Pediatric Mental Health | Durham & Chapel Hill

The American Psychiatric Association notes that mental health is the foundation for emotions, thinking, communication, learning, resilience and self-esteem and that it is key to relationships, personal and emotional well-being and contributing to community or society. Therapy helps with making positive changes in the brain and body. Mental Health Therapy will improve your child’s behavior and help them learn to regulate their emotions in all settings (school, home and community).

Specialized Child Mental Health Therapy Services in the Triangle

Group of diverse individuals in aprons gathered around a large, colorful painted canvas featuring a tree and the word "Grateful," representing a collaborative art activity related to team-building at Therapy Smarts, a pediatric outpatient clinic.

At Therapy Smarts, we understand the importance of mental health in shaping your child’s emotional well-being, relationships, and overall development. Our specialized pediatric mental health therapy services are designed to support children and families in Durham, Chapel Hill, and surrounding areas. Whether your child is struggling with anxiety, emotional regulation, or behavioral challenges, our compassionate team is here to help.

Does my Child Need Mental Health Therapy?

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone, but it isn't always easy to distinguish between a 'tough phase' and a need for professional support. While all children experience emotional ups and downs, persistent patterns of distress can interfere with their ability to learn, play, and grow. At Therapy Smarts, we help families bridge that gap. If your child’s behaviors are beginning to impact your home life, their school performance, or their self-esteem, a comprehensive clinical assessment can provide the clarity and roadmap you need. If you happen to notice difficulties in one or more areas, a comprehensive clinical assessment may be appropriate:

  • Tantrums
  • high activity level
  • negative attention seeking behaviors (whining and bossiness)
  • Anxious, avoidant or insecure attachment
  • Fearful
  • Low self-esteem, self-worth
  • lack of pro-social skills
  • aggressive behaviors
  • destructive behaviors (such as breaking toys on purpose)
  • Defiance and Noncompliance
  • Refusal to follow adult directives and house rules
  • Struggles with behaviors in public
  • Sadness/Depression
  • Anxious behaviors/phobias
  • anger

Our mental health and psychology team specializes in pediatric mental health therapy, helping children develop the skills they need to thrive at home, in school, and in the community.

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Who Can Benefit From Behavioral Therapy for Kids?

Everyone! Those who struggle with mental health and even those that consider themselves mentally healthy can benefit from Therapy. Everyone can benefit from having a non-judgmental space for individuals to explore their thoughts, emotions and behaviors, learn healthy coping mechanisms, talk about things that are on your mind and important to you and help you grow as a person gaining insight on who you are.

A therapist can help improve a person’s communication skills, manage stress and anxiety, and set and achieve personal goals. Even mentally healthy people can benefit from this introspective process, gaining a deeper understanding of themselves and their motivations.

Treatments Utilized in Pediatric Mental Health Therapy

  • PCIT (parent child interaction therapy)
  • Play based therapy from ages 2-7
  • FT (family therapy)-all ages
  • CBT (Cognitive behavioral therapy)-all ages
  • Triple P (positive parenting program)- birth to 16

Hear from Our Program Director: Ms. Delia’s Overview of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

Testimonials

My son's therapist has been the most critical, effective & consistent success in navigating, addressing & fostering his positive progression in all areas of development since day 1. She's extremely knowledgeable, professional & always bringing new avenues for his success to the table. Of all the resources including IEP, BIP, OT services, consistent medication management & consistent talk therapy, my extremely amazing & challenging 8yr old has to support him, the various methods of talk therapy his therapist has selected, used & assisted myself, his mom, with also understanding & using with him, talk therapy with her is the single most important & necessary resource for him. He actually enjoys working with her & is proud of himself for using the skills she's taught him to self-regulate & address how he responds to his feelings. She holds both herself and parents accountable for providing age-appropriate, positive and effective support for my son. Equally he personally always knows her sole focus is to be in his corner, giving him the safe & stable support he can always trust and absolutely does, above all else. I have directly seen the exact skills she's instilled through PCIT immediately relax, stabilize & calm his physical body, demeanor & affect more quickly, effectively and safely than any medication could come close to. That's irrefutable proof to me, as his mom, that she's more valuable, necessary & effective than anything else to helping him grow into an independent & positively contributing member of society. We're forever grateful for TS's jackpot therapist. -
TS Mom

Pediatric Mental Health Therapy and Services : Frequently Asked Questions

We provide:

  • Behavioral assessments
  • Emotional and social evaluations
  • Parent coaching
  • Counseling for anxiety, ADHD, emotional regulation, etc.
  • Support in developing coping and self-regulation strategies

Yes, we offer parent support sessions and counseling as part of our holistic approach to care. Supporting the entire family is key to a child’s progress.

Play based therapy for younger children (PCIT) between the ages of 2.5yrs-7yrs and talk therapy (CBT) for older children and adults. 

Parents initially develop goals for their child based on their chief complaints. After working together with the child/adult,goals can then become a collaboration between therapist and family. 

Play based therapy can last between 4-6 months (dependent on parent practice) and then the child will graduate based on behaviors and assessment tracking. Talk therapy does not have a timeline, it is based on when the client and family feels they have met their goals. 

Parent doing play based therapy is directly involved in all sessions. For children doing talk therapy, parents bring their child into the session and provide updates, areas of progress and areas of concern. After the session, the therapist and child usually process with parents on skills learned, so parents can assist with helping practice at home. 

Sessions are usually once weekly with a routine schedule (i.e. every Monday at 8:30am). Sessions can be rescheduled with discussion with the therapist.  

Sessions can be completed both In-person and Virtually. Both work exceptionally well with the modalities being delivered. 

Any safety concerns, risk of harm will be immediately shared with parents. Therapists are mandated in reporting any abuse, neglect, threat to themselves or others.  Information outside of risk of harm should be consented by the client before sharing with parents. It is important that parents know that confidentiality is of the utmost importance and sharing specific conversations occurred during the session is contradictory to the therapy process. I continue to hold a safe space for my clients to process and engage in sessions openly without fear or breach of confidentiality, the therapeutic process does not work without this. We are able to talk about Treatment plan, collaboration on goals, diagnosis, overall session progress, areas of improvement and areas of continued need, interventions and strategies discussed, etc. Therapy will remain a safe and trusting place to explore thoughts and feelings. 

A Holistic Approach to Your Child’s Growth

Occupational Therapy : Does your child struggle with ‘big feelings’ due to sensory overstimulation? Our Occupational Therapy (OT) team works alongside our counselors to help children regulate their physical and emotional responses.

ABA Therapy: For children on the Autism spectrum, we combine Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with mental health support to build social skills and emotional resilience.

Speech Therapy: Frustration from communication delays often leads to behavioral outbursts. Explore how our Speech Therapy can give your child the words they need to express their emotions.

Get Started Today

If you’re searching for professional mental health counseling in Durham, NC, or nearby areas like Raleigh and Chapel Hill, Therapy Smarts is here to help. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation and take the first step toward supporting your child’s mental health and well-being.

📞 Call us at 919-378-1340
📧 Email: office@therapysmarts.net
📍 Locations in Durham and Chapel Hill, NC

Durham Clinic: 1920 NC-54 Suite 240, 360 Durham, NC 27713

Chapel Hill Clinic: 1130 Weaver Dairy Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27514