What to Look for in a Therapist for Your Child or Teen

Have you ever wondered what to look for in a therapist when your child or teen is struggling? You scroll through a long list of names and photos, and after a while they all start to blur together.

It can feel like a huge decision, especially when your kid is already having a hard time. The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert to make a good choice. A few simple questions will get you most of the way there.

At Davis-Smith Mental Health in New Lenox, IL, we work with children, teens and young adults, and we know how much it matters to get this part right. Here’s a plain guide to what really counts.

What to Look for in a Therapist: Start With Fit

Therapy works best when your child feels safe enough to be honest. That comfort doesn’t come from a fancy office or a long list of letters after someone’s name. It comes from feeling heard.

So when you think about what to look for in a therapist, keep two questions side by side. Are they qualified, and will my kid actually want to talk to them? You need both!

Fit is that quiet sense of “I can talk to this person,” and it often shows up over the first few sessions. Here are a few signs things are on the right track:

• Your child seems a little lighter after sessions: They might not share much, but you notice they’re calmer on the car ride home.
• They’re willing to go back: Maybe not excited, but willing. That counts!
• Things are explained clearly: The therapist talks to you and your child in plain words, not jargon.
• You feel respected as a parent: You’re kept in the loop in a way that fits your child’s age, and your teen still has their own space.

If the fit doesn’t feel right after a few sessions, that’s OKAY. It doesn’t mean therapy won’t work for your child. It’s simply worth talking about, and a good practice will help you find someone who fits better.

What the License Letters Mean in Plain English

Those letters after a therapist’s name can look like alphabet soup. In Illinois, mental health professionals are licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, often called IDFPR.

Here are the ones you’ll see most often:

• LPC and LCPC: Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Illinois counselors start with a graduate degree in counseling or a closely related field, with the LPC as the supervised practice level and the LCPC as the clinical level.
• LSW and LCSW: Licensed Social Worker and Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Illinois calls the LSW the supervised practice level and the LCSW the independent practice level, which takes thousands of hours of supervised clinical experience after a graduate social work degree.
• Other licenses you may see: Licensed clinical psychologists and licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT) have their own licenses and training paths, too.

Here’s the part that matters most: each of these is a real state license. Instead of chasing a certain set of letters, check that the license is active and ask about experience with kids your child’s age.

You can check any Illinois license yourself with the state’s license lookup from IDFPR. It only takes a moment, and it gives you real peace of mind.

Experience With Kids and Teens

Someone who’s wonderful with adults isn’t automatically the right fit for a 9-year-old or a 15-year-old. Kids and teens need a person who gets their world, from the group chats to the pressure of grades to the long days of school and practice.

With younger kids, sessions often look more like play than talk. In our office, that can mean games, drawing or role-play, which helps kids open up without feeling put on the spot.

Teens usually want something different: a person who listens without lecturing and treats them like the capable young person they are. If worry is a big part of what’s going on, our complete guide to teen anxiety is a good read while you search.

The Child Mind Institute also has a helpful guide on how to find a children’s mental health professional, including questions about training and experience. Experience is a big part of what to look for in a therapist, so be specific about your child’s age and what they’re going through.

Questions to Ask on the First Call

That first phone call is the easiest way to learn what to look for in a therapist who’d suit your family. Keep a little list on your phone so you don’t blank in the moment (we’ve all been there!).

• “Do your therapists work with kids my child’s age?”
• “What does a typical session look like for a child or a teen?”
• “How do you keep parents in the loop, and what stays private for my teen?”
• “Do you offer telehealth, and what does that require?”
• “How do you decide which therapist would fit my child best?”
• “Do you work with my insurance, or offer self-pay options?”
• “What happens at the first appointment?”

It also helps to ask your child a few questions before you call. Their answers can guide your search:

• “What would make it easier to talk to someone?”
• “Would you rather meet in person or on a screen?”
• “Is there anything you’d want them to know before you meet?”
• “It’s your space, so what matters most to you?”

In Person in New Lenox or Telehealth Anywhere in Illinois

Some kids do best sitting on a comfy couch in a quiet room. Others open up more from their own bedroom, especially after a long day.

Our New Lenox office is at 100 Batson Court, with a parking lot right outside the building. Our therapy rooms have big windows, comfortable couches and plenty of natural light.

We also offer telehealth anywhere in Illinois, as long as your child is physically located in Illinois during each session. Families can switch between in person and telehealth as life requires, though we generally encourage the first session in person when possible.

Families come to us from all over Will County, including Frankfort, Mokena and Joliet. If the drive is part of the decision, telehealth can make a busy week a lot easier.

What to Look for in a Therapist vs. What Matters Less

When you’re comparing options, it helps to know where to put your energy:

Worth looking for	Matters less than you think
An active Illinois license you can check	A long string of letters after a name
Experience with kids or teens your child’s age	A big, fancy office
Clear answers about privacy and parent updates	A perfect match on paper before you’ve met
A child who feels more comfortable after a few sessions	An instant spark at the very first visit
Options for in person and telehealth	Living right next door to the office

Common Mistakes Parents Make When Choosing

We all want to get this right, so it’s easy to overthink it. Here are a few traps parents fall into, and what to try instead:

• Waiting for the perfect therapist: Searching for weeks can leave your child struggling longer. A good start, with room to adjust, usually beats waiting.
• Choosing without your teen’s input: Teens who have a say are often more willing to go. Even letting them pick in person or telehealth helps.
• Framing therapy as a punishment: Kids pick up on that fast. Many teens are more open than parents expect when therapy is framed as their own space.
• Giving up after one session: Most people start with weekly sessions, at least three in a row, to build a connection. A first session can feel a little awkward, and that’s normal.

If you’re not sure how to bring it up, our post on how to get your teen to go to therapy has words you can borrow. Still deciding where to start? Our guide to school counselor vs therapist explains who does what.

When It May Be Time to Reach Out

Not every bad week needs a therapist. Kids have off days, and so do we!

It may be worth reaching out when struggles keep going for a while or start getting in the way of school, sleep, friendships or family life. You might notice your child pulling away from things they used to love, or worries that seem to follow them everywhere.

Our post on how to know if your teen needs counseling goes deeper. If you’re ever worried about your child’s safety, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time of day or night. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

How Davis-Smith Mental Health Matches Families With the Right Therapist

When you call or request a session online, we listen to what’s going on and match your child with the therapist who fits best. You can also ask for a specific therapist by name if you already have someone in mind.

Every therapist on our team works with anxiety, and teens and young adults are the heart of our practice. You can learn more about our teen counseling and child therapy services, or meet our therapists.

If you’re still sorting out what to look for in a therapist, we’re glad to help you think it through on the phone. We don’t keep a waiting list, and if our schedules are full, we’ll help you with referrals so you’re never left on your own.

Wondering what happens next? Our what to expect page walks through it, from the welcome email to checking in on the iPad in our waiting room. We work with most major insurance plans and offer self-pay options, and our insurance and rates page has the details.

You don’t have to get this perfect. Give yourself grace, and know that reaching out doesn’t mean something is terribly wrong or that you’ve failed as a parent.