The Top 4 Myths About Child and Teen Counseling in Harrisonburg, VA and the Shenandoah Valley.
Finding a Counselor: Child Therapy or Teen Therapy in Harrisonburg, VA
Your child and teen's mental health is important to you.
The pandemic brought with it a slew of mental health issues, or in some cases, it just
brought them to light. The world has been on edge for a while and our children and
youth see and feel the disconnect and instability all around them. The need for
counseling has soared. It may feel like finding a good teen therapist or child therapist in
Harrisonburg, VA is difficult if not even impossible. Following are 4 Myths About Child and Teen
Counseling in Harrisonburg, VA and the Shenandoah Valley
Call 540-416-1628 to speak with
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC,NCC,ACS,EXAT;
a Harrisonburg therapist for Child and Teen Counseling
Spiral Roots LLC is a safe place to learn and grow. It is a place where together we can invite curiosity and creativity to help us with the questions and the struggles we have in life.
All are welcome in my office.
You know your child or teen needs to talk to someone. Somewhere they can feel safe and comfortable. You know it would help them to speak with someone besides yourself. Contact a counselor in Harrisonburg, VA today.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC
Bilingual Child and Teen Therapist
Let me help. My name is Melissa Deaton Cook. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor. I provide child and teen therapy in Harrisonburg, VA.
The Top 4 Myths About Child and Teen Counseling in Harrisonburg, VA are as follows.
Myth #1: There are no therapists Harrisonburg, VA that have openings for children or teens.
Over the past year, I have had many caregivers say to me during the initial consult that they
had been looking for a child or teen therapist for as long as six months. Their
understanding was that many therapists in the area had reached their limit for the
number of teens or children they would see. Or, that therapists in general do not like
working with children and teens.
I am always surprised by this no matter how many times I hear it.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC, NCC, ACS, EXAT child therapist in Harrisonburg, VA.
I love working with children and teens. I love providing therapy in Harrisonburg, Va for children and teens. I have spent years honing my skills to work specifically with children, teens, and families that have faced adverse situations.
I know that many therapists work with all ages across the lifespan. As a masters degree
student, you are typically taught how to work with all ages. This “generalist”
way of working is starting to change as more and more therapists look into providing
specialty services. I believe that in any career, you should explore and find out what
you are good at and what you love and focus on that.
I am great at working with children and teens. It is my specialty. Some have called me a teen whisper or a teen first responder for the child or teen in crisis. I have loved and focused on working with children and teens since the 1990s!
Children and teens are not ‘little adults”. Each age group has different developmental tasks.
Each individual child and teens meets these tasks in a different way and at different times.
Children and teens who have had trauma occurrences in their lives are frequently behind in
some of their developmental tasks which affect their growth and development but also their
relationships and behaviors in all areas of life. I love working specifically with children and
teens who have experienced trauma. Every career opportunity before I started private
practice focused on working with children, teens, and families.
As to working with children and teens, they often take more energy and can be a bit
more complex. It can feel like a messy process to some! I was recently thinking about
the difference between working with adults and children. When you work with teens and
children you are frequently working in the “grey”. Meaning things are not always cut and
dry. That is what I think makes counseling children and teens fun and interesting.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC, NCC, ACS, EXAT child and teen counselor in Harrisonburg, VA
Children and teens rarely come into your office calmly and willing to listen to your
wisdom. They do not typically list all the things they think they need help with. Much
less are they ready to settle down and work through a check list of things that will
improve their skill set. Their brains are not wired yet to do so. If there is trauma any wiring that
has happened has been altered and tangled.
Teens frequently glare at you suspiciously or angrily, tell you where you can go, or maybe
they sit and refuse to speak. Children may disrupt your fine office with toys, sand, and art
supplies, As a therapist, one has to be at the top of their game! Children and teens call
you out on things and challenge you. I love this about their inquisitive minds that
frequently do not hold back.
And then there is the family! Children and teens do not come in a vacuum. The whole
family system is at play. Not only are you working with the child or teen but also
communicating, supporting, and guiding the family system as well. Adults come to a
counselor in Harrisonburg, VA typically on their own with a clearly defined problem, a
resolution to solve it, and a cognitive process that is accessible.
