and teens when it is provided by a trained therapist who considers the child’s developmental stage, emotional readiness, and support needs. Therapy begins with relationship-building and coping skills, and the pace is individualized.
Will my child have to talk about everything that happened?
No. Children and teens are not forced to share details before they are ready. Therapists can use conversation, play, art, sandtray-informed activities, body-based awareness, and other developmentally appropriate approaches to help a child communicate.
Can parents participate in child therapy?
Yes. Parent and caregiver collaboration is a core part of our approach. The level of involvement depends on your child’s age, goals, and clinical needs, while still honoring their need for privacy and trust in therapy.
Do you offer online therapy for children?
Yes. CLE Counseling offers telehealth for children ages 10 and older who are located in Ohio. In-person child and teen therapy is also available in the Cleveland and Westlake area.
Do you accept insurance or Medicaid for child therapy?
CLE Counseling offers self-pay and accepts insurance, including Medicaid. When you complete the contact form, our team can help you discuss scheduling and available payment options.