Child Therapy for Children Ages 5+
Helping Children Feel Understood, Regulated, and Confident
When a child is struggling, it often shows up in ways that are hard to interpret: big emotions, behavior changes, anxiety, or withdrawal. As a parent, you may feel unsure how to help or how serious it is.
At A Better Life Therapy, we offer child therapy for children ages 5 and up, providing a supportive space where children can express themselves, develop coping skills, and feel more confident navigating their world.
Our work is grounded in the understanding that children are not problems to be fixed, rather they are individuals who need to be understood. And we do all of this work also focusing on the compassion and support you might also need as a parent.
What Child Therapy Can Help With
Child therapy can support children experiencing:
Anxiety or excessive worry
Emotional outbursts or difficulty regulating feelings
Social challenges or friendship struggles
Low confidence or self-esteem
Family transitions or changes
Grief, loss, or loneliness
Rather than focusing only on behavior, we help children, and their caregivers, understand what is happening underneath.
How We Work with Children
Children communicate differently than adults, which is why therapy must be tailored to their developmental stage.
Depending on your child and the therapist, sessions may include:
Play therapy
Sand tray therapy
Skill-building and emotional education
Mindfulness and calming techniques
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) strategies or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Our clinicians bring different specialties and approaches, allowing us to thoughtfully match your child with the right therapist.
A Family Connected Approach
We believe that meaningful change happens when caregivers are part of the process.
Child therapy at A Better Life Therapy includes collaboration with parents to:
Better understand your child’s emotional needs
Learn supportive strategies at home
Strengthen connection and communication
You are an essential part of your child’s growth, and we work alongside you every step of the way
Our Child Therapy Specialists
We offer child therapy across several of our offices, each with clinicians who bring unique strengths and approaches.
Center City, Philadelphia and Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Chenglu Ding, LPC
Works with children using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) , TF-CBT, and other form os support, to provides children the tools they need for emotional regulation, healing from trauma, and social skills development. Chenglu provides therapy in English, Mandarin, and Chinese, offering accessible care for multilingual families.
Chenglu works with children in persona and online. When working with children in person, she can meet with them in our Center City or Ardmore office.
New Hope, Pennsylvania
Francesca DePaul, MA
Works with children experiencing anxiety, depression, and loneliness, with a focus on creating a warm, affirming space. Francesca also provides support for children exploring identity and LGBTQ+ experiences.
Galloway (South Jersey)
Linda Schuler, LPC
Specializes in play therapy and sand tray therapy, helping children express emotions through creativity, movement, and symbolic play. Her work supports children experiencplay therapy and sand tray therapying anxiety, overwhelm, and emotional challenges.
You can read more about play therapy and sand tray therapy here.
Find Child Therapy Near You
We offer child therapy across multiple locations to make care accessible for families.
Our team can help guide you to the best therapist for your child’s needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Therapy
What age is child therapy for?
Answer:
Our child therapy services are designed for children ages 5 and up. We tailor our approach based on your child’s developmental stage, using play-based and skill-based methods to meet them where they are.
How is child therapy different from therapy for teens?
Answer:
Child therapy focuses more on play, creativity, and parent involvement, while teen therapy often includes more direct conversation and independence. This page focuses specifically on therapy for younger children.
Will I be involved in my child’s therapy?
Answer:
Yes. Caregiver involvement is an important part of effective child therapy. We work with parents to provide insight, tools, and support so progress continues outside of sessions.