Therapy for Kids and Teens · Seattle Metro

Therapy for your kid this week. Not in July.

Real therapy for what your kid is actually facing, not a worksheet and a wave goodbye. Most insurance accepted.

Who is this for?

Because I want my kid matched, not put on a waitlist.

Insurance Accepted

Yes, your insurance probably covers this.

  • Kaiser Permanente logo
  • Aetna logo
  • Optum logo
  • Cigna logo

We accept most major commercial insurance plans, including Kaiser Permanente, Aetna, Optum and Cigna. We'll verify your coverage during your first call with our intake team.

If this sounds familiar

You've called five places. Everyone is booked six weeks out.

You've already done the searching. The next step is five short questions about what's been showing up for your kid and what kind of care fits.

  • Your pediatrician said your kid would benefit from talking to someone, and now you're staring at a directory of two hundred names with no way to tell who actually takes new clients
  • You called five practices. Three weren't taking new clients. Two had a six-week wait. Your kid needs help now, not in October
  • You're worried this attempt has to land, because if it doesn't, that's a year before your kid will let you bring up therapy again
  • You're quietly wondering if an associate-level therapist is experienced enough for what your kid is dealing with
  • You can see your kid shutting down in real time, and watching it happen is harder than the searching

Because I want a therapist my kid will actually keep.

What's possible

A kid who's sleeping again. Going to school again. Talking to you again.

Parents describe what changes first as the basics returning: their kid drops into sleep without a fight, walks into school instead of stalling at the door, says something at dinner that isn't one word.

  • Your kid sits down with a therapist who knows how to actually talk to a kid (or a teen), not lecture them, within the same week
  • School mornings stop being the hardest two hours of your day, because the anxiety has somewhere to go besides the front door
  • You hear from your kid again, in real sentences, because they have a place to put what they've been carrying

Because I want my kid talking to me again.

A young girl laughing in afternoon sunlight, present and joyful. The kind of moment parents want back.

How it works

One step from you. Here's what we do next.

From quiz to first appointment in the same week. Kaiser, Aetna, Optum and Cigna accepted.

  1. Take the short quiz

    Five quick questions about your kid's age band, what's been showing up and what kind of care fits. About one minute.

  2. We'll reach out within one business day

    A real person calls to verify your insurance, answer questions and walk through which therapist on our kids and teens team is the best fit for your situation.

  3. Sit down with a kids and teens therapist, same-week

    Telehealth across Washington or in-person in Seattle, Burien or Arlington. A first appointment your kid is more likely to come back from.

Because I want a clear path, not another waitlist.

What stands behind every plan

What you can count on at every appointment.

  • Play + Family + Teen Therapy
  • Play and Family Therapy
  • Same-Week Appointments
  • Kaiser · Aetna · Optum · Cigna
  • Telehealth Across Washington

What you'll find here

A kids and teens roster built for how your kid actually communicates.

Age-appropriate modalities matched to how your kid actually communicates, with child psychiatry on the same team when medication enters the picture. The kind of fit most Seattle parents had stopped looking for.

  • A team built for kids and teens

    Most Seattle group practices have a couple of clinicians who see kids when their adult roster has space. Our kids and teens team is deep enough that the matching can fit your kid's age, what they're working with and how they actually talk.

  • Age-appropriate modalities, matched to your kid

    Play therapy for younger kids who don't talk in adult sentences yet. Adolescent talk therapy for teens who need their own space and a therapist who won't lecture them. Family therapy when the work belongs to more than one person in the room. CBT, DBT and trauma-informed care in registers kids and teens will actually engage with.

  • Child psychiatry on the same team when meds are on the table

    If a medication evaluation becomes part of the conversation, we have child psychiatric providers on the same team, working from the same care plan. You don't have to start a separate search for a child psychiatrist who takes your insurance.

Because I want a therapist who's been matched, not assigned.

How we compare

Counseling Services for Wellbeing Kids and Teens vs. the other options on your screen

Counseling Services for Wellbeing Hospital Pediatric Psychiatry Online Therapy Platforms
Time to first appointment
Same-week availability
Often four to six weeks or longer
Days to weeks, varies by therapist
PCP referral required
Not required
Often required
Not required
Insurance accepted
Kaiser, Aetna, Optum, Cigna
Often accepts insurance, hard to access
Some plans, often partial
Kids and teens specialty roster
Twelve therapists, ages 5 to 18
Yes, behind a waitlist
Rare, depends on therapist drawn
In-person option
Three Seattle metro offices
Hospital campus only
Telehealth only
Group therapy for teens
Available
Sometimes, varies by program
Rare

Real Parents

From parents who'd been searching for a while

What it feels like to finally land somewhere that fits.

