Child Therapy Denver, CO

Child Centered, Family Focused

Support for your child. Relief for your family. It starts with a free 20-minute consultation.
Erin Bennetts, Child Therapist, Parent Coach in Denver CO

Erin Bennetts, LCSW RPTS

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Play Therapist Supervisor, Certified Synergetic Play Therapy Therapist Supervisor, Certified Big Baffling Behaviors Parent Coach, and Course Facilitator

Life’s challenges are overwhelming your Child and Family

Child therapy with integrated family support can help

Your child is bright, sensitive, and full of potential, but lately, everything seems harder than it should be. The outbursts come fast (and last)! Transitions feel overwhelming. Everyone in the family is walking on eggshells, despite trying numerous strategies suggested by professionals. You have done everything you know to try, and nothing seems to stick.

If your child is neurodivergent, highly sensitive, or often flooded by big feelings that seem too big for their body, you’re not alone. And you’re not failing. You may be navigating daily meltdowns, shutdowns, school problems, or family stressors (a move, divorce, recent diagnosis, illness, or loss). Whatever the reason, your child deserves a space that feels safe enough to process what’s happening inside, beyond being told to “calm down” or “try harder.”

Therapist providing child therapy in Denver to young boy on couch

There’s no one “right” way for therapy to look. Child therapy meets your child where they are: sometimes through play, sometimes through quiet presence and shared regulation.

Supporting children and families with an integrated approach of child therapy and parent consultation is at the heart of what I do. I specialize in play therapy for children ages 2 to 10+, sessions are designed to meet them in their natural language of play, helping them build emotional regulation, deepen trust, and experience real, lasting change from the inside out. My work is especially supportive for families who feel like they’ve tried everything and are still searching for something that really fits. I also support tweens and teens (ages 10 to 18+) with experiential, developmentally appropriate approaches that meet the growing brain and nervous system right where they are.

If you’re feeling stuck, you don’t have to keep holding it all together on your own. I offer a different kind of support, one that meets your child with curiosity, connection, and the healing power of play. Instead of focusing on surface-level behaviors, we’ll gently explore what’s happening beneath the overwhelm, for both your child and you. Together, we’ll create a space where your child feels safe, understood, and supported from the inside out, and where you can breathe a little easier too. Book a free 20-minute consultation to see if child therapy in Denver is the right next step for your family.

Start Here: 20-Minute Video Consultation for Parents

Not Sure Where to Start? You're in the Right Place

Just gathering information or ready to dive in? Either way, I’ve got you. I know finding support for your child can feel like a lot. That’s why I’ve made this page easy to explore (while also providing lots of information). Think of it like a choose-your-own-adventure (spoiler alert, all adventures lead to scheduling a FREE 20 Minute Video Consultation). Click on a topic below to jump to the sections that speak to what your family might need most right now.

Child Therapy
My Integrated Approach
FAQ's
Boys expressing big emotions that may respond to child therapy

All Emotions are welcome in the therapy space! Silly, Excited, Angry, Frustrated, Worried. Your child gets to bring all of that into their interactions with their therapist.

Child Therapy

When Big Feelings, Big Behaviors, or Big Changes Take Over Family Life

You’ve likely explored a lot already: therapy, tools, advice, hoping something would finally make daily life feel easier. But the meltdowns, shutdowns, or big reactions keep showing up, leaving you and your child exhausted. Your child may have even been labeled oppositional, defiant, anxious, depressed, moody, impulsive, inattentive, or “too sensitive.”

Those words often describe what we can see on the outside, not what’s happening underneath. From a nervous-system lens, behavior is communication. Play therapy for children ages 2–12+, along with therapy for tweens and teens, helps us listen more closely, supporting safety, regulation, and growth from the inside out.

Child Therapy That Starts With Connection

Denver play therapy room designed for children with challenging behaviors to explore, connect, and regulate through play

A welcoming space where play becomes the pathway to healing, connection, and regulation.

Many approaches jump straight to teaching skills like self-regulation or “better choices.” But for sensitive, neurodivergent, or emotionally overwhelmed kids, that skips over the most important step—felt safety.

In my approach to child therapy, I help kids:

  • Feel safe in their bodies and environments

  • Build trust in their relationships

  • Express big feelings without shame

  • Develop tools for emotional regulation—starting with connection

Cozy corner in Denver play therapy office for children to rest, snack, and regulate before or after sessions

Big play needs big rest. This spot is made for snacks, snuggles, and quiet moments.

We begin with the why beneath the behavior, not just the behavior itself. It’s not about teaching your child how to behave; it’s about helping them feel safe enough to choose new ways of being. Once connection, regulation, and felt safety are on board, skills go from being taught in the moment to being utilized in a variety of settings.

A Therapy Space Designed for Your Child’s Pace

I have intentionally created my playroom (as well as entire office space) to support nervous system regulation and emotional growth. It includes a cozy corner for rest and snacks, open space for big play and movement, and plenty of room for your child to express what they’re feeling, however it shows up.

This is where therapy happens through relationship, attunement, and play. Your child leads the pace, and I provide the safety and structure to support meaningful progress.

I support children experiencing a wide range of presenting concerns related to life transitions, neurodivergence, sensitive nervous systems, and more. Every child’s story is different, and therapy meets them right where they are.

