Child & Teen Therapy in Utah
Life can be tough for kids and teens. Anxiety, big emotions, school stress, friendship issues, family changes, and past experiences can all feel confusing and overwhelming. Young people often do not have the words for what they are feeling, so it comes out in behavior, withdrawal, perfectionism, shutdown, or constant “meltdowns” and blowups.
Purple Sky Counseling offers child and teen therapy in Utah to help young people and their families navigate what is going on with more support, understanding, and tools. Therapy gives kids and teens a safe place to express themselves, learn skills, and heal, while also giving parents and caregivers guidance on how to support them.
When kids and teens are having a hard time
Children and teenagers may struggle in ways that are easy to miss at first. Sometimes kids and teens will say “I’m fine” while their behavior or body is telling a different story. Therapy can help identify what is underneath and offer a safe place for those feelings to land.
You might notice:
Anxiety, worries, or constant “what if” questions
Sadness, withdrawal, or loss of interest in things they used to enjoy
Irritability, anger, or frequent outbursts
Trouble focusing, restlessness, or school struggles
Sleep problems, stomachaches, or headaches with no clear medical cause
Behavior changes after a big event, loss, or family change
Struggles around identity, self-esteem, or feeling like they do not fit in
What child and teen therapy can help with
Therapy at Purple Sky can support children and teens who are dealing with:
Anxiety, worries, panic, and perfectionism
Depression, low mood, or lack of motivation
Trauma and stressful or scary experiences
ADHD and neurodivergence-related challenges
School issues, bullying, and peer conflict
Family transitions, divorce, blended families, and co-parenting stress
Grief, loss, and major changes
Behavior concerns, emotional outbursts, or shutdown
The goal is not to “fix” a child or teenager. The goal is to understand what they are going through, help them feel safer and more understood, and support healthier coping, communication, and connection at home and in their world.
How therapy works for kids and teens
Therapy for young people looks different from therapy for adults. Kids often express themselves more naturally through play, sand tray, art, and movement than through long conversations. Teens may need time to build trust before opening up.
In therapy, a child or teen might:
Play, use sand tray, draw, or use creative activities to show how they are feeling
Learn words for emotions and ways to calm their body when feelings are big
Talk about school, friends, family, identity, and stress in a space that feels safe
Build coping skills for anxiety, anger, sadness, and frustration
Practice new ways of communicating needs and setting boundaries
Parents and caregivers are part of the process, but sessions may be a mix of child-only time, parent check-ins, and family work depending on age, needs, and goals.
Approaches we use with young people
Therapists at Purple Sky use developmentally appropriate, evidence-based, and trauma-informed approaches when working with children and teens. Depending on the situation, therapy may include:
Play therapy, sand tray, and other expressive therapies
Trauma-informed play and sand tray therapy for kids who have experienced hard or frightening events
CBT, DBT-informed skills, and other skill-building for anxiety, mood, and behavior
EMDR for trauma and overwhelming experiences, when appropriate for age and readiness
Support around ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent experiences
Parent guidance and family-focused work
With younger children, a lot of the work happens through play, sand tray, movement, story, and imagination. With teens, therapy may look more like a mix of talking, creative work, and concrete tools.
Involving parents and caregivers
Parents and caregivers are an important part of child and teen therapy. Purple Sky works collaboratively with families while also respecting a young person’s need for some privacy and a sense of ownership in therapy.
Parent and caregiver involvement may include:
Intake conversations to understand concerns and history
Regular check-ins about patterns, progress, and what is happening at home or school
Support in learning how to respond to big emotions and behaviors
Help with communication, boundaries, and routines that support the child or teen
When appropriate, family sessions to work on patterns and relationships together
The goal is to support the whole system around the child or teen, not to make them feel like they are the “problem.”
Frequently asked questions
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f you notice ongoing changes in mood, behavior, sleep, school performance, friendships, or how they handle stress, therapy may help. You do not need a crisis or a formal diagnosis to seek support.
When a child or teen is struggling, the whole family is often affected. If you think support would make sense for more than one person, our Family Therapy page has more on how family sessions can run alongside or instead of individual work.
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Purple Sky works with children, teens, and young adults, using approaches that are tailored to their age, development, and needs.
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Yes. Parents and caregivers are an important part of the process. Therapists typically meet with caregivers for intake and check-ins, and may include family sessions when helpful, while also providing children and teens with private space to talk and process.
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That is common, especially at the beginning. Therapists use play, sand tray, art, games, and creative activities so kids and teens can express themselves in ways that feel safer and more natural than direct conversation right away.
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Yes, online therapy is available for many teens in Utah, depending on age, needs, and what is clinically appropriate. You can ask about virtual options during the intake process.
Getting started
You do not need to have everything figured out before reaching out for your child or teen. It is enough to notice that something feels off, harder than usual, or different from what you would expect at their age. To get started with child or teen therapy at Purple Sky Counseling:
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Starting is as simple as filling out the Get Started form and telling us a little about what’s going on.
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The intake team will help match your child or teen with a therapist who fits their needs and age.
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You can ask questions about how therapy will look, how you will be involved, and what the first steps will be.