Melanie

Burien

Care that worked for me and my teen

The staff are kind, welcoming, and truly care about your wellbeing from the moment you walk in. The therapists and psychiatric providers are professional, compassionate, and easy to talk to for myself and for my teen. They really take the time to understand our needs and provide thoughtful, personalized care.

Melissa

Burien

Every family member felt heard

Claire has the ability to navigate complex family dynamics with both empathy and insight. From our first session, she created a safe, non-judgmental space where every family member felt heard and respected. Her approach is both practical and compassionate. She has provided us with the tools we need to improve our communication and strengthen our relationships.

Cassidy

Burien

First consultation, finally felt heard

Our first consultation was one hour long and I poured my heart out due to my frustrations over the years and she was so comforting and reassuring. Now almost three years later, I'm on the right track and my quality of life is so much better.

Leona

Telehealth

Easy to talk to, easy to schedule

Highly recommend Brianna Lillibridge. Excellent communicator, easy to talk to, convenient and confidential Zoom sessions with reminders. The office staff is extremely helpful with billing and scheduling issues.

Verified Client

Seattle

Found the fit after a decade of searching

After a decade of attempting to find a mental health provider that I feel comfortable with, I found two at Counseling Services for Wellbeing. I'm very happy with them and couldn't recommend them more.

Crista

Burien

Approachable and sensitive to my child's needs

She is an approachable and friendly therapist. Because she is sensitive to their needs, she can provide a real connection with my child.

Calm therapeutic space conveying warmth and welcome

Care your kid will keep coming back to. Insurance accepted. Same-week appointments available.

Meet the team

Therapists for kids and teens you can match with

Therapists who work specifically with kids and teens. We match your child with the therapist most likely to fit how they show up.

Portrait of Sarah Yeung

Sarah Yeung, Therapist

Sarah is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker with a Master's in Social Work and a long practice with kids and families. She works with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and behavior, using directive and non-directive play therapy, TF-CBT and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. A natural fit for the younger kid who doesn't yet talk in adult sentences.

Portrait of Claudia Lockwood

Claudia Lockwood, Therapist

Claudia is an LMHC with 25-plus years working across the Puget Sound area. She works with adults, teens, children, couples and families on communication, anxiety, depression, self-esteem and finding your voice. Clients describe her as steady and easy to settle into, with the kind of presence that helps reluctant kids land.

Portrait of Vanessa Davis

Vanessa Davis, Therapist

Vanessa is an LMFT with a Master's from Seattle Pacific. She's a Child Parent Psychotherapy specialist for ages infants through nine, working through play therapy, family systems and Gottman-trained relationship work. The right fit for the youngest kids and the parents alongside them.

Portrait of Trent Landenberger

Trent Landenberger, Therapist

Trent is an LMFTA with a Master of Science in Family Therapy and a relational, systems-based approach. He works with adolescents, families and adults on anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and the family dynamics that often surround a struggling teen. Calm, warm, easy to talk to.

Portrait of Jessica Forero

Jessica Forero, Therapist

Jessica is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who works with families, children and adolescents on the issues that follow them home: anxiety, depression, self-esteem, trauma and the friction that builds between siblings or parents and kids. Her style is warm and trauma-informed, drawing from CBT, DBT and attachment-based work depending on what each kid responds to.

Portrait of Courtney Hofto

Courtney Hofto, Therapist

Courtney is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Master's in clinical counseling and a background in school-based trauma therapy. She works with kids ages six and up, teens and families on trauma, emotional coping and the in-between feelings that don't have a tidy name yet. ACT, TF-CBT and mindfulness, with an affirming stance for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Portrait of Jenifer Price

Jenifer Price, Therapist

Jenifer is a clinician with a PhD and a Master of Social Work who has worked with everyone from nine-year-olds to retirees. With kids and teens, she leans on CBT, DBT, EMDR and mindfulness for anxiety, trauma and the school-or-home stress that piles up. Steady, structured and easy for tweens and teens to settle into.

Portrait of Ramla Mohamed

Ramla Mohamed, Therapist

Ramla is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate with more than ten years working with children and families on anxiety, depression, trauma and the everyday stress of growing up. Her work is person-centered and culturally responsive, especially for families navigating multiple cultures or identities. A grounded fit for kids who need to be met as a whole person.

Portrait of Leada Taghipour

Leada Taghipour, Therapist

Leada is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate with a Master's in Psychology from Pepperdine. She works with teens and families on anxiety, identity, school stress and the hard transitions that come up between middle school and adulthood. Her style is person-centered, blending CBT, DBT, IFS and polyvagal work depending on what each teen needs.

