5 Highly Recommended Fort Worth Child Therapists
Watching your child struggle with big emotions, anxiety, or difficult behaviors can leave you feeling helpless and uncertain about how to help. At Noyau Wellness Center, our compassionate child therapists in Fort Worth specialize in creating safe spaces where children can heal, grow, and thrive through evidence-based approaches tailored to their unique needs. Contact us today to get started.
Jump to a therapist
Best for play therapy & neurodivergent children: Lauren Hernandez-Short
Best for children processing grief & loss: Tristin Tice
Best for children with chronic illness or medical challenges: Christina Iversen
Best for trauma & severe anxiety: Charity Hagains
Best for LGBTQ+ adolescents & identity exploration: Karina Rumans
Meet our Fort Worth child therapists
Lauren Hernandez-Short, LPC
Best for play therapy & neurodivergent children
Lauren is an expert in child-centered play therapy and working with neurodivergent children, including those with ADHD and those on the autism spectrum. She creates a nurturing environment where kids can express themselves through play—the natural language of childhood—and partners closely with parents to foster emotional intelligence and skill development at home.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor
Location: Fort Worth, TX 76107
Virtual therapy?: Yes, in addition to in-person
Tristin Tice, LPC-Associate
Best for children processing grief & loss
Tristin specializes in helping children process grief and loss, whether from death, divorce, or major life transitions that feel like losing part of their world. With an energetic, person-centered approach combined with mindfulness techniques and CBT, she provides children with the emotional tools to navigate difficult changes and find healing.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Location: Fort Worth, TX 76107
Virtual therapy?: Yes, in addition to in-person
Christina Iversen, LPC
Best for children with chronic illness or medical challenges
Christina brings specialized training in rehabilitation counseling, making her uniquely qualified to support children navigating chronic illness, pain conditions, and medical diagnoses. With extensive research experience from Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, she helps children and families develop coping skills for managing the psychological impact of medical challenges.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor
Location: Fort Worth, TX 76107
Virtual therapy?: Yes, in addition to in-person
Charity Hagains, LPC-S
Best for trauma & severe anxiety
As co-founder and senior therapist at Noyau Wellness, Charity specializes in treating childhood trauma and severe anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, using EMDR therapy. Her extensive training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing allows children to process traumatic experiences stored in the brain and body, facilitating deep healing and a significant reduction in distress.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor
Location: Fort Worth, TX 76107
Virtual therapy?: Yes, in addition to in-person
Karina Rumans, LPC-Associate
Best for LGBTQ+ adolescents & identity exploration
Karina specializes in supporting LGBTQ+ young people through identity exploration, coming out, and navigating the unique challenges of growing up queer. With a solution-focused narrative approach, she creates a warm, affirming space where young people can explore their authentic selves, build self-esteem, and develop resilience during critical developmental years.
Credentials: Licensed Professional Counselor Associate
Location: Fort Worth, TX 76107
Virtual therapy?: Yes, in addition to in-person
What sets us apart from other child therapy providers in Fort Worth
At Noyau Wellness Center, we've spent over 15 years developing a holistic, evidence-based approach that gets to the core of what's holding your child back. Our "noyau"—French for "core"—philosophy means we don't just address surface behaviors; we dive deep to understand and heal the root causes of your child's struggles.
Specialized child therapy expertise: Our therapists are specifically trained in child-centered play therapy, EMDR for childhood trauma, and developmental approaches tailored to how children actually process emotions.
Collaborative parent partnership: We believe parents are essential to the healing process and work closely with you to create consistent support at home.
Holistic mind-body focus: We integrate the mind-body connection, recognizing how emotions manifest physically in children.
Warm, judgment-free environment: Our counseling spaces are designed to help children feel safe, understood, and free to express themselves authentically.
Flexible, personalized treatment plans: We tailor our approach to each child's unique personality, background, and needs—no cookie-cutter solutions
Evidence-based modalities: From CBT to play therapy to EMDR, we use research-backed methods that deliver real results
Your child deserves compassionate, expert care that meets them where they are. Our team is dedicated to helping your family find peace, connection, and lasting change.
Common challenges we help children & families with
Your child seems anxious all the time—worrying about school, friends, or things that haven't happened yet
Meltdowns and emotional outbursts that feel impossible to manage or predict
Withdrawal from activities, friends, or family they used to enjoy
Difficulty concentrating, staying organized, or completing tasks at school or home
Acting out, aggression, or behaviors that are disrupting family life or relationships
Processing difficult life changes like divorce, moving, or the loss of a loved one
Low self-esteem, negative self-talk, or persistent sadness
Trauma responses from past experiences that are affecting their daily life and development
What to expect from the therapy process
Step 1. Initial consultation & assessment
During your first session, we'll get to know your child and family, understand your concerns, and assess what's happening beneath the surface to create a clear picture of how we can help.
Step 2. Personalized treatment plan development
We'll collaborate with you to design a customized therapy approach that fits your child's age, personality, and specific needs, incorporating the most effective therapeutic modalities for their situation.
Step 3. Regular therapy sessions with your child
Your child will meet with their therapist in a safe, comfortable environment where they can express themselves through play, talk, art, or other developmentally appropriate methods that facilitate healing and growth.
Step 4. Ongoing parent collaboration & support
We'll maintain open communication with you throughout the process, providing guidance on how to support your child at home and adjusting our approach as your child progresses and evolves.
FAQs about child therapy
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Children as young as 3 years old can benefit from therapy, particularly play therapy, which is developmentally appropriate for preschoolers. There's no upper age limit—we work with children, teens, and young adults, adapting our approach to match their developmental stage and communication style.
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Child therapy differs from adult therapy because children often lack the vocabulary to express complex emotions. Our therapists use play therapy, art, games, and age-appropriate talk therapy to help children process feelings and develop coping skills in ways that feel natural and comfortable to them.
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Parent involvement is crucial to your child's success. While sessions are typically one-on-one to build trust, we regularly check in with parents, provide guidance on supporting your child at home, and may include parent-child sessions when appropriate to strengthen your relationship and communication.
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Child therapists focus on counseling and talk/play therapy to address emotional and behavioral issues. Child psychologists can provide therapy but also conduct psychological testing and assessments, sometimes exclusively providing these services. Feel free to reach out if you’re not sure whether your child needs a therapist, psychologist, or both so we can offer our professional recommendation.