Hopscotch Blog

The new year is here, and it is full of hopeful possibilities and sky-high potential. That ‘fresh start’ energy of January and into early February inspires so many of us to winter mindfully, set intentional SMART goals, and plant seeds of prosperity for future harvests. 

We LOVE this time of new beginnings, but this new year feels different… Doesn’t it? 

Think of all that has happened since the clock struck 12:01 am one year ago, or even 4 years ago. What ways has your caseload grown or evolved since 2020? What experiences stand out to you, and what is the intention for your private practice going forward?  

If you have not yet had a chance to reflect and set or update your goals, there is still time to capitalize on the energy of the new year. Consider this post your official invitation to look back and plan ahead. Now is the time to find alignment between where you are today, and how you would like to grow over the next year. 

To help guide your reflections and intentions, we have created an introspective guide for private practitioners complete with 20 therapist-inspired questions.

REFLECTIONS: Looking back – An internal review of 2023

Past experiences are treasure troves of wisdom. Before you dive too deep into all those SMART goals, pause for a few quiet moments, and reflect on the previous year. As you review the 10 reflective questions below, draw awareness to the very first thought that comes to mind with every prompt. Rest assured, there are no right or wrong answers to the questions below. This is not an exercise in what could have been or what should have been. Simply observe what thoughts and feelings emerge within you without judgment, and let your answers bubble up organically.

10 Reflective questions for private practitioners

1. What relationships or experiences brought you the most joy this past year?
2. What personal/professional accomplishments from this past year felt the most rewarding?
3. What exercises worked well in your client sessions?
   
4. What experiences or interactions personally and/or professionally depleted your energy the most this past year?
5. What were your biggest lessons learned from 2023?
   
6. What is your private practice’s greatest strength?  – You, of course, but what specifically do you bring to your client work that makes your private practice unique or significant?
   
7. Where do you see the biggest need for improvement within your private practice? – In other words, what one thing would allow your private practice to progress to the next stage of growth or success?
8. Are there any processes or aspects about your practice that you would like to improve? – IE: Client retention, parent check-in structure, niche development, marketing your practice, etc.
9. What opportunities are available to you right now? – Even if you don’t feel like you have the time to take advantage of current opportunities, take a brief inventory of the potential surrounding you currently. Is there anything that you could be doing, that you are not doing, that if you were to do, you know would be beneficial?
10. What personal and/or professional habits served you well last year? – Take a quick inventory of your habits and make note of what is or is not helping you accomplish your goals.

INTENTIONS: Looking forward – Preparing to prosper

Whatever you choose to do today will impact your opportunities for tomorrow, and one of the best things you can do to maximize your future potential is plan ahead. Future-you is counting on today-you to capitalize on all the lessons learned from last year and be proactive. As you gaze into all 2024 has to offer, here are 10 questions to help you set intentions and prepare for the coming months.

1. What are your training needs this year? – Do you have CE’s coming due? If so, don’t wait until the last minute. From online communities to in-person association meetings and events, start the process of seeking CE’s out and get that ball rolling!
2. Do you still have a clear image of who your ideal client is? – Ideal client personas may change as your scope of practice and interests evolve. Who specifically do you want to serve? What type of client would you like to focus more on?
3. Have you developed a niche? – If not, is this something you would like to start working towards? If so, keep your dream niche in mind as you seek out CE’s and pursue training that aligns with developing your skillset in the direction you want your private practice to go.
4. Is it time to expand your scope of practice? – Perhaps you have been working in a niche for a while and are ready for a change. If so, what certification or CE’s would allow you to develop your skills in a new niche? 
   
5. Where is there the highest demand in the market? – The mental health world is seeing a rising trend in people interested in play therapy and EMDR. From DBT to trauma treatment, there are many certifications a therapist can choose from to meet the ever-evolving needs of the mental health community. 
   
6. What type of treatment solutions does your ideal client need the most? – Try to think of ways to provide higher levels of value to the clients you want to help the most.
7. How can you work smarter instead of harder so that you can see more clients? – What administrative tasks or preparatory efforts could you cut back on, or what activities could you better organize to optimize in-session time? Hopscotch offers built-in mindfulness games and therapeutic activities in our platform which allows Hopscotch network providers the opportunity to reduce prep time, increase session availability, and treat more clients.
8. Do you want to increase your client caseload and/or move your private practice to full-time? – If so, networking and building referral partners in your community is essential. What involvement do you have with local associations or online therapist networks?
   
9. When was the last time you updated your online presence and therapist directory profiles? – On that note, is it time to double down on your marketing efforts and learn how to improve or optimize your online presence? Are you ready to explore ways to increase your number of appointment requests or build your referral network?
   
