General Therapy
Maybe you know your child is struggling. Perhaps you’ve just noticed they seem “off” or not quite themselves, but you aren’t sure why. Healing — for them and for your whole family — becomes possible when they understand themselves (and when you know how to support them).
We work to ensure your child feels safe and seen at every stage. We don’t just look at symptoms, we look at the whole child and their whole system.
By uncovering the full picture of what your child is experiencing, we can respond with confidence — and they can begin to feel better.
When is general therapy right?
These are some of the signals, behaviors, and emotions that we see the most from kids who benefit from therapy. If you’re seeing some of these difficulties (or others) at home, we can help you understand why and address them.
Persistent low mood, withdrawal, thoughts of wanting to hurt themselves
Difficulty coping with reminders/flashbacks; avoidance
Physical symptoms without an identified medical cause
Trouble coping emotionally with a chronic or new condition
The elements of care
Evaluation
Care begins with a diagnostic evaluation, which at Brightline is a series of three appointments. These appointments are vital to helping us get to know you and your child. They give you clarity and build the foundation for care — we will deeply understand your concerns, explore any related needs, and create a care plan that is evidence-based, individualized, and geared towards progress.
Our goal is to schedule these sessions as close together as possible for continuity, engagement, and convenience.
The first two of the three sessions involve you and your child in largely separate conversations — one with you only, and one with a focus on your child (you’re involved as needed, depending on your child’s age, stage of development, and ability to engage).
The third session is the evaluation follow up. This is a highly interactive and collaborative opportunity to share our impressions, discuss what we know about concerns, and arrive at a research-based treatment plan.
Evaluation
Care begins with a diagnostic evaluation, which at Brightline is a series of three appointments. These appointments are vital to helping us get to know you and your child. They give you clarity and build the foundation for care — we will deeply understand your concerns, explore any related needs, and create a care plan that is evidence-based, individualized, and geared towards progress.
Our goal is to schedule these sessions as close together as possible for continuity, engagement, and convenience.
The first two of the three sessions involve you and your child in largely separate conversations — one with you only, and one with a focus on your child (you’re involved as needed, depending on your child’s age, stage of development, and ability to engage).
The third session is the evaluation follow up. This is a highly interactive and collaborative opportunity to share our impressions, discuss what we know about concerns, and arrive at a research-based treatment plan.
How does care work for kids and teens in general therapy?
Initially, treatment focuses on continuing to help your child learn about themselves and the anxiety they’re experiencing. We may enhance their exposure plan, identify ways to track progress, and create reinforcement plans.
We work with you and your child to practice skills in session, and set practice plans for between sessions where you and your child practice using skills in your everyday life. Eventually, those skills and that growth will sustain your child independently and they will “graduate” from care.
We continually address any barriers and co-occurring conditions as we build trust with your family and your child. We are also working closely with you, the parent, and any other outside providers you might be collaborating with on your child’s care.
The length of care hinges on how care is progressing, especially if we’re addressing multiple needs. You as the parent (and our partner) will help us rank the top problems and will complete standardized questionnaires as one way of providing feedback about how you feel treatment is progressing. Progress is measured weekly and monthly.
The decision to wrap-up care is made collaboratively between you, your child, and your provider(s). During this time, we work together to reinforce the skills your child has learned, celebrate successes, discuss relapse prevention strategies, and create a “what if” plan for when a return to care might be needed.
Therapy sessions are usually 55 minutes long and psychiatry sessions are 30 minutes long.
Hear what Brightline parents have to say
“I went to the website, signed up, and had a parent/therapist consultation scheduled within days. That consultation went so well, and just a few days later we had an appointment set up for my daughter’s first therapy session. She was nervous, as she had never talked with a therapist or had a virtual visit of any kind. The therapist put her at ease, and afterwards my daughter said it went so well and that she really liked the therapist. My daughter feels the sessions are very helpful. I can see it too!”
General Therapy FAQs
Does Brightline do family therapy sessions?