Children and teens often have clearly defined problems as their parents or school system see
them. This is not always the root of what the child or teen is experiencing. Due to this and the
fact that children and teen’s brains are in a developmental stage, they have a hundred other
things pressing on their minds. So the process of therapy can seem a little slow and murky. It
can feel a little unclear at times to caregivers as they see therapists using nonverbal and
nonlinear tools such as play, music, movement, and creativity to get to the root of the
problem. As adults, we typically want to find the problem, define it, fix it, and move on quickly.
Children and teens take a little more work.
In my years of working with children, and particularly teens, I have learned that they are
always listing, watching, and absorbing. They just don’t always let us in on that fact. That
would not be cool! But at the strangest times they can spit back something a therapist or
adult said to them that held meaning. These are times of magic and growth.
A therapist in Harrisonburg, VA has to find the individual language of the child or teen
first, allow them to build trust as we work on a relationship, build coping skills through
“play”, and then be ready when the child or teen feels safe enough to open up with
support, understanding, and guidance. All while balancing the needs and desires of the
family system, the school system, and the community. So yes, some therapists do not
want to work with children and teens because it can be complex and messy. And that is ok!
Because you want the best for your child or teen.
You want someone who is committed and willing to invest the time
and energy that is needed in child and teen therapy. Melissa Deaton Cook LPC a
therapist in Harrisonburg, Va is ready and willing to work with your child or teen
today.
Myth #2: There are no therapists in Harrisonburg, VA that specialize in children or teens.
Many counselors in Harrisonburg, VA will work with children and teens. It is just a matter of finding them. Look for a play therapist, expressive art therapist, teen therapist, child
therapist, or family therapist when you are searching online for counseling in Harrisonburg, VA.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC, NCC, ACS, EXAT bilingual child and teen counselor in Harrisonburg, VA
Some of the problems with finding a child or teen therapist is that the Google search
engine may not be optimized on their websites as they are focusing on working with
young people and not so much on keeping up to date with SEO marketing. Many child
and teen therapists may not take insurance, so you will not see them on insurance
listings. Most Insurance companies will still work with these therapist as “out of network
providers” but may not let you know about them when you ask. Especially in the era of AI.
The best way to find a child and teen therapist is to keep asking friends and family. When you
find a good one, spread the word so that others have better options for helping their kids as well.
Melissa Deaton Cook is a child and teen therapist who has specialized in working
with children, teens, and families since the 1990s. Call her today at 540-416-1628.
Spiral Roots LLC has child therapy and teen therapy openings in Harrisonburg,
Va.
Myth #3: A teen therapist in Harrisonburg, VA is just there to listen and nod their heads.
Child and teen therapists are good at engaging with young people through the young
persons language. The language of play, imagination, curiosity, creativity, and laughter.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC, NCC, ACS, EXAT child and teen therapist in Harrisonburg, VA
They are good at setting boundaries and having uncomfortable honest conversations
with teens. They are good at holding space for tears and anger. They are good at
supporting, answering questions, and providing guidance both to parents and their
young people. They can help provide bridges of communication between a young
person and their family. A good child or teen counselor is relational and knowledgeable.
Myth #4: Going to the gym every day is just like going to see a child or teen therapist in Harrisonburg, VA.
When you go to meet a coach at the gym you have specific goals, specific exercises,
and specific sequences of exercises that you know will develop specific muscles. Follow
them strategically and there will be immediate results. A coach can be very matter of
fact and tell you exactly what to do and what not to do. And if followed, these
instructions can help you build specific muscles and a healthy lifestyle. If you lift
weights, you will gain muscle. That is a fact.
When a child or teen goes to counseling it is a little different. Counseling is more like a dance
or maybe a bouncy house at times! Yes, there are goals to be met. But goals are guidelines in
therapy. Therapy is a process. Growth comes through relationships not always through
specific actions. Counseling with children and teens, especially children and teens with
trauma, involves a lot of pacing on the part of the therapist, inviting creativity, creating a
sense of safety, and developing trust in the therapist.
A good therapist will listen to both you and the child or teen about what is going on in their life,
observe their interactions and behaviors, and help them make the safe adjustments they are
willing and able to make at the right time. Results are not always immediate or “black and
white”.