   If so, Hopscotch offers complimentary 1:1 marketing coaching to our in-network therapists. If you are part of Hopscotch’s community of mental health practitioners, our Director of Marketing offers personalized private practice growth strategy sessions. 
10. Finally, what is one step you could take right now to set your future self up for success? – It could be a simple thing like sending a quick e-mail, making an appointment, or doing a simple Google search, but that first step is what opens the door of opportunity to the next step and the one after that. 

Before you move on to the next task item on your to-do list today, we invite you to pause and consider what the next right decision may be. What one decision could unlock the next threshold of potential?

As you contemplate the next steps on your journey, take a moment to explore the exciting opportunities that await you when you join our Hopscotch network of therapists. Our team is dedicated to supporting your private practice's growth with our intuitive EHR system, an abundance of readily available resources, and our highly responsive support team. Beyond that, we go the extra mile by offering personalized marketing and growth sessions tailored to your unique aspirations and clientele. Step into 2024 with the confidence that Hopscotch is here to empower you on your path to success. Cheers to a prosperous year ahead!

From our entire team here at Hopscotch, we want to wish all our friends, partners, and peers in the mental health and wellness industry a very happy new year. We are here to cheer you on and help you maximize your private practice potential. Cheers to 2024!

In the world of private practice, we have both busy seasons and seasonal slumps, and statistically, mid-November and December tend to be slower months for therapists. Sessions may be down, certain clients might cancel or terminate therapy, and January may seem to loom off in the not-so-far-away distance. Regardless, the final two months of the year are a highly strategic and lucrative time for therapy work, and the seasonal slowdown is an excellent time to capitalize on opportunity, finish the year strong, and set your practice up for success in the new year. 

Here are nine ways to personally, financially, and clinically prepare your private practice to survive and thrive through the holiday slump.

1. Adjust your schedule to accommodate holiday hours.
Every November and December, children are out of school and on holiday break for around 2-3 weeks. During these holiday breaks, some of your clients will be traveling with their families, but many may not. Explore how your business hours might adjust to accommodate families looking for therapeutic support over the holiday breaks. With family schedules opening for a few weeks at the end of the year, now may be an excellent time to fill in some daytime appointments.

2. Get those parent check-ins on the calendar.
Parents often take time off from work around the holidays to reconnect with their children and tie up loose ends before the end of the year. Consequently, caregivers are often more inclined to touch base with their child’s therapist around this time of year, which makes November and December great months for scheduling those much needed parent check-ins.

3. Revisit and update client treatment goals.
No one likes to end the year with treatment goals in limbo. The strong desire many have to finish the year well and start the new year off strong makes the holiday months an excellent time to revisit treatment goals. Making it a point to reassess client priorities will not only encourage client retention, but it will also help optimize the client’s treatment experience.

Without the structure of seasonal check-ins, it can be easy for caregivers to view therapy as just one more thing on the family calendar that may or may not be adding value. However, by taking this time to report on progress and update treatment goals, you can clearly showcase the value of therapy and provide caregivers with a valid reason to feel positive about their child’s therapy journey before the year ends. 

4. Revisit and update your own goals.
It’s hard to believe, but there are only two months left to this year. Now is a good time to check back in on any goals you may have set back at the beginning of the year to gauge your own progress and see what you can do to meet milestones by the end of the year. Whether those were personal goals or professional ones, use this slower season to check back in on your own progress and update your goals accordingly.

5. Don’t wait! Start scheduling post-holiday family appointments NOW.

Plan ahead and start booking dates on your calendar for the coming months. Be proactive about pre-booking post-holiday appointments, and focus on reaching out to any clients who you suspect may not return after the holidays. If your clients are not ready or able to plan that far ahead, that’s ok. Simply lay some groundwork and set your future self up for success by letting those clients know that you’ll be checking back in with them after the New Year before your calendar fills up. 

6. Provide holiday-specific value and seasonal resources.
As a child therapist, you play an important role in the family support system, and let’s face it. The holidays can be very stressful and hard for some families. While these months may be slow for you, these months may feel very hectic to your clients. The way you show up for your client’s family over the holiday season can build rapport and encourage retention in a uniquely powerful way.
Here are a few holiday-specific ways to provide seasonal support:

• Talk about what they can focus on during the break.
• Be sensitive about holiday topics
• Inquire about holiday-specific stressors.
• Curate your social media marketing with mindful holiday content. 
• Offer helpful solutions and resources for mitigating holiday stress. (IE: Hopscotch Kids Games is screentime parents can feel good about, and having therapeutic games at the ready can help make holiday travel less stressful.)

