Child Therapy in Cape Coral & Fort Myers, FL

Child therapy at Living Well Counseling is counseling for children starting at age 4, delivered mostly through play, with parents involved from the first call. We see children in person at our Cape Coral office and our Fort Myers office, and both have a dedicated play therapy room. Families come to us for anxiety, big feelings, sleep problems, school refusal, a divorce or a move, a death in the family, or a new diagnosis at home. From age 12, see teen and adolescent therapy. Most major insurance is accepted, and the private-pay rate is $175. Call (239) 940-7025.

Ages

4 and up. Teens 12 to 18 are seen through teen and adolescent therapy.

Approach

Play-based therapy for younger children; talk, play and skills for older children; parents involved throughout

Format

In person at both offices. Telehealth across Florida for parent consultations and older children.

Parents

Intake with you first, regular updates, joint sessions when they help

Insurance

Aetna, Florida Blue/BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare/Optum, TRICARE, Medicare, Medicaid (case by case), Lee Health, VA Community Care, CHAMPVA. Private pay $175 per 50-minute session.

First appointment

We respond within one business day. No online booking; every appointment is set by a person.

Signs a Child May Benefit From Therapy

Every child has hard days, and much of what looks alarming at four or nine is ordinary development. What matters is the pattern: how long it has lasted, whether it shows up in more than one place, and what it is costing your child or your family. It may be worth a call if, for several weeks or more, your child:

• Worries in a way that stops them doing things they used to do, or needs constant reassurance.
• Has big reactions out of proportion to what happened, and takes a long time to settle.
• Complains of stomach aches or headaches that the pediatrician cannot explain.
• Has pulled away from play, friends or family, or is not bouncing back from a divorce, a move, a death or a new sibling.
• Has started hurting themselves or others, or talks about not wanting to be here.

If you are not sure, call. Part of the first call is deciding together whether therapy is the right next step. We would rather tell you your child is fine than book a session nobody needs.

What Play Therapy Is

Young children do not have the vocabulary to explain what is going on inside them. Play is the language they already speak. In play therapy, a trained therapist uses toys, art, sand, a dollhouse, puppets, games and stories so a child can show what they cannot say.

It is structured, even when it does not look it. The toys in the room are chosen for a reason. The therapist follows the child's lead, tracks the themes that come up, reflects back what the child is expressing, and introduces new ways of handling feelings when the child is ready. A child who plays out the same worry again and again begins, over time, to play out a different ending. That is the work.

Play-based approaches are usually the main tool from about age 4 to 10; older children mix talk and play. Play therapy is an established approach with its own professional body, the Association for Play Therapy, and a research base. We do not promise a particular result for your child. We do promise to tell you plainly what we see and what we recommend.

What the Play Room Looks Like

Coming to a new place is easier when a child already knows what it looks like. Both offices have a dedicated play therapy room. Show your child these photos before the first visit if it helps.

A Parent's Role

You are part of the treatment, not a spectator.

• The first call is with you. Tell us your child's age, what you are seeing and how long it has been going on. We match you with a clinician who works with children.
• So is intake. Your child's therapist will ask about history, family, school, sleep, health and any big changes. Depending on age, the first appointment may be with you alone or with your child.
• You get regular updates on what the work is focused on, how your child is doing and what you can do at home.
• Your child's specific words usually stay in the room, because children only open up when they trust that the space is theirs. You hear themes, progress and recommendations rather than a transcript. The exceptions are the ones the law sets: a risk of harm to your child or someone else, or a concern about abuse or neglect. Privacy grows with age, and the therapist explains to both of you where the lines are.
• Consent and paperwork. Intake for a child works the same way as intake for an adult: a parent or legal guardian completes the paperwork and consents to treatment. We will walk you through what is needed for your family's situation when we connect.

Common Reasons Families Come In

• Anxiety and worry: separation fears, worries about school or friends, physical symptoms with no medical cause. See anxiety therapy.
• Big feelings: anger, meltdowns, tears that come fast and last long.
• Sleep: trouble settling, nightmares, refusing to sleep alone, or a return to bedwetting.
• School refusal: mornings that turn into battles, and a child who is fine on weekends and sick on Mondays.
• Divorce, separation or a move: two homes, a new school, a lost friend group. See also family counseling.
• A death in the family: children grieve in bursts and are easily overlooked while the adults are grieving too. See grief and loss counseling.
• A new diagnosis in the family: a parent's illness, a sibling's diagnosis, or the child's own.

What to Expect in the First Weeks

Sessions are 50 minutes and usually weekly at the start. For a young child, part of each session is play with the therapist and part is time with you. Your therapist explains the rhythm at the first appointment.

Children often settle in faster than adults expect, because to them it looks like play. Meaningful change with a focused concern often shows within a few months; longer-standing patterns take longer. There is no fixed number of sessions and no contract.

Insurance & Cost

We are in network with Aetna, Florida Blue and BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and Optum, TRICARE, Medicare, Lee Health, VA Community Care and CHAMPVA. Florida Medicaid is accepted on a case-by-case basis, and we are currently out of network with Sunshine Health. Tell us what your child's card says and we verify the benefits before the first appointment.

Without insurance, a 50-minute session is $175. With insurance, most families pay only a copay, which depends on the plan and whether the deductible has been met. If cost is a barrier, our nonprofit partner, The Living Well Mission, funds therapy scholarships for families who qualify.

Therapists Who See Children

Several of our clinicians see children; the two below say so on their own profiles. Tell us your child's age and what is going on and we will match you, or browse the full team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Further Reading

• American Psychological Association: Psychotherapy for children (APA)
• National Institute of Mental Health: Child and Adolescent Mental Health (NIMH)
• Association for Play Therapy (APT)

Available at our Cape Coral office, our Fort Myers office, and by telehealth throughout Florida.