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(630) 601-3460
Geneva, IL
Naperville, IL
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Therapy for Children

Specialized SAFE grief-affirming, trauma-informed therapy for children ages 5 to 12 in Geneva, IL and online across Illinois
Sound like you?
"My child hasn't been the same since their mom died; I don't know how to reach them anymore."

"Something happened to my child and now they're scared all the time. I feel helpless."

"I can see how much pain my child is carrying and I have no idea how to help them carry it."

"I want to be there for my child but I'm grieving too. We're both struggling and I don't know where to start."
Life doesn't have to stay this way. We can help!
When a child is hurting, a parent feels it too. You may have noticed your child pulling away, acting out, or shutting down completely and no matter what you try, nothing seems to reach them. Maybe you're also navigating your own grief or trying to make sense of something that happened, and doing both at once feels like too much.

What you're experiencing is real, and it makes complete sense. Children carry pain in their bodies, in their behavior, and in the ways they connect (or stop connecting) with the people they love most.

The good news is that with the right support, children can heal and so can your relationship with them.
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Have a question?

Creating Space Therapy is the SAFE Choice for Your Child's Therapy

At Creating Space Therapy, we built our child therapy program with one goal in mind: to give children a place where they feel genuinely safe, and to give parents the knowledge and confidence to support that healing at home.

To do that, we developed our own grief-affirming, trauma-informed treatment approach called SAFE. SAFE stands for Somatic, Attachment-Focused, and Experiential -- three principles that shape everything we do with children and families.

We pay attention to your child's nervous system and yours. We center the relationship between you and your child as the most powerful healing force available to them. And we use active, creative, hands-on methods because children don't heal through talking alone; they heal through doing, playing, creating, and connecting.

SAFE grief-affirming, trauma-informed therapy isn't a cookie-cutter program. It's a thoughtfully designed framework built on the latest research in trauma, attachment, and child development, and it guides every treatment plan we create.
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Signs That Your Child May Need Therapy

Whatever your child has been through, you may be starting to notice the impact showing up in different parts of their life:
Withdrawing from family and friends
Decline in academic performance
Sudden changes in mood or behavior
Reverting in behavior- acting or behavior like they did when they were younger
Loss of interest in hobbies or activities
Sleep issues or nightmares
It may feel impossible now, but your child can find peace and regain their sense of joy. We can help them get there.
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Therapy Can Help Your Child:

01

Feel safe in their body again

Grief and trauma don't just live in the mind -- they live in the nervous system. Using somatic, body-aware approaches, we help children recognize what safety feels like from the inside out, so they can begin to regulate their emotions and feel more at ease in their daily life.
02

Process what happened at their own pace

Children don't always have the words for what they're carrying. Through play, art, and other experiential methods, we create space for your child to express and process their experiences in ways that feel natural and age-appropriate -- without forcing them to relive their pain.
03

Rebuild connection with you

The relationship between a child and their parent is the most important factor in healing. Therapy helps strengthen that bond by giving both of you new ways to communicate, understand each other, and show up for one another through hard moments.
04

Develop real coping skills

Your child will leave therapy with tools they can actually use -- ways to calm their nervous system, manage big feelings, and navigate challenges with more confidence and resilience.

SAFE Grief-Affirming, Trauma-Informed Therapy for Children

At Creating Space Therapy, we understand that choosing the right support for your child during such a vulnerable time is a significant decision. You want to ensure they receive the best care possible—care that is not only effective but also compassionate and tailored to their unique needs. This is where our practice truly excels. We are committed to providing your child with the highest quality of care, grounded in both expertise and empathy. Here’s what sets us apart:
A Note on Parent Coaching

Every child therapy plan at Creating Space Therapy includes a parent coaching component. You'll have regular touchpoints with your child's therapist to understand what's happening in sessions, learn how to support your child's nervous system at home, and strengthen your own capacity to be a calm, regulated presence for them. When a parent heals alongside their child, the healing goes deeper and lasts longer.

Somatic

We pay attention to the nervous system. Children experience grief and trauma in their bodies long before they can put words to it. Our therapists are trained to recognize signs of nervous system dysregulation in children and to use body-aware strategies that help kids develop a felt sense of safety.