7. Prepare for the busy season.
If you are feeling the impact of the holiday slump now, rest assured, it probably will not last long. In stark contrast to November and December, January through April tend to be busy months in the therapy world. While the holiday months may be full of glad tidings and great joy for some families, the festive season is full of triggers and stressors for others. Consequently, the first few months of the year tend to pick back up for private practitioners, and there are many factors driving people towards therapy around the first of the year.

People feel motivated to take positive action in January, new year’s resolutions are in full swing, tax returns are right around the corner, insurance changes are in effect, and seasonal depression symptoms are taking a toll on people’s mental health. Take advantage of these slower weeks to get things in order. Take care of that pile of paperwork, organize your office files, follow up on personal action items, and do whatever you need to do to set yourself up for success for when work ramps back up.

8. Honor your financial budget.
Sticking to your budget can make seasonal slumps way less stressful. Of course, financially planning for slow seasons is also a great idea, but if your finances concern you this time of year, consider where there might be room to push back against holiday commercialism. Stretching your finances beyond your budget will only add financial stress to the slower season, so give yourself and your private practice the gift of sticking to your financial budget. If that means family and friends get meaningful acts of kindness this year instead of pricy items, let that be ok. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing good vibes and thoughtful gestures over expensive gift giving.

Free or low-cost holiday gift ideas:

• 100 Free holiday gifts people actually want

• 24 Thoughtful, budget-friendly gift ideas
  

9. Take a personal break.
As therapists we advocate for the importance of self-care, but so many of us are guilty of not taking the time to do our own emotional reset. The holiday slump can trigger anxiety, but it can also be a welcome call for rest. If you are experiencing a holiday slump, then this may be the perfect time for you to take a break and reconnect with your own psychological well-being.

The bottom line

If you are experiencing the holiday slump and business is not booming right now, take heart. The holiday months can be a whirlwind of personal and professional changes, and it’s normal to feel a bit out of sync. Whether you choose to use this time to proactively set yourself up for success in the future or recalibrate personally, give yourself some grace and space this holiday season. Busy seasons will return and chances are your practice will pick back up again before you know it.

Whereas therapists care for your mental health and often explore past events, coaches strengthen mental fitness and focus predominantly on the future. Although coaches can certainly offer a therapeutic relationship, coaching is not the same as therapy, and a professional coach will not directly treat mental health conditions in a coaching session. Depending on the needs, a parent may be better suited for either therapy or parent coaching, however, both offer valuable support and can work well together provided that both the coach and the therapist are in alignment on the treatment plan.

While coaching and therapy are two different services, more and more Child Therapists are beginning to offer parent coaching services to diversify their service offerings and cater to the unique needs of the families within their niche. 

Therapist vs coaching accreditation 

Parenting has its ups, downs, and all-arounds, and at some point or another, many parents will find themselves exploring a variety of parenting resources. Different seasons of life sometimes need different forms of support, and it can sometimes be a challenge for parents to determine which resource would benefit them the most. As licensed Child Therapists and professional child development experts, this is where we can shine. We are in a unique position to offer a diverse range of supportive services and guidance to parents in need.  

Of the parenting support options available, therapy for parenting and coaching for parents are two of the most popular parenting resources a primary caregiver might pursue – but what is parent coaching? What’s the difference between therapy and coaching? And when would a parent benefit more from therapy versus parent coaching or vice versa? 

Parent coaching is a creative way for Child Therapists to offer additional value to families they may support, and in this article, we will explore the difference between a therapist for parents and a parent coach. 

Let’s start at the beginning… 

What is the difference between coaching and therapy? 

In a nutshell, therapists (also known as counselors and psychotherapists) are mental health practitioners who have been professionally educated, trained, and licensed to treat mental illnesses and psychological issues. Coaches are subject matter experts who provide collaborative, solution-focused, topically relevant guidance to clients. 

Therapy vs coaching

All licensed therapists undergo extensive education, and accreditation, and generally have boards/exams to pass. Therapists are also subject to the governing laws of the state or jurisdiction they practice. Coaches on the other hand are not required to have any specific education, accreditation, or licensing, but many coaches seek some form of professional coaching certification. As a licensed Child Therapist, you are a professional child development expert, and parent coaching is a service you are already well-suited, trained, and equipped to offer should you so choose. 

What is parent coaching?

Parent coaching is an informative process where a client and a child development and/or parenting expert will collaborate to develop and achieve specific parenting goals. The primary objective of parent coaching is for the parent to become the confident and effective parent-leader their family needs. The parent coach accomplishes this goal by educating and training the parent on effective parenting techniques relevant to the developmental stage of their child(ren). 

