Discover how starting child therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
4 therapists available in Worcester
As a former member of a special operations military unit, I understand and can empathize with directly- and indirectly-related iss...
About
As a former member of a special operations military unit, I understand and can empathize with directly- and indirectly-related issues.
Lee Walker is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), and a former member of a military Special Operations unit with 45 years of experience in mental health/addictions treatment. He is very concerned regarding the impact of trauma (frequently underrated) and the disease course of addictions (also frequently underrated). He is optimistic that significant life improvement is possible for his clients, and is committed to working with them to see that potential. Leon’s specialties are PTDS, trauma, and addictions.
Lee earned his Bachelor's in Abnormal Psychology at Clark University and Master's at Assumption University. His military background exposed him to a wide range of life circumstances and difficulties that impact people—many of whom have given up hope. Lee teaches his clients to use rational emotive therapy and reality therapy to manage symptoms on their own.
Lee believes that all clients have the potential to conduct self-therapy so they have clinical tools and interventions at all times.
Education and training
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As a young woman, I understand the challenges that academic, work, and family stress can present....
As a young woman, I understand the challenges that academic, work, and family stress can present.
Alyson Burchfield is a Resident-in Counseling (RIC) with over two years of internship experience in the mental health field. She provides therapeutic care to adults and couples who are seeking help with depression, anxiety, stress management, difficult life transitions, adjustment disorder, LGBTQ issues, mindfulness, and meditation. Alyson is a strong and empathetic ally who regards individuals as the experts of their own experience.
Alyson completed her Bachelor's degree in Psychology at Franklin Pierce University and received her Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. She utilizes an eclectic and collaborative strengths-based, narrative-based, mindfulness-based, solutions-focused, and person-centered approach to therapeutic care. Alyson is always fostering a therapeutic alliance that allows for individuals and clients to grow at their own pace while providing a safe and welcoming environment.
Alyson seeks to establish a compassionate and warm relationship with you to assist in building upon your strengths, and to collaborate with you on meeting your goals, processing challenges, and developing tools and techniques to help you grow even outside of counseling.
I'm passionate about creating a safe and judgement-free space where you can explore, heal, and grow into your best self; together,...
I'm passionate about creating a safe and judgement-free space where you can explore, heal, and grow into your best self; together, we'll turn challenges into opportunities for growth and self-discovery.
Christina Zarlengo is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with 2 years of experience helping individuals seek clarity, balance, and personal growth. She supports clients through life transitions, relationship challenges, stress, and self-esteem concerns. Using an integrative, evidence-based approach, Christina blends proven therapeutic techniques with a warm, compassionate presence, empowering clients to gain insight, build resilience, and develop tools to create meaningful change and live with greater confidence and purpose.
Christina earned her Master’s in Counseling from Westfield State University. She has experience working with clients of all ages and utilizes a trauma-informed, integrative approach. She helps clients explore early experiences, understand behavior patterns, and build resilience, creating lasting change from the inside out.
Christina understands the challenges you face and how overwhelming the search for support can be. With warmth and care, she encourages you to reach out—your story matters. Together, you’ll explore what healing looks like for you, finding clarity, strength, and hope one step at a time.
The core values that guide our work together will be rooted in empathic understanding, validation, and the creative use of evidenc...
The core values that guide our work together will be rooted in empathic understanding, validation, and the creative use of evidence-based treatments.
Nicolle Rubino is a Licensed Mental Health Clinician who has spent 7 years working in the mental health field providing crisis care to adults and adolescents needing partial hospitalization treatment. Her specialties include safety planning, de-escalation, and stabilization. She has focused on helping people explore and gain insight into mental health struggles and how to cope and grow from those experiences. Nicolle is an art therapist who is trained in the utilization of creative directives for expressive interventions and has experience working with significant depression, anxiety, trauma, and life stressors.
Nicolle received her Master's in Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy from Lesley University, where she was able to develop skills based in clinical psychology and creative expression. Nicolle pulls from a variety of evidence-based approaches such as mindfulness, person-centered, cognitive behavioral, solution-focused, and expressive therapies.
Nicolle would be honored to be a part of your mental health healing and growth. She looks forward to walking with you on that journey and wants you to know how proud you should be of yourself for making the decision to get the support you need and deserve.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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It is important to meet children where they are. Child therapy is different in that children are often not seeking out therapy for themselves, so it is important to make sure they feel comfortable and have a positive experience. That way, when they have developed more and have the desire to continue to work on their mental health, they will feel safe enough to do so on their own in the future. To do this, I use a lot of play and creative art therapy combined with psychoeducation. I also think it is important to involve parents in therapy so that I am able to address everyone's concerns and also address underlying issues that may be contributing to behavioral problems.
I teach a lot of emotional identification skills as well as ways in which children can express those emotions in a healthy way. I teach coping skills to help children manage “big emotions” as well as learning how to identify when they are feeling dysregulated and when to implement the coping skills they have learned about. One popular technique I use is emotional thermometers to help children identify the intensity of the emotion they are feeling and match that with coping skills that best fit with that level of intensity.
