School Anxiety Therapy
Helping Students Get Back to School and Feel Safe There Again
- Anxiety counseling for every age, and EMDR with our EMDR-trained therapist
- In-person in New Lenox and telehealth across Illinois
- In-network with Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and UMR
- No waiting list, and we reply within 24 hours
Reviewed by Sidra Shoaib, LPC, Anxiety & Emotional Regulation Counselor · Updated October 2026
Understanding School Anxiety and
Why It Needs Real Support
School anxiety therapy helps students who feel sick with dread about school, freeze up in class, or simply cannot make themselves walk through the doors. At Davis-Smith Mental Health in New Lenox, IL, we work with children and teens for whom school has become a source of fear rather than a place to learn. Maybe your child begs to stay home, complains of stomachaches every morning, or texts you from the nurse’s office asking to be picked up. Maybe drop-off ends in tears, or grades are slipping even though your child is bright and capable.
School anxiety is not laziness, defiance, or a child being difficult. For many students it is a genuine, overwhelming fear that makes attending school feel impossible. It can center on a specific class, a teacher, being away from home, being called on, navigating the hallways, or the fear of being judged. It is real, it is common, and it is treatable. We are here to help. We serve families throughout Will County, including Joliet, Frankfort, Mokena, and Lockport, with telehealth available across Illinois. Anxious kids are not choosing to struggle. It is important to address school avoidance early, because the longer a child stays home, the harder going back can feel, and the right strategies make a real difference over time.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions affecting young people, and school is one of the most frequent places that anxiety shows up. The longer a student avoids school, the harder returning can feel, because avoidance gives quick relief that makes the fear grow. School anxiety therapy breaks that cycle. We help your child understand what is driving the fear, build the skills to face it, and get back on track in a way that feels manageable rather than terrifying.
“You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.”
– Dan Millman
In-network with
- Aetna PPO
- Cigna / Evernorth
- BCBS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare
- UMR
- Initial assessment $200
- Ongoing sessions $150
Insurance and rates
Insurance Accepted
Davis-Smith Mental Health is in network with Aetna PPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Cigna and Evernorth, UnitedHealthcare, and UMR. Not every therapist is in every network, so we check your plan with you before your first session. If you’d rather pay privately, we can give you a Superbill to use with your out-of-network benefits.
WHEN TO REACH OUT
Signs Your Child May Have School Anxiety
School anxiety often looks like a child who simply will not go. If several of these are part of your mornings and weeks, school anxiety therapy may help:
Morning Stomachaches and Headaches
Feeling genuinely sick before school, especially on Sunday nights and Monday mornings, with symptoms that ease once staying home is allowed.
Begging to Stay Home or Refusing to Go
Pleading, stalling, hiding, or full refusal at the start of the school day, sometimes escalating to panic when pushed.
Frequent Trips to the Nurse
Regular requests to call home, leave class, or visit the nurse with vague symptoms that have no clear medical cause.
Tearful or Panicked Drop-offs
Crying, clinging, or distress at separation, even for students who used to handle drop-off without trouble.
Sunday Night Dread
Mood dropping, tears, or rising anxiety as the weekend ends and the school week comes back into view.
Fear of Being Called On or Judged
Dreading participation, presentations, reading aloud, or being noticed, and going to great lengths to avoid attention in class.
Slipping Attendance and Grades
Missed days adding up, falling behind on work, or grades that no longer match how capable your child actually is.
Avoiding Specific Classes or Activities
Skipping P.E., lunch, a particular subject, or the bus, often centered on one situation that feels unbearable.
Trouble Sleeping Before School Days
Racing thoughts at bedtime, difficulty falling asleep, or waking through the night worried about the day ahead.
You Do Not Have to Figure This Out Alone
Few things are as draining as the daily battle to get an anxious child to school. You coax, negotiate, and sometimes lose your patience, then feel terrible about it. You worry about missed days, about the school’s phone calls, about what this means for your child’s future. And underneath it all, you can see your child is genuinely suffering, which makes pushing them feel impossible.
Reaching out for school anxiety therapy is not a sign that you have failed your child. It is one of the most caring and practical things a parent can do. Our therapists work with students and families caught in exactly this struggle, and we meet every one of you where you are. You do not need to have it figured out before you call. You just need to take one step, and we will help you build the plan from there, including how to handle the mornings.
