Counseling For Children & Teens Ages 6-18
Serving families in the Baltimore, MD area
Reduce Anxiety
Depression
Manage OCD
Grow in Confidence
Parents, Are You Overwhelmed By Thoughts Of:
Child’s behavioral concerns
Not understanding your child or how to support them
Embarrassment because of your child
If your child will be able to be successful
Our Counselors Help Children:
Clearly Communicate Feelings
We help children clearly communicate their feelings (anger, anxiety, worry, etc) so they can articulate what they need so parents don’t have to guess and can quickly provide support for their child.
Manage Big Emotions
We equip children with the tools to manage big emotions and find creative ways to self-soothe so what used to take minutes or even hours, now only takes a few moments.
Increase Relational Capacity
We help children strengthen their listening skills, communication tools, and their ability to resolve problems and conflicts with family members and peers.
How We Help Children & Teens
Getting Started With Counseling Is Simple:
STEP 2
Schedule Initial Intake
And complete intake paperwork
STEP 3
Start Counseling
Begin to confidently support your child
Why People Choose Pivot for Counseling
“Dr. Hales is a highly competent psychologist with a wealth of experience. I highly recommend…and have referred many clients there.”
M.C.
“Dr. Shawn Hales…is a trusted mental health resource in the community for therapy and psychological testing. Dr. Hales and his team bring competence, integrity and professionalism to all that they do. I am happy to call him a colleague and value his contributions to the behavioral health community.“
E.S.
We Provide Psychological Services For:
Abuse
ADD
ADHD
Anxiety
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Bipolar
Depression
Divorce
Family Relationships
Grief & Loss
Learning Disabilities
Learning Giftedness
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Self-Harm
Trauma
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Child Therapist?
Child therapists, or child psychologists, specialize in treating children with behavioral, emotional, or mental disorders.
These highly trained professionals may work in a clinical setting in private practices, as part of a medical team, or in a school environment.
Many child therapists are trained play therapists. Play therapy allows trained mental health practitioners who specialize in play therapy, to assess and understand children’s play.
Further, play therapy is utilized to help children cope with difficult emotions and find solutions to problems.
Does My Child Need a Therapist?
- Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Constant anger and a tendency to overreact to situations
- Persistent worry, anxiety, or fearfulness
- Preoccupation with physical illness or their own appearance
Does Insurance Cover Child Therapy Sessions?
Yes. The federal parity law requires insurance companies to treat mental and behavioral health and substance use disorder coverage equal to (or better than) medical/surgical coverage.
(private pay)
We do not, however, contract with insurance companies. We can, upon request, provide you with receipts and a coded visit bill (called “super bills”) which you may submit to your insurance company for out-of-network reimbursement if you choose. We encourage you to check with your insurance regarding the specifics of your policy.
Do you contract with insurance companies?
We do not contract with insurance companies.
We are committed to you & your family’s privacy, their confidentiality, and want you to have complete control over their health records. Submitting a mental health invoice for reimbursement carries a certain amount of risk to your confidentiality, privacy and future capacity to obtain life insurance, hinder your chances of receiving a job in the government, or becoming a pilot. You should be able to receive counseling without being labeled. That is why we caution people to consider their risk to privacy prior to billing insurance for mental health services.
In addition, insurance companies often decide the length of your treatment, not the licensed professionals who are treating you. Private pay allows flexibility and give you and your therapist control about the duration & frequency of your sessions.
Please check with your insurance provider about your benefits for therapy and counseling services.
Insurance is an agreement between you and your insurance company as to how your counseling will be paid for. All of our therapists are happy to provide you with the forms you will need to file with your insurance company for possible reimbursement of your out-of-pocket expense.
There are no guarantees that your insurance company will reimburse for services. The full fee you have arranged with your therapist is due at the end of each session.
Out-of-network means that the therapist does not have any sort of arrangement with the insurance company. If the therapist is out-of-network, you would be responsible for paying for your counseling sessions. The counselor would then provide you with a form called a “superbill”.
A superbill is a specialized invoice, which includes the procedure coding, diagnosis coding and session dates that your insurance carrier will need in order to reimburse you. All fees are due at the end of each session.
Does Online Counseling Work With Kids?
Online therapy appointments may take place via video, live chat, phone, or messaging. Most therapy sessions can be conducted via a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Many children and families struggle with any diagnosis, and need more than testing or prescriptions for support. That’s why our counselors help guide you through this unknown, and create the tools your family needs to succeed.