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Your child is struggling. You're doing everything you can. You're not sure it's enough.
CHILD COUNSELING · HOUSTON & TELEHEALTH
Child counseling in Houston for ages 5 to 12. Support for emotional regulation, behavioral concerns, anxiety, ADHD, depression, social difficulties, school refusal, trauma, and life transitions. CBT-based, parent-involved, and tailored to your child.
Child psychologist
CBT & TF-CBT trained
Ages 5 to 12
In-person Houston & telehealth
After-school virtual slots
3:30 & 4:30pm available online
Telehealth across Texas & NY
+ 40 PsyPact states
Free 15-min consult
No commitment required
THIS MIGHT FEEL FAMILIAR
You know something is wrong. You're just not sure what.
Children rarely come to their parents and say, “I'm struggling with anxiety,” or, “I need help with my emotions.” What they do is act it out. The meltdowns, the refusal, the withdrawal, the outbursts that seem to come from nowhere. Understanding what's underneath the behavior is where the work begins.
Meltdowns or emotional outbursts that seem out of proportion, or that escalate quickly and take a long time to come down from
Refusing to go to school, resisting activities they used to enjoy, or shutting down when asked to do something that feels hard
Difficulty making or keeping friends, struggling to read social situations, or coming home from school upset about peer interactions regularly
Worry, reassurance-seeking, rigid thinking, or a need for things to go a very specific way in order to feel okay
Behavior that has shifted noticeably after a move, a change of school, a family change, or another significant transition
A child who seems sad, withdrawn, or unlike themselves, or who expresses negative thoughts about themselves or their life
Whatever is driving the behavior, children respond remarkably well to early support. The patterns that feel fixed right now can change.
Behavior is how children communicate what they can't yet put into words.
WHAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING
Children's brains are still developing the capacity to identify, name, and regulate emotions. When they're overwhelmed, confused, or struggling, they don't have the same access to language that adults do. What comes out instead is behavior: outbursts, shutdown, avoidance, defiance, clinginess. The behavior is not the problem. It's the signal.
Early intervention matters. About half of the mental health challenges a person experiences over their lifetime first appear by age 14. Children's brains are also particularly responsive to learning new skills at this stage, which means that the tools learned now have a longer runway to make a difference. Getting support early doesn't mean something is permanently wrong — it means you're paying attention.
Many of the concerns that bring families to child counseling overlap with anxiety. If anxiety seems like it might be a significant part of the picture, the Childhood Anxiety Treatment page covers anxiety-specific approaches including CBT and the SPACE method in more detail.
WHAT I HELP CHILDREN WITH
Every child is different. The approach follows the child.
Emotional dysregulation
Meltdowns, intense emotional reactions, difficulty calming down, or big feelings that take over and are hard to recover from.
Behavioral concerns
Defiance, aggression, impulsivity, or patterns of behavior at home or school that are creating conflict and affecting daily life.
Anxiety & school refusal
Worry, reassurance-seeking, avoidance, and school refusal. For anxiety as a primary concern, see the childhood anxiety treatment page.
ADHD & attention
Difficulty with focus, impulse control, and organization. CBT skills for managing attention and building strategies that work in real life.
Depression & self-esteem
Sadness, withdrawal, negative self-talk, low motivation, or a child who seems unlike themselves and expresses hopeless or critical thoughts about themselves.
Social difficulties
Trouble making or keeping friends, difficulty reading social cues, peer conflict, or a child who feels left out or struggles to connect with other children.
Life transitions
Adjusting to a new school, a move, a new sibling, or other significant changes. Children often need support processing transitions that adults may underestimate.
Trauma
Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT) for children who have experienced distressing events and need structured support to process what happened and move forward.
These are the most common reasons families come to me. Many children present with more than one of these, and the work often touches on several areas at once.
HOW I WORK WITH CHILDREN
Evidence-based, adapted to each child.
Children learn differently from adults, and treatment is designed accordingly. Sessions are active and practical, using age-appropriate tools including games, activities, and structured exercises alongside direct conversation. The approach varies by child, but the core framework is consistent.
