When big feelings hijack the house, everyone feels it. Mornings are tense, homework ends in tears, and weekends are recovery missions. If your child or teen is anxious, irritable, shut down, or melting down—you’re not failing and they’re not broken. At Better Being Therapy Services in Jacksonville, we help kids, tweens, and teens (and their caregivers) find steadier days and warmer relationships.
We specialize in child and adolescent therapy for anxiety, depression, school avoidance, friendship drama, grief and loss, family transitions, ADHD‑related challenges, and autistic/neurodivergent kids who benefit from regulation, social, and advocacy supports. Sessions are available in person in Jacksonville (Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, Mandarin, the Beaches) and via secure telehealth across Florida (telehealth is often ideal for teens and for parent‑coaching between child sessions).
If your child is in immediate danger or expressing intent to harm themselves or others, call 911 or 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) now.
Signs your child or teen could use support
- School anxiety, stomachaches, or refusal to attend
- Irritability, shutdowns, or frequent conflicts at home
- Sadness, withdrawal, or loss of interest in friends/activities
- Perfectionism, overthinking, and trouble sleeping
- Executive‑function struggles: organization, time, homework
- Grief after death, divorce, moves, or friend ruptures
Our approach: developmentally smart + family‑system aware
Kids and teens don’t heal through lectures. We use a blend of play‑based and skills‑forward approaches—always respectful and neurodiversity‑affirming:
- Play & creative therapies: games, art, and stories that make hard feelings talkable
- CBT/ACT: practical tools for anxious thoughts and avoidance
- Exposure with compassion: tiny steps that build brave behavior (never shaming)
- Emotion regulation (DBT‑informed) & social skills: name it, calm it, try again
- Parent coaching: co‑regulation, scripts, and routines that stick
- School collaboration (with consent): shared plans with teachers/counselors
Because family life is a system, we often pair child/teen work with Therapy for Parents. If anxiety or low mood are core drivers, see Anxiety Therapy and Depression Therapy. For partnership support around parenting differences, explore Couples Counseling.
What sessions look like
- Caregiver intake: We start with parents/guardians to understand strengths, stressors, culture, and goals.
- Individual child/teen sessions: developmentally appropriate, engaging, and goal‑linked.
- Parent check‑ins: brief, regular coaching so changes last at home.
- Teamwork with school/other providers: with your permission, we coordinate supports so your child isn’t carrying change alone.
Teens get age‑appropriate privacy; we review limits of confidentiality together (we always involve caregivers for safety and progress, while preserving a space teens can trust).
Who we help
- Children (6–12): worries, tantrums, transitions, social skills, grief, ADHD supports
- Tweens/Teens (13–18): anxiety, depression, friendship stress, identity shifts, perfectionism, school pressure
- Neurodivergent youth: regulation supports, strengths‑based advocacy, flexible routines
Fees & access
We’re private‑pay and provide superbills for potential out‑of‑network reimbursement; many families use HSA/FSA funds. Sessions available in English; ask about availability for Spanish or Dutch. In‑person in Jacksonville neighborhoods (Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, Mandarin, the Beaches) and statewide via telehealth.
A calmer home starts with one step
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Book a free 15‑minute consult to see if our child and teen therapists are the right fit. Meanwhile, visit Therapy for Parents for immediate strategies you can try this week.