Because parent coaching is not therapy, coaching does not include any diagnosing or treating of any mental illnesses the parent might have. Instead, parent coaching is a goal driven process where solution-focused support is provided for present-day parenting issues. In a parent coaching session, parent coaches will help parents identify and overcome parenting obstacles, create an action plan for a desired parenting outcome, and explore ways to optimize present parenting situations with future parenting goals in mind. 

While parent coaching can and does contribute to a parent’s wellbeing and the overall health of the family, it is important to distinguish the difference between issues therapy can treat and issues parent coaching can support. 

Issues therapy can treat: 

• Psychological issues
• Personality disorders
• Mental illnesses 
• Neurological disorders
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Relational issues
• Behavioral issues
• Behavioral addictions
• Substance addictions
• Depression
• Divorce mediation
• Etc.

Issues parent coaching can support:

• Parenting style education 
• Education regarding special needs, learning disorders, physical disabilities, adoption services, etc. 
• Child development education
• Parenting technique training
• General relational issues within the family system
• Confident parental decision making
• Parental motivation
• Parental stress management
• Family boundaries implementation
• Training on how to approach difficult parenting moments
• Support with replacing unhealthy parenting habits with healthier ones 
• Developing a personalized, action-oriented success plan for family and parenting goals
• Etc. 

Benefits of parent coaching 

As licensed Child Therapists, you are professional child development experts, and if you choose to diversify your services by offering parent coaching, it is important to understand exactly how this service can benefit all parties involved.  

Benefits of parent coaching for providers

Parent coaching is a lucrative way for Child Therapists to expand their practice and ethically and responsibly diversify their service offerings. While children may be your primary niche, parents are the other side to that same coin, and as a Child Therapist, you are in an ideal position to offer parent coaching services. Offering parent coaching allows you to serve families in a more comprehensive, holistic way, and it opens more doors of opportunity for you and your private practice. 

Additional parent coaching benefits for providers can include:

1. Grow your practice and caseload.
2. Develop your niche.
3. Expand your scope of practice.
4. Attract additional opportunities. 
5. Diversify revenue streams.
6. Provide more comprehensive family care.
7. Increase your geographical reach. (Since coaching does not require licensing, parent coaching services can be offered to out of state clients.)

Benefits of parent coaching for parents

Parent coaching benefits parents (and their families) in many ways. Parenting is not easy, and especially for first time parents, a parent coach can offer invaluable guidance to parents as they step into the role of parent-leader for their family. Additionally, the countless macro and micro choices parents face can lead to decision anxiety and decision fatigue. Sometimes parents need to talk a situation out with a knowledgeable expert, and they value collaborative help in how to make important parental decisions. 

15 ways parent coaching can benefit parents:

1. Parents receive helpful insight into how to become a parent-leader and make important parental decisions with confidence. 
2. Parents learn effective parenting techniques and optimal methods for raising healthy children. 
3. Parents receive helpful insights and learn effective ways to overcome developmental challenges with children. 
4. Parents discover positive parenting approaches on how to parent through family transitions and behavioral challenges. 
5. Parents find a safe and therapeutic outlet for de-stressing and releasing parenting frustrations. 
6. Parents gain access to important information regarding child development.
7. Parents explore practical strategies for mitigating family conflict and improving family dynamics.
8. Parents learn healthy and effective ways to strengthen their relationship with their child. 
9. Parents experience an increase in positive regard towards their parenting journey. 
10. Parents gain clarity on how to identify and establish family values in the home. 
11. Parents receive reflective opportunities to re-parent themselves and work through complex emotions surrounding present-day parenting moments.
12. Parents grow in mindfulness. 
13. Parents learn effective ways to raise resilient children and set their children up for good mental health in the future. 
14. Parents gain access to you – a knowledgeable professional – regarding occupational resources for children with unique needs such as special needs, learning disorders, physical disabilities, etc. 
15. Parents receive hope. With your helpful guidance and supportive compassion, they don’t feel as alone.  

The Bottom Line

At Hopscotch, our mission is to connect families with the supportive providers they need, and that includes helping our providers connect with families in the way that they need. With the growing interest in parent coaching, now may be an advantageous time for the providers in our network to consider offering parent coaching services. As families continue to prioritize mental health, we as providers have a unique opportunity to use our subject matter expertise in creative ways and meet the rising needs of families in a significantly supportive way. 

Technology is allowing innovative clinicians the opportunity to create new pathways for people to learn, practice, and interact with behavioral health materials – all while having fun! As a result, there is a growing trend of digital play for children that enhances mental health and emotional regulation. Digital emotional wellness support is on the rise, and child therapists can leverage this trend to capitalize on in-session and in-between-session learnings.  