Support Your Child From the Inside Out. Schedule FREE 20 Minute Video Consultation

Integrated Approach

Parent support and collaboration are essential to the therapy process

It’s completely normal to feel unsure about what’s happening behind the therapy room door, especially when your child is in there and you’re not. And sometimes, even when you are in the room, it’s not always clear what’s actually going on.

You might find yourself walking away from a session wondering, “Is this really helping?” or “What just happened in there?”

In my practice, child therapy isn’t just about your child, and doesn’t happen to your child in isolation. It’s a collaborative and relational process that includes you from the very beginning. Because when we support parents, we support the whole system of healing.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Parent and therapist having a conversation during parent consultation session

Parent Consultation sessions are a time to explore more deeply your child’s progress as well as how to support and sustain the changes you are hopeful that child therapy will produce

  • Brief check-ins at each session
    At drop-off or pick-up, we take a few minutes to connect. These check-ins are used for quick updates, sharing a reflection, or naming a theme from your child’s session. It also shows your child we’re all on the same team.

  • Parent consultation sessions
    These are structured, scheduled, supplemental, and intentional conversations focused on helping you understand what your child’s nervous system is trying to tell us. We’ll look at patterns, dig beneath behaviors, and align on how therapy is supporting growth. These parent consultation sessions can take place in person on virtually.

  • Support for you, too
    You’ll have space to reflect on what’s working at home, ask questions, and get tools for handling hard moments with more clarity and connection. It isn’t unusual for these consultation sessions to bring up emotions and your own challenges. We will determine together the best types of support to work through these potential challenges.

  • Access to digital resources
    Parents receive access to a growing library of tools, including educational content from Robyn Gobbel’s Big Baffling Behaviors framework, quick-tip guides, visual infographics, and shareable resources for other caregivers.

What to Expect from the Process

Parent Consultation sessions integrate the full Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors Parent Course with your own child and families unique presenting concerns, needs and identified outcomes.

This work is structured and intentional because real change takes time, support, and collaboration. I encourage families to anticipate 4-6 months of being committed to attending therapy that includes:

  • 8-12 parent consultation sessions, following a four-phase model that follows Robyn Gobbel’s Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors Parent Course, with a focus on your child and family's specific needs and progress towards desired outcomes

  • 12-26 therapy sessions with your child (typically weekly as scheduling allows)

It might sound like a big commitment, and it is. However, what I have learned from years of working with children and families is that when parents are engaged in the process (and working through some of the same phases of change as their child), kids tend to move through therapy more quickly, with growth that sticks.

Why Parental Engagement and Growth Matter

This isn't about fixing a behavior. It's about helping your child develop felt safety, connection, and self-regulation (so that when they also know what is expected) they behave well.

And when you're supported too? That healing happens faster, and it lasts longer.

Get the Support You Deserve. Schedule FREE 20 Minute Video Consultation

FAQs About Integrated Child Therapy Services

  • Every client receives both, because meaningful, lasting change happens when children feel safe and caregivers feel supported. Our integrated model includes individual therapy sessions for your child, family therapy sessions as needed, and regular parent consultation. These sessions follow a predictable format and are tailored to your family’s needs. The frequency and focus may vary depending on your goals, but this combination is at the heart of how we support growth for the whole family.

  • Parent consultations are essential and thoughtfully paced. In the early stages, we may front-load a few foundational sessions to build understanding and equip you with tools. After that, we schedule at a rhythm that supports your child’s therapy process and offers space for ongoing reflection, learning, and support. The goal is to create a strong, steady container around your child’s growth, one where you're not only included, but empowered.

  • You don’t need to have it all figured out. Sharing your observations and experiences: big emotions, school struggles, behavior changes, or family stress gives us a helpful starting point. Anything that helps me understand your child and your hopes for therapy is welcome. The focus early on is on building relationship, rapport, and trust.

  • Therapy sessions are child-led and play-based. Whether your child is building with blocks, painting, storytelling, or engaging in pretend play, I’m using that creativity to help them express feelings, explore challenges, and build emotional resilience. It’s playful on the outside, with purposeful therapeutic work underneath.

  • Progress may show up in subtle but powerful ways — fewer meltdowns, easier transitions, stronger communication, or more peace at home. We regularly review goals in parent sessions, and I’ll share what I observe in the playroom. Together, we reflect, adjust, and celebrate the growth.

  • That’s totally okay. Many kids feel unsure in the beginning. I focus on creating a safe, predictable, and welcoming space. With time and trust, most kids grow curious and engaged. We move at their pace, never rushing the relationship.

  • At the start or end of each therapy session, we’ll do a brief check-in to stay connected. This is your space to share updates, ask questions, or flag anything that came up during the week. These touchpoints help us stay aligned and make sure you feel supported in real time.

  • Yes. With your permission, I’m happy to connect with your child’s teachers, pediatrician, psychiatrist, or other therapists. Collaboration helps ensure that everyone is aligned and working toward the same goals.

  • While I don’t offer formal diagnostic evaluations, I can help identify when an assessment might be beneficial and refer you to trusted professionals. I’ll also support you in preparing for and making sense of the process.

  • You’ll receive curated resources including book recommendations, podcasts, regulation tools, and handouts to take with you and use as needed. These materials are chosen to match your goals and help you feel more equipped day to day.