Practical skills that help kids and teens feel calmer, braver, and more in control.

Maybe your child panics before every test, or your teen has stopped doing things they used to love. Maybe bedtime turns into a long list of worries, or one small setback sends your child spiraling. You might be wondering, "How do I help when nothing I say seems to work?"

You're not alone, and you don't have to figure it out by yourself. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most researched therapies for kids and teens, and it gives them practical tools for handling worry, low mood, and big feelings. At SageMind Psychology, we keep CBT engaging, hands-on, and tailored to your child's age, and we bring parents into the process so new skills carry over at home.

Available in person in Brooklyn Heights and online in New York, New Jersey, and 40+ additional states.

What is CBT?

CBT is built on a simple idea: thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected. When a child thinks, "Everyone will laugh at me," they feel scared, so they might avoid raising their hand. Avoiding brings relief for a moment, but it also makes the fear a little stronger the next time.

In CBT, kids and teens learn to notice these patterns, question thoughts that aren't helpful or true, and try new ways of responding. Sessions are structured and goal-focused, and kids practice skills between sessions. For younger children, we teach through games, stories, drawing, and play. For teens, we focus on real situations at school, with friends, and at home.

The goal isn't to make kids think positively all the time. It's to help them see situations more clearly and feel capable of handling hard things.

Signs CBT could help your child

Parents tell us things like:

• "My daughter worries about everything, and nothing I say makes it go away."

• "He gets a stomachache every school morning, but the doctor says he's fine."

• "They've stopped seeing friends and spend most of the day in their room."

• "My son says 'I'm the worst' every time he makes a mistake."

• "She melts down over homework, even when she knows the material."

• "My teen won't order food, make a phone call, or talk to new people."

• "They get so angry when plans change, and I think it's really fear underneath."

• "He can't fall asleep unless I stay in the room."

• "My kid has stopped enjoying the things they used to love, and they seem so down."

You don't need to know the diagnosis before reaching out. Helping you understand what's going on is part of our job.

What CBT can help kids and teens with

Our team uses CBT and related approaches for concerns including:

• Anxiety and worry: Constant "what ifs," separation anxiety, social anxiety, and health worries. Kids learn to test anxious thoughts and take brave steps, one small step at a time.

• Depression and low mood: Sadness, irritability, low motivation, or pulling away from friends and activities. CBT helps kids notice negative thinking and build back activities that lift their mood.

• Panic attacks: A racing heart, dizziness, or a sudden feeling that something terrible is happening. Kids learn what happens in the body during panic so the sensations feel less frightening.

• OCD and phobias: CBT that includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) helps kids face fears gradually and let go of rituals and constant reassurance.

• Perfectionism and low self-esteem: Harsh self-talk, fear of mistakes, and hours spent redoing work. Kids practice speaking to themselves more kindly and learn that "good enough" really is.

• Anger and meltdowns: Big reactions that often have worry or frustration underneath. CBT teaches kids to notice early warning signs and use calming and problem-solving skills.

• School stress and school avoidance: Test anxiety, homework battles, and trouble getting out the door. For kids who are struggling to attend school, our School Refusal Program offers focused support.

• ADHD and executive functioning: Planning, organization, and follow-through, along with the frustration that can come with them. Learn about our ADHD and executive functioning support.

• Life changes: Adjusting to a move, a new school, a new sibling, or a family separation or divorce.

Many kids deal with more than one of these at once. Our clinicians look at the full picture and build a treatment plan around your child.

CBT at every age

What helps a 6-year-old looks different from what helps a 16-year-old.

• Young children: CBT is playful and hands-on. Kids learn to name their feelings and practice coping skills through games, stories, and activities, and parents learn simple ways to coach those skills at home. Learn more about our Children's Center.

• School-aged children: Kids learn to catch worried or upset thoughts, "talk back" to them, and practice brave behavior. Charts, rewards, and small challenges help make practice feel doable.

• Teens: CBT helps teens handle anxiety, low mood, perfectionism, and pressure from school, friendships, and social media. Teens help set their own goals, and we balance their growing independence with the right amount of family involvement.

How CBT works

Step 1: Get to know your child

Your clinician learns about your child's strengths, struggles, and daily life, and talks with you about what you'd like to see change.

Step 2: Understand the pattern

In age-appropriate language, kids learn how thoughts, feelings, and actions connect, and why avoiding things can make worries grow.

Step 3: Build a toolbox

Kids practice skills like calming the body, catching unhelpful thoughts, solving problems, and facing fears in small steps.

Step 4: Practice in real life

Between sessions, kids try their new skills at home, at school, and with friends, and you learn how to support that practice.

Step 5: Build confidence

As skills become habits, kids rely less on outside help and feel more confident handling challenges on their own.

How parents are involved

You know your child best, and you're an important part of treatment. Through parent coaching, we help you respond to worry and meltdowns, step back from reassurance cycles, notice and praise brave behavior, and reinforce new skills at home.

For younger children, parents are often part of each session. For teens, we balance family involvement with their need for privacy and independence. Your clinician will talk with you about what fits your family.

Programs for extra support

For some families, a more specialized program can help:

• Kids and teens with big emotions or overwhelm: our DBT for children and adolescents

• Teens who want to practice skills alongside peers: our DBT skills groups

• Kids and teens who need more support than weekly therapy: our Intensive Outpatient DBT Program for children and teens

• Neurodivergent kids, including autistic, ADHD, and twice-exceptional (2E) kids: our neurodivergent-informed therapy

• Families who want a clearer picture of what's going on: our psychological assessments

A team behind every family. Our clinicians work together, receive ongoing supervision, and consult on cases, so your child benefits from the experience of the whole team. We are LGBTQIA+ affirming and neurodiversity-informed. Meet our clinical team.

Getting started is simple

Your child's first step starts with a 15-minute call.

1. Book a free 15-minute consultation. Tell us what you're seeing, ask questions, and get a feel for how we work.

2. Get matched with the right clinician. We'll pair your family with the team member best suited to your child's needs.

3. Start therapy. After an intake session, your child begins building skills, and you get support too.

We offer CBT in person at our Brooklyn Heights office and online (telehealth) in New York, New Jersey, and 40+ additional states.

SageMind Psychology is an out-of-network practice. Many families use out-of-network benefits, and we provide superbills to help you seek reimbursement. Learn about rates and insurance.

Book your free consultation or contact us with questions.