Hopscotch Kids Games – A mental health games app for kids  

Inspired by the mindful tech movement, Hopscotch has recently launched Hopscotch Kids, our latest initiative to support children's mental health. This new, free gaming app for kids is designed to foster mental wellness in a format that is engaging and enjoyable for children everywhere. When your clients download Hopscotch Kids Games, they will be transported to a world of interactive games and activities that teach mental health skills such as emotional regulation, self-awareness, and resilience.

About the app

Hopscotch Kids Games  is an interactive, behavioral health app specifically designed for children who are developmentally 4-8 years old. Hopscotch Kids Games uses educational games and learning activities to teach mental health skill building to children. Designed by top child experts, Hopscotch Kids Games will help children learn vital emotional skills through a variety of games, stories, and activities that support their mental well-being. 

The games and activity-based resources on the app complement the exceptional work you do in-session with your clients, and the games currently offered through the app feature the basic psychological methodologies that children are taught in therapy. For example:

1. Calm Coloring teaches mindfulness through digital art. 
2. Sammie's Senses guides children through their five senses while helping them practice grounding. 
3. Sammie's Breathing Adventure shows children how to practice emotional regulation through fun deep breathing exercises.
4. Interactive click-through stories teaching emotional resilience. 
5. 40+ pieces of educational audio content through Hopscotch Kids Radio.

The Hopscotch Kids Games app is currently available for FREE in the Google Play and Apple App store.

Bonus app content: Supplemental app resources designed to help maximize a child’s learning experience and promote the parent-child relationship are available to caregivers and child therapists. Encourage your families to sign up for Hopscotch’s Kids newsletter to receive helpful tips and hands-on resources. 

Benefits – 5 Reasons why child THERAPISTS love the Hopscotch Kids Games app.

1. Hopscotch Kids Games is backed by science.
   The app and games were designed by child behavioral health experts and are based on evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), mindfulness exercises, grounding practices, and more.
2. Hopscotch Kids Games is considered “fun homework” in-between sessions.
   If you are like most therapists, then you only see your client once a week, and you probably wonder, “Are the parents reinforcing the in-session skills at home? Are they doing the interventions that we talked about?” Hopscotch Kids Games can be a fun and easy way to get these questions answered, because the app provides families with an enjoyable way to continue to do the work in-between sessions.
3. The app saves therapists time and money.
   Hopscotch Kids Games can drastically reduce the amount of time (and money) spent researching, downloading, and printing resources for clients. By using the app as a resource, you don’t need to spend your personal, unpaid time and printer ink accumulating resources for clients. Instead, resources for at-home practice are available right through this app. 
4. It’s a great back-up lesson plan resource.
   Hopscotch Kids Games functions as an excellent backup lesson plan if the client arrives needing a different form of support than originally anticipated. 
5. Hopscotch Kids Games offers families something to take with them post-therapy.
   The Hopscotch Kids Games app provides an opportunity for continuous skill building in the home between sessions or after therapy termination. Sometimes families end child therapy early or abruptly, and there may be no time for offboarding or closure. Either way, by ensuring this app is on their tablet or phone, therapists can provide families with quick access to a mindful resource that can be revisited even after therapy sessions end.

Download and start playing for FREE today!

Whether you're working with clients in-person or through telehealth, the Hopscotch Kids Games app can make your sessions even more fun and effective. In-person, you can use the app to teach and practice important skills and create a dynamic learning experience. During telehealth sessions, your clients can conveniently access the games on their own devices and share their experiences and insights with you. 

Encourage the caregivers of your clients to download the Hopscotch Kids Games app to continue their child’s progress outside of sessions. 

Remember: You are the expert, and your clients will appreciate your resource recommendations. 

When you recommend this resource to your clients, here is what they need to know: 

Benefits – 5 Reasons why PARENTS and CAREGIVERS love the Hopscotch Kids Games app.

1. The Hopscotch Kids Games app provides a clear avenue for caregivers to get involved in their child’s therapy journey.
   For a child to make the maximum amount of progress in therapy, caregivers need to be involved in the process. The Hopscotch Kids Games app empowers caregivers with a clear and direct way to confidently become involved and help reinforce in-session learnings in the home.
2. It provides caregivers with opportunities to meaningfully connect with their child.
   The games and activities on the app provide a common ground for caregivers to interact with their child and be a part of their child’s therapy journey. By exploring the app with their child, caregivers can support their child’s mental wellness and foster healthy parent-child connection.
3. Parents learn from the activities, too!
   For caregivers who have ever wondered, “Am I doing this right?” the app provides an opportunity for caregivers to have a meaningful and fun time connecting with their child while learning and growing alongside them.
4. The app is easily accessible and FREE.
   Caregivers love having mindful (and fun!) digital resources available at their fingertips for their children to use. 
   