The Power of School Anxiety Therapy
How School Anxiety Therapy Can Help
School anxiety therapy does more than get your child through the door. It changes their relationship with school and with their own ability to cope. Here is the difference it can make:
Breaking the Avoidance Cycle
Helping your child face school in gradual, supported steps so the fear shrinks instead of growing with every missed day.
Calming the Body
Practical tools for the racing heart, the morning nausea, and the panic, so the physical symptoms stop running the show.
Easier Mornings
A realistic, agreed plan for getting ready and getting out the door that lowers the daily conflict for the whole family.
Confidence in the Classroom
Building the courage to raise a hand, present, and be seen, so participation stops feeling like a threat.
Managing Separation
Helping students who struggle with being away from home or a parent feel secure enough to get through the school day.
A Plan for Catching Up
Reducing the overwhelm of missed work so getting back on track feels possible rather than crushing.
Coordinating With School
Where helpful, working alongside teachers, counselors, and your re-entry plan so support is consistent at home and at school.
Lasting Resilience
Giving your child coping skills that outlast this school year and help them meet future challenges with confidence.
How School Anxiety Impacts Daily Life
School anxiety does not stay at school. It takes over Sunday evenings, bedtimes, and the breakfast table. A student may seem fine all weekend and fall apart the moment Monday comes into view. Some children cannot explain why they are scared, only that the feeling is unbearable, so it comes out as tears, anger, stomachaches, or flat refusal. As days off pile up, students often fall behind, which adds shame and pressure on top of the original fear and makes the whole thing harder to face.
School Stress and Academic Pressure
For older students, school anxiety can be tangled up with academic pressure, the fear of falling behind, social worries, or the dread of a single class. Some students push themselves until they burn out, while others shut down and stop trying altogether. Either way, school stops feeling like a place to grow and starts feeling like a daily threat. The right support helps students manage the pressure and walk back through those doors with more confidence.
School anxiety therapy helps students manage the pressure, ease the morning dread, and feel genuinely ready to walk into school again.
New Client
How getting started works
It can be overwhelming coming to counseling. Here’s every step, from your first call to the sessions that follow.
Step 1
Reach out
Request a session online or call (815) 409-5940 to schedule your first appointment.
Step 2
Fill out your intake forms
Your welcome email has everything. Finish the forms at least 48 hours before your appointment, on a phone, tablet or computer, and share your preferred times and therapist.
Step 3
We check your benefits
If you’re using insurance, we check your benefits before confirming your appointment, so you have a good idea of your cost before your first visit.
Step 4
Your first session
Check in on the iPad in our waiting room. Your therapist walks you through confidentiality, answers your questions, and gets to know you and your goals.
Step 5
Plan next steps together
Most people start with weekly sessions, at least three to build a connection, then adjust together as things improve.
Warm, Real, and Built Around You
Our Approach to School Anxiety Therapy
At Davis-Smith Mental Health, we know that a student who is terrified of school will not be talked out of it, so we do not try. Instead, we build trust first, then work out together what is actually driving the fear. School refusal can have many roots, including separation anxiety, social anxiety, fear of failure, bullying, or a learning struggle, and the plan has to fit the real cause.
As part of our anxiety therapy, we use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help students recognize and challenge the thoughts fueling their dread, calm their bodies, and face school step by step rather than all at once. We also coach parents, because how the family handles the hard mornings can either ease the anxiety or accidentally feed it. Where it helps, we coordinate with your child’s school on a gradual, realistic return. We keep an eye on related struggles such as depression and emotional regulation, which often sit alongside school anxiety.
Our goal is not simply to get your child back in the building. It is to help them feel genuinely capable of handling school, so the change lasts. We believe every anxious student has more strength than they realize.
We proudly serve families in New Lenox, Joliet, Frankfort, Mokena, and Lockport, with telehealth available throughout Illinois.
Sometimes they just need the right support to find it. Learn more about what to expect when you get started.
Personalized care
Licensed, caring therapists
Every therapist on our team works with anxiety. We will match you with the right person for your child.
Anxiety at the center
Anxiety is the foundation of everything we do.
EMDR-trained care
EMDR helps clients process what talk therapy alone can’t reach.
Every age and stage
From children and teens to young adults and adults.
In-person and telehealth
Our New Lenox office or secure online therapy for clients in Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions About
School Anxiety Therapy
Find the Support Your Family Needs
Tell us a little about what is going on. We will match you with the right therapist and reach out to schedule.
