Pre-teens
The pre-teen years are full of changes. Between friendships, school pressures, big emotions, and growing independence, it’s normal for kids to experience challenges as they discover who they are and where they fit in.
At Relational Creatures, we offer a supportive, judgment-free space where pre-teens aged 9-12 can express themselves, build confidence, and develop healthy ways to navigate life’s ups and downs. We specialize in helping our pre-teen clients cope with life transitions, bullying, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and much more.
When should you consider therapy for your pre-teen?
Every child experiences challenges differently. Sometimes the signs are obvious, and sometimes they're harder to recognize. Therapy may be helpful when your pre-teen is experiencing:
Big emotions and frequent frustration: Your child may become overwhelmed easily, have difficulty calming down, or react strongly to situations that seem small to others. Therapy can help them understand their emotions and find healthier ways to express what they're feeling.
Anxiety, stress, or excessive worry: Schoolwork, friendships, activities, and changing expectations can create pressure. If your child worries frequently, avoids certain situations, struggles with perfectionism, or has trouble relaxing, therapy can help them develop tools to manage anxiety.
Friendship challenges and social pressures: Friendships become increasingly important during the pre-teen years. Navigating conflict, exclusion, bullying, changing friendships, and the desire to fit in can be hard. Therapy provides a place to work through these experiences and build social confidence.
Low self-esteem or struggles with confidence: During these years, pre-teens are trying to form a stronger sense of identity. Comparing themselves to others, worrying about what people think, or feeling that they're not good enough can affect their well-being. Therapy can help them recognize their strengths and develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves.
Changes at home or school: Family transitions, separation or divorce, moving, academic difficulties, or changes in routines can leave children feeling uncertain. Having someone outside the family to talk with can help them process these changes and feel more supported.
Withdrawal, sadness, or changes in behavior: You might notice your child spending more time alone, losing interest in activities, experiencing changes in mood, or seeming unlike themselves. These changes deserve curiosity and care rather than judgment.
Therapy for pre-teens is different from therapy for adults. At this age, children are developing greater self-awareness and independence, but they may not always have the words to explain what they're feeling or what they need.
Sessions are adapted to your child’s age, personality, interests, and comfort level. Depending on their needs, sessions may include conversation, creative activities, practical exercises, and opportunities to explore real-world situations.
We welcome parents to join the first session to ask questions, share any concerns, and collaborate on goals for therapy. After the initial session, therapy will primarily focus on individual sessions with your child, with opportunities for family members to join when your child feels comfortable and would find it helpful.
Parental consent is an important part of treatment. Your child has a right to confidentiality, and older children may naturally be more protective over their privacy. That said, you, your child, and their therapist will collaborate to decide what kind of information will be shared, ensuring you remain informed and involved in your child’s progress while respecting their need for privacy.
Benefits of Therapy for Pre-teens
At Relational Creatures, we offer a supportive and secure environment for pre-teens to receive guidance and coping skills to navigate these challenging years. Together, we can help your pre-teen to:
Build confidence and self-esteem: Having a safe place to talk about feelings and learn new coping skills can foster a sense of resilience, which can help teenagers feel better about themselves and more capable of handling life’s difficulties
Navigate friendships and social challenges: As pre-teens gain self-esteem and improve their boundaries, their relationships tend to improve. They may be less likely to tolerate dysfunctional relationships, resulting in them seeking healthier support systems in daily life.
Cope with anxiety, stress, and school-related concerns: In therapy, we will introduce practical skills to reduce anxiety and stress. We will practice these in session and talk about ways to incorporate these into daily life. Having a space to talk about these feelings can help to take the pressure off in the day to day.
Develop healthy communication and problem-solving skills: Therapy helps pre-teens express their feelings, navigate disagreements, and develop healthy ways to solve problems, building confidence in their relationships and everyday challenges.
What to expect from your pre-teen’s therapy sessions
Pre-teen therapy at Relational Creatures
Beginning therapy with Relational Creatures Psychotherapy is easy and requires no referral. You can book a complimentary consultation call for your pre-teen here.
Your pre-teen’s initial session will be 75-90 minutes long. During this first appointment, the therapist will meet with you and your pre-teen for a quick introduction. After this, the therapist will meet with your pre-teen one-on-one (if they want you to stay, that works too). During their first appointment, their therapist will ask questions to better understand them and their areas of struggle. This is known as an initial assessment. The assessment phase of our work can last anywhere from 1-3 appointments. The assessment is critical. It helps the therapist understand your pre-teen’s goals and develop a treatment plan to support them in achieving their goals.
After the assessment is complete, treatment begins!
In the treatment phase, the client will be introduced to a variety of skills to practice and implement to better manage their symptoms. Most people will have a therapy session every 1-2 weeks, and we recommend this cadence for optimal treatment.
Effective therapy typically takes somewhere between six to twelve appointments (for some more, others less).
Many choose to continue therapy once formal treatment is complete. This is referred to as maintenance. People who do this typically have an appointment once every 6-8 weeks. This is not a requirement and is a matter of personal choice.
Your pre-teen’s first appointment will be 75-90 minutes long. Subsequent appointments are generally 1 hour or 45 minutes.
Pre-teen Therapy in Marlton, NJ and Online
We offer therapy for pre-teens, both in-person and online.
In-person sessions available at our offices located in Marlton, NJ. Our offices are easily accessible to many towns in Burlington County and Camden County, including: Marlton, Evesham, Mount Laurel, Medford, Moorestown, Voorhees, Cherry Hill, and Haddonfield.
Our offices are easily accessible with free parking. There are several steps to enter the office - if you require wheelchair accessibility, please let us know prior to your first session, and we will work with you to accommodate.
Online/virtual counseling sessions are scheduled and held through SimplePractice, our secured, HIPAA compliant EHR software. Many of our clients prefer online/virtual therapy for the privacy and flexibility it affords. You can join sessions from the privacy of your home or office, at a convenient time in your day. However, virtual sessions may not be appropriate for everyone. You can discuss this with us during a consultation call.
Online counseling sessions are not recorded and no replay will be available.
The price for a session is the same whether you book your counseling session in-person or online.