5. It helps balance screen time concerns.
   Caregivers are right to be concerned about mindless screen time, but Hopscotch Kids Games is far from mindless. Hopscotch Kids Games is a digital tool that is mindful, educational, and fun. To put it simply, the Hopscotch Kids Games app features content parents and providers can feel good about. 
   

Benefits – 5 Reasons why KIDS love the Hopscotch Kids Games app. 

1. It’s fun and entertaining.
   Hopscotch Kids Games was designed for children by child mental health experts. Kids will love the interactive activities, engaging games, and colorful interface.
2. The app provides them with opportunities to meaningfully connect with their caregivers.
   Children innately crave attunement with their caregivers, and Hopscotch Kids Games app provides children and parents with a mindful medium to enhance their relationship in a meaningful and fun way.
3. The games and activities are emotionally regulating.
   The games and activities are designed to promote a child’s self-esteem, confidence, and inner calm.
   
4. It allows them to become emotionally invested in therapy.
   Play is a child’s language, and when they are able to interact in a meaningful and playful way with therapeutic concepts, they organically develop a positive regard towards the therapeutic process.  
   
5. The app helps them make mindful connections between in-session work and real-life moments.
   By providing children with mindfulness practices in the comfort of their own home, the Hopscotch Kids Games app allows children to assimilate in-session learnings in a real-life setting.

Thank you for helping us spread the love

Please share Hopscotch Kids Games with clients and families, personal and professional connections, and on your social media. Spreading the word about our innovative app allows us to continue to grow and create more games and tools to support your work with clients.

With Autumn in full swing, we are getting closer and closer to what some call the most wonderful time of the year. 

…Some. Not all. 

The therapeutic dynamics we navigate as child and teen therapists often become more complex around the holidays. While we prepare for and participate in the holiday season and manage our own personal obligations as a friend, sibling, partner, parent, and individual, our professional responsibilities require a little extra time, attention, and emotional intelligence. 

As we move into this unique time of year, let’s explore and reflect for a moment what we as child therapists need to be mindful of during the holiday season. Here are 6 therapist-inspired tips on how to navigate in-session client work during the holiday season like a pro.  

1. Familiarize yourself with any holidays your clients celebrate AND don’t celebrate. 

Between October and February, there are many holidays. Chances are, you are already familiar with some of the more popular, Western-specific holidays such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year. Keep in mind that your clients may or may not celebrate these holidays, and if they do, they may not celebrate it the way others do. 

Additionally, some of your clients may value holidays related to their own culture/religion that are not widely acknowledged or understood by peers. (IE: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year vs. Lunar New Year, National Adoption Day, Las Posadas, etc.) It is best to avoid assuming anything. Check in with caregivers directly and ask them how they are feeling about the approaching holidays. Additionally, ask caregivers for their thoughts on how to best support their children in-session.

Read more Parent check-ins: Why they matter and what child therapists need to know

It may also be appropriate to approach holiday topics directly during your in-session work with the child client, however there are times when a non-directive approach may be the better option. Depending on the client, you might consider taking a proactive approach in-session and inquire curiously about important family holidays and festive nuances. Or you might simply hold space and let the child client initiate in-session discussion about holiday topics. Whether you are direct or allow your client to take the lead in their session, take some time to do your own research, and avoid relying solely on your client and their family to educate you about a particular holiday. 

2. Be sensitive in how you talk about holidays. 

Even if you are excited about a particular holiday you celebrate, remember that the holidays can be a very stressful time for families – especially families with lower financial means, foster and adoptive children, and children whose families do not celebrate or partake in mainstream holidays. Children are children, and they often don’t understand why things at home may be different than things at school. They may not know how to express their feelings regarding holiday nuances, but the variance does impact them. They feel it, even if they can’t explain it.

The feeling of “being different” can make cultural nuances around the holidays more challenging for a child/adolescent to process. Consequently, it’s easy for children and adolescents to feel ostracized in environments where others may excitedly talk about and participate in traditions that are different from the ones of their family, such as giving and receiving gifts. Not all cultural holidays have gift-giving traditions, and even if they do, some families do not have the financial means to experience the holidays in the same way others do. 

3. Be intentional with how you decorate your office or virtual space.
Your office, play therapy room, your virtual background space, and any other treatment space your clients see should have an accommodating atmosphere. Decorations should be used to curate the space based on the unique interests and needs of each client. Ideally, items in your therapeutic space should function as props and should help facilitate interactive conversations or practices that are relevant to a client’s therapeutic goals.

Remember that the ambiance of a therapeutic workspace should support your client’s healing experience and be a calming, inviting environment. You want your clients to feel as comfortable as possible in-session, and if a child client and their family do not celebrate a certain holiday, they may not feel comfortable in a space decorated in celebration of that certain holiday. 