Attachment-Focused

We center the parent-child relationship. Research is clear that a child's healing is directly connected to the quality of their attachment relationships. That's why parent involvement isn't optional in our model -- it's a cornerstone. We work with parents as partners, not bystanders.

Experiential

We meet children where they are. Children process their experiences through play, creativity, and movement -- not through talking. Our therapists use child-centered play therapy, therapeutic art, and other expressive modalities to help children engage with their healing in ways that feel natural and safe.

Our Team of Child Therapists

At Creating Space Therapy, our child therapists are dedicated to supporting young children through the unique challenges of early life. Specializing in grief counseling, trauma therapy, and emotional well-being, they create a safe and nurturing space where children feel heard, valued, and understood. Using child-centered approaches such as play therapy, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care, our therapists help kids process their experiences, build resilience, and develop essential tools for emotional growth. Whether your child is navigating grief, trauma, anxiety, or big life changes, our compassionate team is here to support their healing and development.

Smiling person in colorful floral shirt indoors.
Charlotte Shuber
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
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Woman outdoors in autumn scenery, wearing glasses.
Emma Rooney
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
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Effective Therapy for Your Child is Available
Child therapy at Creating Space Therapy is not one-size-fits-all. We take the time to understand your child's full story, their history, their nervous system, their relationships, and the specific experiences they're carrying. From there, we build a plan that fits them.

We also take seriously the fact that you are part of this process. Parent coaching is woven into every stage of your child's treatment because the work that happens between sessions at home, in the car, and at the dinner table is just as important as the work that happens in our office. We'll give you practical tools, real guidance, and a space to process your own experience so that you can show up for your child with more steadiness and confidence.
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We're here for you
There is hope for healing, even when it's hard to see right now.
At Creating Space Therapy, we believe that children are remarkably resilient when they feel safe, seen, and supported. Our child therapists specialize in grief and trauma and bring both clinical expertise and genuine warmth to every session. We don't just work with your child, we work with your whole family system, because healing doesn't happen in isolation.

Whether you're coming to us from our Geneva office or connecting with us through online telehealth services across Illinois, we're ready to meet your family where you are.

Worried about starting therapy for your child?
We understand.

Starting therapy for your child can feel like a big step. You might worry about whether they'll open up, whether therapy will make things harder before it makes things better, or whether you're doing the right thing. Those concerns are completely understandable, and they're worth talking through.

That's exactly what our free 15-minute consultation call is for. It's a no-pressure conversation where you can ask questions, share what's going on, and get a feel for whether Creating Space Therapy is the right fit for your family. We're here to help you figure that out, whatever you decide.

We serve families in Geneva and throughout Illinois via online telehealth. Our child therapy team includes specialized grief counselors and trauma therapists who work exclusively in these areas, so you can trust that your child is in the hands of someone who truly knows this work.

Child Therapy FAQ

It's one of the most common things parents wonder. Some signs that therapy may help include withdrawal, sleep problems, behavioral changes, physical complaints, or a noticeable shift in how your child connects with you or others. If something feels off, it's worth a conversation. Our consultation call is a good place to start. We can help you think through whether therapy makes sense right now.

Not in the way you might picture. We don't put children in a chair and ask them to recount what happened. Our approach is experientia. Play, art, movement, and creative expression are the primary vehicles for healing. Children can process deeply without ever having to narrate their experience directly, and our therapists are trained to follow your child's lead at every step.

We hear this a lot. Therapy at Creating Space isn't about labeling your child or suggesting they're broken. It's about giving them a place where they feel completely accepted and supported while they work through something hard. Most kids actually look forward to their sessions once they get started.

Very involved and intentionally so. Parent coaching is built into our model because your role in your child's healing matters enormously. You'll have regular check-ins with your child's therapist, and you'll leave with tools and strategies you can use at home. This isn't something that happens to your child while you wait in the lobby. It's a process we go through together.

You'll start to notice it at home before you notice it anywhere else, small shifts in how your child handles a hard moment, how they communicate with you, how they sleep. Your child's therapist will also keep you informed throughout the process and adjust the approach as needed. You are a partner in this work, not a passenger.

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