When a child begins therapy with us, the first appointment is always with the parent or primary caregiver only. This gives you an opportunity to speak openly with the therapist about your concerns, your child’s history, what is happening at home or school, and what you hope therapy will help with. This initial one-hour appointment can take place virtually or in person and is booked under the child’s file.

After the first appointment, therapy looks different depending on your child’s age and developmental needs.

Children Ages 0–5: Child & Caregiver Therapy

After the initial parent-only appointment, a parent or primary caregiver participates with the child in every therapy session. At this age, children learn to understand and regulate their emotions largely through their relationships with their caregivers. Rather than providing individual therapy to a young child, we work with the child and caregiver together. This allows the therapist to support your child while also giving you strategies and tools that can be used at home—extending the impact of therapy well beyond the therapy room.

Children Ages 6–10: Child Therapy

For children ages 6–10, therapy also begins with the one-hour parent or caregiver appointment without the child present. Following this initial consultation, the child can attend therapy sessions with their therapist.

The first parent appointment ensures the therapist has a strong understanding of your concerns, your child’s needs, and the goals for therapy before beginning individual work with your child. Parents and caregivers may also be involved at other points in treatment when clinically appropriate.

Why We Start With Parents

Research on child development and therapy consistently shows that parents and caregivers are one of the most powerful tools for creating lasting change in a child’s life. A therapist may spend one hour a week with your child, but you are part of their everyday world. By involving you in treatment, we can help you understand what your child needs, respond differently when challenges arise, and use therapeutic strategies outside the therapy room. This is especially important for younger children, who develop their ability to understand and regulate emotions through their relationships with their caregivers. That’s why parent involvement isn’t an add-on to children’s therapy at LGA—it’s an important part of the treatment itself.