Psychoeducation and feeling identification
Children learn how their brain and body work, how to identify and name what they're feeling, and why emotions and behaviors are connected. This foundation makes everything else more effective.
CBT skills: thoughts, feelings, behaviors
Learning to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns, challenge them, and develop more accurate and helpful responses. Practicing calming strategies and different behavioral responses to difficult situations.
Practice in real life
Skills learned in session need to be practiced at home, at school, and in the situations that matter. Between-session practice and parent involvement are what make the skills stick.
If your child finds it difficult to put feelings into words, sessions incorporate games, activities, and other age-appropriate approaches that make it easier to engage. The goal is always a room where your child feels safe enough to do the work.
THE PARENT PIECE
Your involvement isn't optional. It's often what makes treatment work.
Children don't practice emotional regulation skills in a vacuum. They practice them at home, with you, in the actual situations where the big feelings happen. This means parent involvement is built into the work from the start, not added on as an afterthought.
You will always have the opportunity to check in before and after sessions. Depending on the presenting concern and your child's age, you may attend part or all of some sessions. You'll understand what skills are being worked on and how to support them at home. For younger children with emotional dysregulation or behavioral concerns especially, the parent piece is often the primary driver of change — children at this age internalize skills most effectively when the adults around them are responding differently too.
For anxiety specifically: the SPACE approach (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is a fully evidence-based treatment for childhood anxiety that works entirely through parents. Your child never has to attend a session. Research shows it is as effective as direct CBT with the child. It's covered in detail on the childhood anxiety treatment page.
Learn about parenting therapy →For behavioral and emotional concerns: there are also evidence-based approaches that work primarily through parents for children's behavioral and emotional difficulties. If you're interested in exploring a parent-focused approach, this is something we can discuss during a consultation.
Learn about parenting therapy →WHAT TO EXPECT
Child counseling is not one-size-fits-all. The approach we use, the skills we focus on, and the pace we move at all depend on your child's age, personality, and specific concerns. While the presenting concern shapes the work, most families come with more than one thing on their mind. We can focus on whatever feels most important, and will talk through your options together.
Structured, collaborative, and built around your child.
Understanding your child
The first one or two sessions focus on building a clear picture: what's been happening, how long it's been going on, what you've already tried, and what your goals are for your child and your family.
Building a plan together
Based on what we learn, we'll set clear goals and map out how to work toward them. The approach is tailored to your child's age, personality, and specific concerns, not a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Active sessions with home practice
Sessions are structured and skills-focused, with between-session practice built in. Progress is tracked and the plan is adjusted as needed. You are kept informed and involved throughout.
Sessions are typically once a week or every two weeks. In-person sessions are available at my Houston office during daytime hours. Virtual sessions include 3:30 and 4:30pm slots to accommodate school schedules. Many children make meaningful progress within a few months of consistent work, though treatment length varies depending on the presenting concern, its severity, and how much practice happens outside of sessions. What matters most is that we have clear goals, a clear plan, and the ability to adjust together when something isn't working.
I also work with teenagers
Therapy for teens involves a different approach.
Adolescents have different developmental needs, different relationships to adults and authority, and different reasons for resistance. Teen counseling is covered on its own page with an approach tailored to that age group.
OUTCOMES
What changes when children have the right support.
The goal isn't a child who never struggles. It's a child who has the tools to get through it when they do.
Meltdowns that are less frequent, less intense, and shorter when they do happen
A child who can name what they're feeling and ask for what they need rather than acting it out
More cooperation at home and fewer daily battles over transitions, routines, and expectations
Greater confidence socially, at school, and in situations that used to feel overwhelming
Parents who feel more confident and equipped to respond in the moments that used to feel impossible
A child who is back to being more themselves — engaged, connected, and able to enjoy their life
Dr. Ehrin Weiss
Clinical Psychologist
WHY DR. WEISS
Trained in child psychology. Practical and parent-involved.
