LUNA is designed to help kids/teens and caregivers learn how to better manage anxiety. For some families, this program may be all that is needed. Other families might use this program as just one part of their plan to overcome anxiety. If you are interested in further treatment, the following information may be helpful!
Therapy
The first step in getting connected to a licensed mental health professional is finding the right fit. You will want to make sure that your child feels comfortable with their new therapist, and that the therapist is using effective treatment for your child’s concerns.
There are many different types of therapies for different problem areas. Some therapies have been found to be more successful than others. The Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology has created a website called Effective Child Therapy that contains information on evidence-based therapies (or therapies that have been shown to work in multiple scientific studies) for specific concerns, symptoms, and clinical disorders. This website is an excellent resource for caregivers to learn about effective therapy interventions for children.
Teletherapy
Many therapists have shifted from in-person therapy sessions to online therapy and video counseling. In many instances, teletherapy has been supported by research studies to be as effective as in-person therapy sessions. Teletherapy also makes meeting with a therapist easier! If you believe that teletherapy would be a better fit for you and your child, consider asking therapists whether they can provide teletherapy.
Once you have some idea as to what therapies you may be interested in trying out, it is time to find a therapist near you. Psychology Today has an extensive list of licensed therapists that you can use to find a therapist that is nearest to you.
Here are some other national/international organizations’ websites where you can find a therapist near you:
When you first get connected with a therapist, you are more than welcome to ask them questions to get to know them better and understand their particular style of therapy. Remember, it is about getting the right fit for your child. Asking some questions up front can help you determine if a therapist is a good fit. Below are some questions that may be helpful for you to ask a new therapist: (View as PDF)
- What is your professional background?
- How many years have you been working with children and adolescents?
- My child has been feeling ____ and is having difficulties with ____. What experience do you have helping children with these types of concerns?
- What are your areas of expertise? Do you have experience working with children and adolescents with anxiety and ___? (Mention anything specific to your child, e.g., autism)
- What kinds of treatments do you use? Have they been proven to be effective? Are they evidence-based?
- How much will an initial therapy session cost?
- How much do individual therapy sessions cost?
- What types of insurance do you accept?
When you meet with a therapist for the first time, it can be helpful to provide them with some background information as to what your child is struggling with and what type of therapies you have already tried. Providing the therapist with this information will be helpful for streamlining the initial session and for making it possible for you and your child to easily build upon the skills you already have. Answering the questions below will help you prepare background information to share with a therapist:
- What was your child afraid of or what did they feel anxious about at the beginning of LUNA?
- What therapies/treatments have you tried?
- What therapies/treatments have worked for your child’s anxiety?
- What other tools worked well for your child?
- What are some things that are still difficult for your child?
- What other types of treatment or support is your child currently receiving?
After you have taken time to reflect on these questions, you can use the Communicating with Therapist Summary Sheet to summarize your progress and show it to your therapist.
Psychiatrists
If you are interested in learning about medication management for anxiety, we recommend you seek out a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health disorders like anxiety. Look for Board Certified Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists – they have gone through years of training to be experts in working with children and families. If you do not have a psychiatrist and you are interested in learning about medication for anxiety, we recommend you check out the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry website.
Other Helpful Resources
There is often a school counselor on campus whose job is to help students struggling with a variety of concerns. School counselors are licensed and have received specialized training in working with children and adolescents. If your school has a counselor, it may be helpful to let them know that your child is struggling with anxiety. Your child may want to meet with the school counselor regularly, as needed, or when they are especially anxious about something.
The International OCD Foundation has developed a great website that can help you learn more about the impact of anxiety in the school setting and how to help your child get the support they may need to succeed.
If your child goes to public school, you may find it helpful to reach out to your school’s special education coordinator to see what resources they have for children with autism struggling with anxiety. You can find more information about discussing your child’s anxiety with their school at this website.
Before we move on, we would like to acknowledge and validate that finding treatment for your child can be a difficult process. It can be time consuming trying to find affordable options that fit your child’s needs. It is not uncommon for families to wait for treatment, or for families to try out multiple different therapists and treatment options before they find the right fit. We hope that our tips on finding future treatment help make this process a bit smoother for you and your child.