Your Child Is Struggling. You Don’t Know How to Help. We Do.

Counseling for children and teens (ages 5–17) in Enterprise, AL and via telehealth.

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You know something is wrong.

Maybe your child has changed — and not in the ways you expected. The kid who used to talk to you has gone quiet. The teen who was always social has started withdrawing. The behaviors that started small have escalated into something you can’t ignore anymore.

Maybe they’ve been through something hard — a loss, a move, a difficult season at school, a parent’s deployment — and they just haven’t bounced back the way you hoped. Maybe there’s anxiety you can’t talk them out of, sadness that won’t lift, or anger that comes out of nowhere.

Or maybe you just have a feeling. And you’re not sure what to do with it.

Here’s what we want you to know: Getting help early makes a real difference. Children and teens who learn to navigate hard emotions and difficult seasons with the right support don’t just get through it — they grow because of it. The sooner you reach out, the more we can help.

Signs It May Be Time to Reach Out

Every child is different, but these are some of the things parents often notice before calling us:

• Persistent sadness, hopelessness, or withdrawal from people and activities they used to enjoy
• Anxiety that is affecting school, friendships, sleep, or daily life
• Anger outbursts, defiance, or behavior problems at home or school that feel out of proportion
• Sudden or significant changes in mood, eating, or sleep
• Talking about not wanting to be here, or any signs of self-harm
• Difficulty adjusting to a big change — a divorce, a move, a new school, a loss
• A parent’s military deployment or the challenges of reintegration when they return
• Withdrawal following abuse or a traumatic experience
• Struggling with low self-esteem, bullying, or social difficulties
• ADHD, OCD, or other challenges that are making daily life harder than it needs to be

If something on this list resonates, that’s enough reason to call. You don’t have to wait until things get worse.

How We Work with Children and Teens

Children and adolescents aren’t just small adults. The way they process emotions, experience the world, and respond to therapy is different — and it requires a different approach.

Our therapists are experienced in working with young people across a wide range of ages and challenges. We know how to build trust with kids who don’t want to be in a therapist’s office. We know how to engage teens without lecturing them. And we know how to help parents stay connected and involved in a way that actually supports the work.

For Children (Ages 5–12)

Younger children often don’t have the words for what they’re feeling — but they have other ways of showing us. Our therapists use age-appropriate, play-informed approaches that help children express what’s going on inside and develop the emotional tools they need to thrive.

For Adolescents (Ages 13–17)

Teens need a therapist they can trust and talk to honestly — someone who isn’t going to judge them or immediately report everything back to their parents. We work to build that trust while also keeping parents appropriately informed and involved. The goal is for your teenager to leave therapy with real skills, better self-understanding, and confidence in who they are.

Involving Parents

Parents are an important part of the process. We’ll keep you informed, offer guidance on how to support your child at home, and involve you in ways that are appropriate to your child’s age and situation.

What We Help Children and Teens With

• Anxiety – Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, school-related worry, separation anxiety, and panic
• Depression and mood disorders – Persistent sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest, and related mood challenges
• Trauma and PTSD – Processing painful experiences, abuse, or events that have left a mark
• Grief and loss – The death of a loved one, the loss of a friendship, a family change, or any significant loss
• ADHD – Support for focus, organization, emotional regulation, and navigating life with ADHD
• OCD and obsessive thinking – Compulsive behaviors, intrusive thoughts, and anxiety-driven rituals
• Self-harm and suicidal ideation – Safe, compassionate support for children and teens who are hurting themselves or expressing thoughts of suicide
• Behavioral challenges – Defiance, anger, school problems, and patterns that aren’t responding to the usual approaches
• Military family issues – Deployment stress, reintegration challenges, frequent moves, and the unique pressures of military life
• Divorce and family transitions – Adjusting to changes at home, blended families, co-parenting situations
• Bullying and social struggles – Peer conflict, isolation, social anxiety, and building healthy relationships
• Identity and self-worth – Low self-esteem, people-pleasing, and questions about who they are

A Note to Teenagers Reading This

If you’ve found this page on your own — we see you. It takes courage to look for help, and we want you to know that coming here doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’re paying attention to yourself, and that matters.

Therapy isn’t about being fixed. It’s about having a space that’s just yours — where you can say what you’re actually thinking, figure out what you’re feeling, and get some tools that make life a little more manageable.

You’re more than welcome here.

Faith-Integrated Care — For Families Who Want It

Dover Counseling Services is a Christian practice, and many of the families we serve want their faith to be part of the work. When that’s important to you, we can incorporate a Christian perspective into your child’s or teen’s counseling — age-appropriately and gently.

Faith integration is always your choice. We serve families from every background with the same care and respect. Whatever your family believes, your child is welcome here.

Our Approach

Our therapists use evidence-based approaches tailored to the developmental stage and specific needs of each child or teen.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills, Solution-Focused Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Acceptance Commitment Therapy, and trauma-informed therapy are a few of the modalities we use.

We work with children and teens ages 5–17.

Meet Our Team

Several of our therapists specialize in working with children and adolescents. When you reach out, we’ll match your child with the therapist who is the best fit for their age, personality, and what they’re working through.

Our Team

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my child needs therapy or is just going through a phase?

That’s one of the hardest questions a parent faces. A good rule of thumb: if what you’re seeing has lasted more than a few weeks, is affecting your child’s daily life (school, friendships, sleep, eating, home behavior), or your gut is telling you something is off — it’s worth a conversation. We can help you figure out if therapy is the right next step.

Will my child have to talk about everything that’s happening?

No. Especially with younger children, we use approaches that don’t require them to sit and verbally process everything. Building trust comes first, and we move at your child’s pace.

How much will you share with me about what my child says in sessions?

That depends on your child’s age. With younger children, we involve parents more directly. With teens, we work to build a trusting therapeutic relationship, which means some confidentiality — with important exceptions. We will always tell you if your child is in danger or at risk of harming themselves or others. We’ll talk through this in detail at your first appointment.

What if my teenager doesn’t want to come?

It’s very common for teens to be resistant at first. Sometimes a parent coming in alone for a session first is a helpful starting point. We can talk through strategies for introducing the idea to your teen in a way that’s more likely to land.

Do you accept insurance?

Yes. We are in-network with BCBS, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, and the VA Community Care Network. Please call our office and we’ll help you verify your child’s coverage before the first appointment.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

You don’t have to have it all figured out before you call. Our team will listen, answer your questions, and help you find the right therapist for your child — at a pace that feels right for your family.

Call us at (334) 417-0212 or email darlene@dovercounselingservices.com to get started.

Your child deserves support. Let’s take this first step together.

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