I know a client is making meaningful progress in child therapy when they are sharing more without as much prompting. Since most children are in therapy because an adult in their lives thinks they need it, they often either don't want to be there or don't know what to talk about. Once they start talking more openly on their own, that is progress in itself. I also see progress when children use more emotion-based language correctly, or when their parents report improvements at home.
Clients can supplement their time in child therapy with daily mindfulness practice (which can be found on YouTube), or increased structure and routine at home (if that is necessary). Sometimes I will ask children to practice a certain skill in between sessions as well.
To prepare for their first child therapy session, it is important for the child to have an understanding of what therapy is and the purpose for it. It can be helpful for the parent and therapist to have a conversation first in order to prepare everyone for the first meeting. There should be goals for therapy, so if the child does not have their own goals, it is important they understand what goals the parent has for the child's therapy.
Child therapy, also known as counseling for kids, helps young individuals better understand and manage the challenges that affect their mental health. Common challenges amongst kids include behavioral issues, trauma, bullying, depression, and anxiety. All ages of children can attend and benefit from child therapy at Thriveworks Worcester.
Child therapy works by using multiple techniques tailored to fit the child’s needs based on their age group, their challenges, and the severity of their challenges. It might involve play therapy for younger kids or cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, art therapy, and others for varying ages. In any case, Thriveworks child therapists in Worcester, MA have the expertise and experience to help kids at their level.
Child therapy is a type of therapy meant for clients within a specific age group, while play therapy is an approach to therapy that helps children with self-expression and stress relief, among others. Play therapy is a technique that is often used in child therapy to help children express what’s running through their minds when they do not have the words to express their thoughts and emotions. It can get children to express what’s wrong, what might be causing unwanted behaviors, or what they might need in a way that is accessible to them so that therapists can then work to treat the issue.
It’s not always obvious when a child should see a therapist for their behavior, though in the midst of challenges like divorce, loss, bullying, and other mental health conditions, it’s often a good idea to seek it out. Common behaviors that can indicate a need for child therapy include separation anxiety, bedwetting (at inappropriate ages), and agitation/excessive irritability — especially if it reaches a point of physical violence.
Cognitive behavioral therapy at Thriveworks in Worcester, MA is one of the best types of therapy for children. However, it can be administered in child therapy sessions in a variety of ways that are more accessible to young minds, such as play therapy.
Child therapy at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
The length of child therapy depends on your child’s needs as well as the goals that you and their therapist might have for them. Generally, child therapy sessions will last for several months.
At Thriveworks, we accept most major insurance plans, allowing many clients to pay as little as $0–$50 per session with their co-pay. We also offer self-pay options for those out-of-network or without insurance. Self-pay rates for talk therapy range from $160 to $240 for intake sessions and $135 to $195 for follow-ups, depending on your state. For psychiatry services, self-pay intake sessions are $255–$375, with follow-ups ranging from $175–$300, also varying by state. More information on current self-pay costs is available on our pricing page.
Being a child means playing outside, making forts, and riding bikes around the neighborhood until you can hear your mom yell that it’s dinner time. As they age into adolescence, kids start to ask to venture out to see movies with their friends or go to amusement parks from open to close. Once they turn into teenagers or young adults, they start to drive, go to sporting events, take day trips, and dip their toes into the dating world. Whatever stage of childhood your kid is in, life isn’t always as picture-perfect as we described. The world will throw obstacles and challenges at children as they grow up. Although this is normal, it’s crucial to know when these challenges start to take a negative toll on their mental development and seek professional help when times get tough.
Whether your child is dealing with divorce, bullying, or coping with a learning disability, a licensed psychologist can help. At Thriveworks Counseling in Worcester, our child counselors are experienced and highly qualified to diagnose and treat the issues that children of all ages may be facing. If you feel like your child could benefit from speaking with a professional, call (508) 409-6134 to schedule an appointment.
All parents can relate to some sort of shift in their children when something is off. Maybe it’s puberty and a change or hormones. Maybe they are getting picked on at school for how they dress. Maybe they are arguing with a close friend and haven’t told you about it. Whatever the situation is, a licensed child therapist can help them work through concerns such as:
These are just some of the areas in which a Thriveworks in Worcester child therapist could help. In addition to the above list, we can help diagnose underlying medical or psychological conditions. If you aren’t sure of what’s really going on with your child, a psychologist can help identify the real issue at hand and help you and your family work through it together.
Much the same as regular adult therapy, child therapy focuses on creating a specific plan of care based on individual needs. During the first initial sessions, your child’s therapist will perform assessments to better understand what is going on. At Thriveworks in Worcester, MA, our psychologists have the ability to speak on a level in which your child understands best. To do so, they may use a variety of different methods including:
When you are ready to seek help for your child, our counselors are here to help. We pride ourselves on our compassionate and accessible care. To schedule an appointment, go to our online booking portal or call (508) 409-6134 to be connected with a scheduling specialist. If you need anything, we’re here. We offer evening and weekend sessions, accept most major insurances, provide in-person and online options, and offer additional benefits.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
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