4. Be mindful of when and how you incorporate holiday themed therapeutic exercises.
As child therapists, we often engage in therapeutic exercises with our clients to encourage collaboration and productive dialogue. Particularly with children, the impulse to customize a therapeutic exercise in a holiday or seasonally specific way may seem like a good idea – and it absolutely can be with some clients. However, it is worth giving extra consideration as to if, when, and how you incorporate holiday themed worksheets, exercises, and games in-session. 

5. Be prepared to help clients navigate holiday grief triggers. 
While other families may gather in festive droves around this time, the holiday season can be very hard for families who have lost loved ones. For families who have lost loved ones, grief can surge at any time, but there’s something about the holiday season that can make grief even more pronounced. Every child is different, and while some may invite holiday festivities as a welcome distraction, this is not always the case. 

For children who have lost a caregiver or a very close family member, the holidays may be no fun at all, and the festivities can provoke complex emotions and trigger deep grief. If you are aware or suspect that grief is something your client may be coping with, be prepared. When possible, let the client take the lead with when and how they express their grief, and be ready to respond appropriately. 

6. Use holiday nuances as an opportunity to promote positive self-concepts.
Being sensitive and inclusive towards holiday nuances can feel challenging or even restrictive at times, but it’s actually a wonderful opportunity for therapists! Exercising mindful sensitivity around the holidays can open so many avenues for client growth and provide unique ways for you to earn your client’s trust and improve the therapist-client relationship.

Demonstrating your therapeutic competence and empathy towards cultural and family circumstances further develops your rapport with client caregivers and allows you to show up for your child clients in a very unique and powerful way. Some children feel invisible and forgotten around the holidays, and it is quite possible that you may be the first person to ever make them feel seen, heard, and understood during the holidays. That is significant. 

The holidays are an incredibly special time for therapists to shine in their in-session client work. Holiday matters often cause personal topics to bubble up, and these personal topics offer open gateways into deeper work. By exploring your client through the lens of their own unique holiday experience, you can provide more personalized treatment and better help your client cultivate positive self-concepts. 

The bottom line

The ultimate message of this entire blog could be summarized in three key takeaways: 

1. Avoid assuming anything. 
2. Be sensitive to familial and cultural holiday nuances because they absolutely matter.
3. Treat the holidays as an opportunity to build trust, strengthen the therapist-client relationship, and increase rapport. 

In closing, be sure to give yourself the same grace and space you extend to others. The holidays can be challenging for everyone at times, and giving yourself the same courtesy you give to your clients will help you navigate the holiday season effectively and therapeutically. 

In our previous article, we discussed in-depth how providers can present themselves as trustworthy online. In this post, we are going to continue with the topic of cultivating trust by exploring how therapists can build trust through virtual therapy sessions with children. 

Trust is part of the process. Trust the process.

Mental health practitioners are agents for change. The impact we as child therapists can have on how a child or adolescent will grow and change over the course of their life is powerful. Thus, great care and intentionality must be taken in our approach to establishing trust and building healthy relationships with child clients. Trust is an essential part of the therapeutic process, and as in any other relationship, the counselor-client connection requires a strong foundation of trust in order to function optimally.

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University conducted research that concluded the following: 

“Science shows that children who do well despite serious hardship have had at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive adult. These relationships buffer children from developmental disruption and help them develop “resilience,” or the set of skills needed to respond to adversity and thrive.” (Supportive Relationships and Active Skill-Building Strengthen the Foundations of Resilience: Working Paper No. 13.)

Children can still fare well despite serious hardship if they have “at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive adult.” That supportive adult could be a parent, educator, caregiver, another adult, or a counselor. You can be that one stable, committed adult and make an immense difference in a child's life, but first – trust must be established. 

Trust Increases Engagement

In the realm of virtual therapy, where the challenges are unique, building trust with child clients becomes even more crucial. Establishing a trustworthy therapeutic space lays a foundation for effective therapy and is also a key factor in retaining young clients. Therefore, trust not only enhances engagement, but also contributes to continuation of treatment and better outcomes for kids and families. 

11 Tips for cultivating trust in virtual counseling sessions 

Starting strong – Introducing trust to the counselor-client relationship.

1. Introduce yourself briefly.
First impressions matter even to teens and kiddos. Your intro should be brief, friendly, and with most kids and teens, straight to the point. Children don’t particularly care about qualifications and professional experiences. They want to know that you are kind, genuine, and non-threatening.