Parents are often brought into care to address family dynamics that are impacting the ongoing symptoms or care of a child. Sometimes this looks like parent-only sessions and sometimes this looks like parents joining for a part of each session that the child is involved in. We are a family-centered practice — we know that when one child struggles with a mental health concern, it can have a ripple effect on everyone in the family.
How does Brightline work with kids who have experienced a traumatic event?
It depends. Not all people (kids included) who experience a traumatic event go on to develop difficulties with coping emotionally or behaviorally. For those that do, Brightline follows evidence-based practice guidelines to offer kids and teens trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) to address symptoms related to the experience of a traumatic event.
My child has depression. How can Brightline help?
Our clinicians are trained to provide evidence-based therapy to support your child, and our psychiatry services (e.g. medication consultations and management) can be layered onto care as needed. One of our relied-upon interventions for depression is cognitive behavioral therapy with a focus on behavioral activation.
How and when does Brightline leverage play-based approaches?
Even though we talk about serious things, we want kids to have fun and be engaged while we do it. We are trained to bring play and a child’s interests into care while staying rooted in evidence-based interventions. For example, if a child is practicing talking to new people because of social anxiety, we might practice trick-or-treating, do a scavenger hunt, or play a game of “guess who” with other staff members in the office.
How can I tell if my child’s sadness is more than a passing phase?
Persistent sadness, irritability, loss of interest, or withdrawal from loved ones can signal depression. Your child may also be sharing thoughts that make you concerned for their safety. An evaluation helps identify whether your child’s symptoms are within a typical range or represent a deeper emotional struggle.
What role does trauma play in a child’s behavior?
Trauma can affect sleep, emotions, concentration, and relationships. Our evaluation will help us understand if experiences or other symptoms might be connected to your child’s current symptoms.
What’s the first step toward helping my child heal?
Understanding is the first step. The evaluation step allows us to have deep conversations with both you and your child or teen. What we learn brings clarity and direction so the right interventions — like therapy or school supports — can help your child experience relief.
What if my child doesn’t want to talk about their feelings?
It’s common for kids to have difficulty opening up to a new person. Our therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists are skilled at building rapport and demystifying the treatment process. We often work closely with parents to identify patterns and ways in which they can support the improvement of current symptoms, even if your child isn’t ready to engage in therapy.
How do you adapt the evaluation and treatment to my child’s comfort level?
We create a calm, flexible environment and move at your child’s pace, while challenging them at a level that allows them to grow and enjoy small wins along the way. Each part of the process is explained so your child feels in control and secure.
How do you ensure my child’s experience isn’t retraumatizing?
Our trauma-informed approach prioritizes safety and trust. We never push for details before your child is ready; we listen, validate, and build connection first.
How do you help parents through this process emotionally?
We recognize that watching your child struggle is painful, and that bringing up difficult subjects or experiences can open old wounds for everyone, no matter their age. We support parents too — through open communication, education, skill-building for resilience, and reassurance that you’re not facing this alone.
How do you handle sensitive topics like self-harm?
Our clinicians are experienced with addressing difficult emotions and behaviors calmly, carefully, and safely. Every conversation is guided by empathy, professionalism, and what will keep your child safe.
How do you create a safe space for children to open up about painful emotions?
Treatment that will help your child progress sometimes happens even when painful emotions are present. As we move forward together, your child will build trust, and we’ll learn which communication tactics will resonate with them. We invest in trust and a shared relationship as we do the work collaboratively — it’s a combination of opening up, feeling safe, and gaining strength that works.
What makes your approach different from other providers?
We pair clinical expertise with deep empathy — and root everything we do in evidence. We rely on science, data, and methods that work, and that deep, sturdy knowledge informs our care. Where science is imperfect, we adapt care thoughtfully to meet the needs of families. Our clinicians understand that concerns like depression and trauma are not simply conditions to treat — they’re human experiences that require warmth, patience, and respect. We focus on connection as the foundation for progress, and therapeutic approaches that work to enable your child’s growth and your family’s healing.
Get in touch with us
It's okay if you don't know the root of the issue or are unsure what to say. We've been there — and now we're here for you.
