Child & Teen Therapy in Rexburg and Pocatello

When your child is struggling, it’s hard to know what’s typical and what’s something more. Maybe your seven-year-old has stomachaches every school morning. Maybe your fifteen-year-old has gone quiet and stopped talking to you. You don’t need to have it figured out before you call. At Greenstone Counseling, our child and teen therapists work with kids ages 5 and up and with the parents who love them. We offer in-person child counseling and family counseling in Rexburg and Pocatello, and online therapy anywhere in Idaho.

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Signs your child or teen might benefit from support

Kids rarely say, “I think I need therapy.” They show it in other ways:

Big feelings that seem out of proportion, or tears and meltdowns that are hard to settle
Worry that keeps them from school, friends, sleeping alone, or trying new things
Pulling away from family, activities they used to enjoy, or friends
Changes in behavior, such as anger, defiance, or shutting down
Trouble with focus, organization, or sitting still at school
A hard stretch after a divorce, a move, a loss, or another change at home

Any one of these can be part of growing up. When they last, or when they’re affecting school,
friendships, or home life, it’s reasonable to ask for help.

How therapy looks different at different ages

Younger children. Children don’t always have the words to explain what they feel, so much of their work happens through play. In child-centered play therapy, your child leads the play in a room set up for it, while the therapist follows along with steady, warm attention. Sand tray therapy offers another way in: your child builds scenes with small figures in a tray of sand, which can show what’s hard to say out loud. Parents stay closely involved, and we’ll talk with you about what you can do at home.

Teenagers. Teen counseling is more conversational, and it gives your teen a place to sort through school pressure, friendships, identity, anxiety, mood, and family tension at their own pace. Older teens often do best when a parent doesn’t need to be in the room, because it lets them feel more independent and open.

Our clinicians use a range of approaches, matched to each child’s age and needs. Along with play therapy, these include attachment-based therapy, family systems, person-centered therapy, mindfulness, and polyvagal-informed work, which looks at how the body responds to stress and safety. For children and teens who have been through something painful, EMDR and Internal Family Systems (IFS) are also part of what our team offers.

Who we help

Our therapists see children and teens from age 5 and up. They work with school-related concerns, anxiety, behavior, friendships, big family changes, and neurodivergent kids and teens, including those with ADHD.

Rexburg and Pocatello: In-person sessions and family counseling are available at both offices.

Online across Idaho: Every one of our child and teen therapists, in both offices, also offers telehealth. Families in Idaho Falls and Ammon often meet with us online, and some come to our offices in person.

Each of our clinicians tends to work best with certain ages, and availability changes. If you call, we’ll talk through your child’s age and what’s going on and help match you with a therapist who fits.

Finding the right fit for your child

A good fit is crucial, especially for a child who needs to feel comfortable with their therapist. That’s why we offer a free consultation, usually 15 to 20 minutes, so you can find the best match for your child before you begin.

What your first session looks like

Before your child’s first visit, we send paperwork that walks you through our consent forms, so you know what to expect and what we need from you.

The first session itself depends on your child’s age. For younger children, you may be invited to sit in for part of the session to help your child feel comfortable, or to talk with the therapist for a few minutes before your child comes in. For older teens, parents often don’t need to be in the room.

Like any first session, it begins with the practical pieces: consent, confidentiality, and our practice policies. After that, the therapist gets to know your child, including their history and what they and you hope counseling will help with. It’s a gentle first meeting, and nobody is expected to dive into the hardest things right away.

Family involvement, consent, and confidentiality

Parents aren’t left on the sidelines. We offer family counseling at both of our offices, and you and your child can decide together whether you’d like to be present for all of a session, some sessions, or none. We also offer parent support alongside your child’s therapy. Sometimes that’s a quick check-in with the therapist, and sometimes it’s individual sessions of your own.

We follow Idaho law on parental consent and on parents’ access to information about their child’s care. Under Idaho law, parents and legal guardians generally give consent before a minor begins counseling, and they have rights to information about that care. Your child’s therapist will explain what this means in practice when you start, so that you and your child both know what to expect.

ADHD support and testing

If you suspect ADHD, we offer ADHD testing for a $25 fee. Testing is available for children, teens, and adults, along with counseling and support.

Testing centers on a comprehensive questionnaire. It’s completed by the person being tested and by someone close to them, such as a parent, so the picture includes more than one point of view. It gathers detailed information about symptoms, where and how they show up, and possible diagnoses.

When testing is complete, you receive a written report. If the results show a presentation consistent with ADHD, your clinician can provide a diagnosis. Your therapist then goes over the results with the client and, for children and teens, with parents, so you understand what was found and what to do next. This assessment is not a full psychological evaluation, which we don’t offer. If you need one, we can point you to a provider.

Hillary Wardell works with many neurodivergent children and teens, and she’s a good person to ask about.

Our Child and Teen Therapists

Rexburg

Pocatello

Related Services

ADHD Counseling & Testing: Assessment, counseling, and school support for kids, teens, and adults.

Trauma & EMDR Therapy: Support for children and teens who have been through something painful.

Marriage & Couples Counseling: For parents who want support for their own relationship.

Questions parents ask

If something has lasted more than a few weeks, or it’s getting in the way of school, friendships, or home life, it’s worth a conversation. You don’t need a diagnosis or a crisis to call.
It depends on your child’s age and what feels right for your family. With younger children, parents are often invited in for part of the session or to talk with the therapist beforehand. With older teens, parents often don’t need to be in the room. If you or your child would like you to join for some or all sessions, that’s an option too.
We offer a free consultation, usually 15 to 20 minutes. We know a good match is crucial for kids, so call us and we’ll talk through your child’s age and needs and help you decide.
Yes. Family counseling is available at both our Rexburg and Pocatello offices, as well as online.
Yes. Idaho law generally requires parental consent before a minor begins counseling. We send paperwork that walks you through our consent forms before your first visit.
We follow Idaho law on parents’ access to information about their child’s care. Your child’s therapist will explain how this works at the start, so you and your child know what to expect.
It’s a way for younger children to work through feelings by playing, since they often can’t explain them in words. The therapist follows your child’s lead and helps them make sense of what comes up. Sand tray therapy works similarly, using small figures in a tray of sand.
You receive a written report and, if the results show a presentation consistent with ADHD, a diagnosis from your clinician. Your therapist reviews it with you, and with parents for children and teens, and talks through next steps. It is not a full psychological evaluation, which we don’t offer.
Yes. We offer parent support alongside your child’s therapy, from brief check-ins to individual sessions with the therapist.
We work with children and teens ages 5 and up. Call us and we’ll help match your child with a clinician who works well with their age.
Yes. Many families from Idaho Falls and Ammon meet with us online, and some prefer to come to our Rexburg or Pocatello offices in person. Call us and we’ll help you choose what works best for your child.
We’re in network with most major insurance companies, and private pay is also an option. Before your first visit, we’ll complete a free insurance benefit check. We’ll contact your insurance company and share what they tell us about your mental health coverage. This gives you an estimate of your coverage, not a guarantee, so we also encourage you to call your insurer and confirm your own mental health benefits.
Dana Facer is a clinical intern completing her licensure hours under the supervision of Erika Nordfelt. Clients who see Dana receive paperwork that explains her intern status and supervision. We can bill only a couple of insurance companies for intern sessions. Otherwise, sessions with Dana are $30 each.
Yes. Telehealth is available throughout Idaho, including Idaho Falls and Ammon.