This part can be very frustrating for caregivers. Helping a child and teen through
counseling in Harrisonburg, Va is about building relationships, trust, and safety while
providing guidance and teaching new skills. Good child and teen therapists know how to
fluidly move in and out through all the uniqueness of the personality and needs of the
individual child or teen. Therapy is more like a dance than going to the gym, and
everyone’s preferred music and movement is a little different. A good therapist can tap
in on this and find “the right” music and movement that can help your child or teen
flourish.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC a bilingual child and teen counselor in Harrisonburg VA who uses nature and play when possible during therapy.
Finding the right therapist for your child or teen is important. You want someone who is
knowledgeable. Someone who understands kids. Your kid! You want someone your
family can relate to, feel safe with, and learn to communicate with. Therapy, child and
teen therapy takes time. There will be rough times but there will be great moments of
celebration as well. In the end, you want your young person and family to feel stronger,
more flexible, and healthier both emotionally and relationally.
At Spiral Roots LLC, Melissa Deaton Cook LPC specializes in child and teen therapy in Harrisonburg, VA. If you are looking for a child or teen counselor, call 540-416-1628 or email melissa@spiralroots.org Openings are currently available. Learn more and follow Melissa. @spiral roots counseling
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC works with ages 5-18 in Harrisonburg VA and the Shenandoah Valley
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC Bilingual Child and Teen Therapist
When hiring a therapist to provide counseling in Harrisonburg, Va for your child or teen you want someone who is knowledgeable. Someone who understands kids. Your Kid!
You want someone your family can relate to, feel safe with, and learn to communicate with.
You deserve support from someone who can help you and understand your child and teens development and mental health issues. Your child and teen deserve someone who “speaks their language” not just another mark in the schedule book.
Therapy isn’t just for chatting weekly, it is about reaching your goals, easing your worry, and getting real support for both you and your young person. I hope this helps you find the right child or teen therapist in Harrisonburg, VA. Someone who can help you and your loved one.
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC ~
child and teen psychotherapist
Melissa Deaton Cook LPC, NCC, ACS
Melissa is a bilingual licensed professional counselor in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Melissa helps kids feel safe, supported, & empowered to be their best unique selves! She helps struggling children and teens to know that they are seen, they are heard, and that they matter with the help of trauma informed expressive art, sand tray, play therapy, nature based, and cognitive therapy.
“Melissa is like a child and teen first responder” Jennie -First Responder.
Melissa helps dis-regulated children and teens struggling with trauma, depression, anxiety, mental health issues, behavior issues, family separations and more to regulate and learn to function in their community. All are welcome! Melissa’s focus is to help kids learn to regulate, communicate, and strengthen their relationships in the home and community so they can develop the capacity to grow and become their best selves. Melissa may be contracted for child, teen, and family therapy, dynamic trauma trainings, expressive arts workshops, and team building events.Melissa also provides expressive arts workshops and drum circles through The Growing Space, in Dayton VA.Learn more about Melissa’s background, approach, and services here at spiralroots.org
Other Blogs In This Series: Searching for Counseling For Children and Teens in Harrisonburg, VA and the Shenandoah Valley?https://www.spiralroots.org/blog/searching-for-counseling-for-children-and-teens-in-harrisonburg-va-and-the-shenandoha-valley
Looking for a Counselor in the Shenandoah Valley? How to find a Child or Teen Therapist in Harrisonburg, VA Today.https://www.spiralroots.org/blog/looking-for-a-counselor-in-the-shenandoah-valley-how-to-find-a-child-or-teen-therapist-in-harrisonburg-va-today
Questions to Ask a Child or Teen Therapist in Harrisonburg, VA https://www.spiralroots.org/blog/searching-for-counseling-for-children-and-teens-in-harrisonburg-va-and-the-shenandoha-valley
FAQs About Counseling and Finding Child and Teen Therapy in Harrisonburg, VA https://www.spiralroots.org/blog/faqs-about-counseling-and-finding-child-and-teen-therapy-in-harrisonburg-va
What to Expect During a Consultation Call and the First Session from a Child and Teen Therapist in Harrisonburg, VA https://www.spiralroots.org/blog/what-to-expect-during-a-consultation-call-and-the-first-session-from-a-child-and-teen-therapist-in-harrisonburg-va