Portrait of Brianna Lillibridge

Brianna Lillibridge, Psychiatric Provider

Brianna is a psychiatric provider with prior community mental health and inpatient experience. She works with both adolescents and adults, combining medication management with lifestyle considerations and presents multiple options at every step. Clients describe her as empathetic, warm and non-judgmental. Available when meds are part of the conversation.

Portrait of Mercy Ngeusang

Mercy Ngeusang, Psychiatric Provider

Mercy holds a doctorate from Northern Kentucky University and brings over eight years of psychiatric experience across inpatient, outpatient, ICU and emergency settings. She works with children and adolescents on complex mental health conditions requiring careful medication management, with a care style rooted in dignity, respect and partnership.

Portrait of Richard Lewallen

Richard Lewallen, Psychiatric Provider

Richard brings 17 years of nursing experience across psychiatric, rehabilitation, cardiac and medical-surgical settings, with a Master's from Herzing University. He works with children and adolescents on anxiety, depression, mood and thought disorders, including affirming care for LGBTQIA+ kids and families. His approach is holistic and unhurried.

A specialized therapy team for kids and teens, plus child psychiatry when meds are part of the conversation

Because I want my kid to actually like their therapist.

Where we see kids and teens

Three Seattle metro offices, plus telehealth across Washington

Most kids and teens meet their therapist at our Greenlake, Burien or Smokey Point office, or over secure video from anywhere in the state. For younger kids, the in-person option matters more (a real room, real toys, the play-therapy setup is hard to replicate over video). For teens, telehealth from their bedroom is often what gets them to actually show up.

  • Map showing Seattle (Greenlake) Office location

    Seattle (Greenlake) Office

    6869 Woodlawn Ave NE #110

    Seattle, WA 98115

    Located in Seattle’s Green Lake neighborhood.

  • Map showing Burien Office location

    Burien Office

    15811 Ambaum Blvd SW, Suite 110

    Burien, WA 98166

    Serving south King County.

  • Map showing Smokey Point Office location

    Smokey Point Office

    3402 173rd Pl NE, Suite 201

    Arlington, WA 98223

    Serving north King and Snohomish County.

Because I want care that fits how my family actually lives.

FAQs

Parents frequently ask us

Do you actually take my insurance?

We accept Kaiser Permanente, Aetna, Optum and Cigna. Our intake team verifies your specific plan during the first call, before your first appointment, so there are no surprise bills. If you're on a different plan or self-pay, we'll let you know on that same call.

How fast can my kid really be seen?

Most kids and teens see their therapist within the same week of your intake call. That's not same-day and it's not a marketing line. It's the standard cadence the practice runs at, made possible by having a dedicated kids and teens team across three offices plus telehealth, and by not requiring a PCP referral.

What is play therapy, in plain language?

Play therapy is structured therapy for younger kids (roughly 5 to 12) who don't yet process feelings in adult sentences. The therapist uses play, art and storytelling to help your kid work through what they're carrying. It looks like play and feels like play to the kid. The therapist is reading and shaping it the whole time.

Will my kid actually open up to them?

Most kids do, eventually. The matching matters: a kid who's matched to a therapist whose age band, style and modality fit is far more likely to keep showing up. With a kids and teens team built around fit (not just availability), the first match is much more likely to land. If something isn't clicking after a few sessions, tell our intake team and we can switch you to a different therapist without restarting from zero.

Do you do meds for kids?

Yes, when a medication evaluation is part of the conversation. Our child psychiatric providers see both adolescents and younger kids for evaluation and medication management, working from the same care plan as the therapist. You don't have to start a separate search for a child psychiatrist who takes your insurance.

Do you have group therapy for teens?

Yes. Therapist-led groups for teens offer something individual therapy can't: peers working through similar things, in the same room, with the agency that comes from speaking up among them. Group therapy is available alongside individual therapy or on its own. Ask the intake team which groups are running.

What if my kid doesn't want to come?

More common than you'd think, especially with teens. We meet that head-on at the first appointment. The therapist works to make the room feel like the teen's space, not yours, and confidentiality boundaries get explained early. For younger kids, the play-therapy setup helps a lot. If your kid still walks away from the first session, we'd rather know than have them quietly opt out.

Telehealth or in-person, what fits better for a kid?

It depends on age. For younger kids, in-person is usually the right answer because play therapy is hard to replicate over video. For teens, telehealth from their bedroom is often what gets them to actually show up. Either way, the plan and the follow-up cadence are the same and your insurance bills the same.

Ready when you are

Get your kid matched with a therapist in 60 seconds

Who is this for?