Trouble seeing the form? Open it in a new window or call us at (815) 409-5940.
What People Are Saying About Us
5.0 Based on 6 Google reviews
“Davis-Smith Mental Health truly cares about their clients. The therapists are compassionate, skilled, and genuinely committed to helping you grow and heal. It’s clear that Jessica has built a team that shares her values and dedication. Highly recommend to anyone looking for meaningful support and real results.”
Kasia Budyn · Posted on Google
“Jessica provides a safe and welcoming environment for all the teens she sees. She tailors treatment to each teen and is incredibly patient and open to their needs. I have seen first hand the work she does and the connection she has with kids. I cannot recommend her enough as someone who will care for your teen and your family!”
Google User · Posted on Google
“Davis-Smith Mental Health is a trusted resource for providing compassionate, high-quality therapy for teens and emerging adults. I know confidently that clients are supported with empathy, professionalism, and respect. Jessica leads her team with integrity and intention. She clearly prioritizes the well-being of her staff, which allows them to show up fully for the clients they serve. Their commitment to the healing journey is evident in every interaction. I’m grateful to have them as a referral partner and deeply value their work in the mental health community.”
Sherri Wick · Posted on Google
“Jessica is a dedicated therapist and absolutely loves working with teens. You are able to feel the love from the moment you walk through the door. She and her staff will provide a safe and private environment for that one on one attention you deserve.”
Melanie K. Hall · Posted on Google
“Jessica and her team are so passionate and helpful! I would recommend this practice to anyone looking!”
Biljana Krzywinski · Posted on Google
More ways we can help
Other Ways We Help
Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety is the most common reason families come to us, and it’s the foundation of everything we do. Whether your teen is avoiding school, your young adult can’t stop overthinking, or worry has taken over your daily life, we can help. Our therapists use CBT and EMDR to help clients understand what’s driving their anxiety and build real tools to manage it.
Teen Anxiety Counseling
The teen years are when anxiety tends to hit the hardest. School pressure, social stress, comparison, and the weight of figuring out who they are can leave teens feeling overwhelmed and stuck. We work with teens to understand what’s behind the anxiety and give them real skills they can actually use, at school, at home, and in the moments that feel like too much.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a well-researched approach for trauma, and it’s also used for anxiety. It works by helping the brain reprocess difficult memories and experiences that are keeping you stuck. Our EMDR-trained therapist works with teens, young adults, and adults.
Depression Therapy
Depression and anxiety often show up together. If your teen has lost interest in things they used to enjoy, is sleeping too much or too little, or seems hopeless about the future, therapy can help. We work with clients to find what’s underneath the depression and build a path forward that actually feels possible.
Trauma Counseling
Trauma is one of the most common drivers of anxiety in teenagers and young adults. It doesn’t always look like what you’d expect. It can show up as constant worry, anger, trouble concentrating, or emotional shutdown. Our therapists help clients work through trauma at their own pace, in a space where they feel safe.
Emotional Regulation
When anxiety runs high, emotions feel unmanageable. Some children, teens, and adults feel everything. Small frustrations become explosions. Sadness becomes despair. We help clients understand their patterns and develop strategies for handling intense feelings without shutting down or lashing out.
Relationship Counseling
Anxiety doesn’t just affect the person experiencing it. It changes how they show up in every relationship. We help teens, young adults, and adults work through the ways anxiety and other challenges are impacting their connections with family, friends, and partners.
Life Transitions
Starting high school. Leaving for college. A new job, a divorce, a move. Life transitions can trigger anxiety, depression, and self-doubt, even when the change is something you wanted. We help clients work through the uncertainty and build confidence in who they’re becoming.
Young Adult Counseling
The years between 18 and 30 come with a unique kind of pressure. A lot of young adults are dealing with anxiety they’ve carried since their teenage years but never had the chance to address. We help them get unstuck and start building a life that feels like theirs.
Learn More About School Anxiety
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You don’t have to figure this out alone
If something told you to keep reading this far, trust that feeling. Whether it’s for yourself, your teen, or your young adult, the hardest part is deciding to start. We are here when you are ready.
there is courage in change ♥
- Anxiety counseling for children, teens and adults
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- In-network with Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and UMR
- Telehealth for clients in Illinois
- In-person in New Lenox
- EMDR therapy for anxiety and trauma
- We truly care about every client
- There is courage in change