2. Share your genuine excitement for working with them.
Be specific and authentic about your enthusiasm for working with them. Explain to them why you are excited to work with them by calling out and mentioning a strength or a positive interest you know they have. Children respond very well to genuine praise and positive reinforcement, so offer them validation from the beginning.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

3. Put them at ease.
Children often have apprehensions regarding therapy, and it is important to be mindful of common anxieties children have about counseling.

• Young children ages 3 to 5 may worry that therapy will hurt or be scary.
• Children ages 6 to 12 may feel nervous about meeting a new person. 
• Adolescents ages 12+ may feel embarrassed or view therapy as a sign of weakness or as a punishment. 
• Children of all ages may be concerned that they will be forced to share and discuss things they don’t want to talk about.

The way you put them at ease will vary depending on their developmental stage, but the goal is always to reduce potential fear and proactively assuage any anxiety triggers. You can do this through reassuring, previewing, and inquiring.

For example, teenagers are often highly concerned with confidentiality and want clarity around what will and won’t be shared with their caregivers.

1. Reassure – Remind them that everything will be kept confidential unless you have their permission to share something or unless their safety is at risk.
2. Preview – Prepare them before every parent check-in so they know exactly what to expect.
3. Inquire – Invite them to become engaged in the therapy process by asking them if they have any questions.

A trustworthy space – How to build trust during virtual counseling sessions

4. Ensure that your virtual background space is curated for the unique interests and needs of each client.
The way you design your virtual setting should be carefully thought out and invite client engagement. Strategically place and replace toys or items that could facilitate interactive conversations or practices relevant to each client’s individualized therapeutic goals.

5. Invite the child/adolescent to give you a tour of their space.
This is often a good way to get the child to talk since they are often “experts” about their room’s environment. Additionally, children and adolescents alike are familiar with the concept of show-and-tell, and much can be inferred from what they choose to show and share.

6. Exercise patience
Patience with virtual counseling is paramount, particularly when it comes to technical difficulties. Demonstrate patience when technical difficulties arise, and take time in the beginning of the session to help the child/adolescent find the best camera position.
Especially for young children, expect and anticipate that there will be times during the session when you will be unable to fully see what the child is doing. Rather than expressing concern over the placement of the camera, get creative with how to stay engaged with the child even when they are not “on-frame.”
For example, invite the child/adolescent to bring items to you or tell you about what they are doing. Saying things like, “tell me about” or “can you show me?” is a good way to navigate camera placement mishaps. 

7. Be fully engaged and fully present.
The most powerful way to establish and build trust is to pay attention and listen attentively.
Children innately long to be heard and understood, and it’s possible that you might be the first adult to ever offer them deep listening. Give your client your undivided attention and actively listen to anything and everything the child may have on their heart to share. 

8. Be mindful of your non-verbal communication.
Children are highly sensitive to non-verbal communication, so be aware of both your body language and your voice’s inflection. Keep in mind that because virtual therapy sessions rely more heavily on verbal communication, conveying emotions by exaggerating your nonverbal cues can be helpful. The point here is not to be dramatically animated or over-the-top, but to leverage non-verbal communication such as facial expressions to demonstrate your active engagement in what the child is saying.

One great way to naturally enhance your facial expressions is to observe and mirror the child’s facial expressions. You can foster a sense of security and trust simply by matching their eye movements and expressions and synchronizing your breathing with theirs.

9. Notice their non-verbal communication.
Take note of their tone of voice. How fast are they talking? Are they speaking loudly or quietly? Is their tone of voice matching the context of what they are saying? Observe their body language. Where is their focus? Are they looking at you or around you? Is there anything distracting their attention? How are they interacting or not interacting with their environment? Children and adolescents can often feel overlooked and misunderstood, and the more you are able to see and understand them, the more they will trust you.


10. Use humor and find natural ways to share a laugh.
Laughter is a proven way to build social bonds with others, and children especially connect through humor. In fact, a child’s sense of humor begins to develop as early as seven months. Humor is disarming, relaxing, and enjoyable, and sharing a healthy laugh is a great way to build a trustworthy connection in therapy.


11. Establish a set structure for every counseling session.
Trust is formed through consistent, reliable, comforting, and familiar moments. Routine and structure are highly reassuring, and children and adolescents generally feel more confident when they know what to expect. Most importantly, when a child is able to anticipate the structure and dynamic of their counseling sessions with you, they will be more trusting and amenable to your influence. For example, you could do a “Feelings Check-In” at the beginning of each session or “Two Stars and a Wish” or “Thorn and a Rose”, where they tell you the best part/hardest part of their day/week.

The bottom line  Trust accomplishes its best work through patience and consistency, and earning trust takes time, effort, and authenticity. As with everything else, honesty really is the best policy. Children can sense when something is natural and when something is forced. Be your natural, trustworthy self, and trust will develop naturally and organically.