I'm a clinical psychologist who has worked with children for over 15 years. My approach is CBT-based and tailored to each child's age, personality, and presenting concerns. I also believe strongly in parent involvement, and I work to make sure you understand what's happening and have the tools to support the work at home.
I'm the author of Anxiety Relief Book for Kids and have presented to the Houston Psychological Association on the treatment of anxiety in children. I work with children, teens, and adults across Texas, New York, and 40+ PsyPact states.
Free guide for parents
A Parent's Guide to Child & Teen Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the most common drivers of the emotional and behavioral difficulties that bring families to child counseling. This guide is a useful starting point even if anxiety isn't the primary concern.
- ✓What normal anxiety looks like vs. when to seek help
- ✓How anxiety presents differently in children vs. teens
- ✓The accommodation trap: why natural responses can backfire
- ✓What evidence-based treatment involves
- ✓What to look for in a therapist for your child
RELATED SPECIALTIES
Other ways I can help your family.
Many of the concerns that bring families to child counseling overlap with these areas. If more than one applies, that's something we can talk through together.
Specialty
Childhood anxiety treatment
Specialized CBT and SPACE treatment when anxiety is the primary concern. Includes a parent-only treatment option.
Learn more →Specialty
Parenting therapy
When you want support navigating your child's behavior and emotions, or when parenting itself has become a significant source of stress.
Learn more →Specialty
Teen counseling
For adolescents ages 12 and up. A developmentally tailored approach to the unique challenges of the teen years.
Learn more →WHERE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
In-person and telehealth options
In-person sessions Houston
In-person sessions are available at my Houston office. View current availability and schedule directly online →
Telehealth therapy 40+ States
Secure video sessions throughout Texas, New York, and all PsyPact states. View current availability and schedule directly online →
Current as of March 2026. Confirm at psypact.gov.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common questions about child counseling
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The most reliable indicators are duration, intensity, and interference. A phase tends to pass on its own within a few weeks and doesn't significantly disrupt daily functioning. When something has been going on for a while, is happening frequently or intensely, and is getting in the way of school, friendships, family life, or your child's ability to enjoy things, that's a reasonable signal to seek support. Early intervention tends to produce better outcomes than waiting. A free consultation is a low-commitment way to talk through what you're seeing and get a sense of whether therapy is the right next step.
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This is one of the most common concerns parents have, and it rarely ends up being the barrier they expect. Children don't need to be naturally verbal or emotionally articulate to benefit from therapy. Sessions use age-appropriate approaches including games, activities, and structured exercises that let children engage without needing to deliver a monologue about their feelings. The skill-building happens through doing, not just talking. Most children who start out reluctant warm up within the first few sessions once they realize the room is safe and not what they were afraid of.
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Most children respond better than parents expect when the conversation is kept simple and honest. A few things that tend to help: keep it matter-of-fact rather than making it feel like a big deal, and frame it around something specific rather than suggesting something is wrong with them.
One framing that many parents find works well, especially with younger children, is describing me as a "feelings doctor" or a "feelings coach" - someone who helps with things that aren't going well. The coach analogy resonates particularly well because most children already understand that coaches help you build skills. You might say something like: "We're going to see a feelings coach who helps kids when things feel hard. She teaches kids tools for when their emotions get really big."
You don't need to explain exactly what therapy involves. If your child is nervous about going, let me know before the first session and we can plan the introduction accordingly.
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Significantly involved. You will always have the opportunity to check in before and after sessions, and depending on your child's age and presenting concern, you may attend part or all of some sessions. I'll make sure you understand what skills are being worked on and how to support them at home. For younger children especially, the parent piece is often what makes the biggest difference — children internalize skills most effectively when the adults around them are responding differently too.
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I'm a private pay practice and don't bill insurance directly. This means no prior authorizations, no session limits, and no insurance company involved in your treatment. I provide superbills monthly that you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Many clients recover a meaningful portion of the fee this way.
Your child can get better. So can your family.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We'll talk through what you're experiencing and whether we're a good fit.