Big emotions & meltdowns
Storms that seem too big for the moment, tantrums past the age you expected them, or a kid who goes from zero to sixty and cannot find the way back down.
Child therapy · North County San Diego
Child Therapy in North County San Diego
Big feelings, school worries, behavior you cannot decode. When something feels off with your kid, you should not have to figure it out alone. Our doctoral-level child psychologists help children feel understood, and help parents know what to do next. In Carlsbad, Encinitas, and Vista, or online across California.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews across our three offices
Who we see
Kids & parents
Infancy through age 12
Where
Three offices
Carlsbad · Encinitas · Vista
Also online
Telehealth
California, when it fits your kid
Start with
A free call
15 minutes, no pressure
To the worried parent reading this
Bringing your child to therapy is a strong parenting move.
Not a failure, and not an overreaction. Kids do not come with manuals, and even the most attuned parent can watch a child struggle and not know what would help. Reaching out means you noticed, you took it seriously, and you did something about it. That is the job, done well.
Child therapy gives your kid a warm, consistent relationship with a clinician trained in how children actually think, play, and communicate. It is a place where feelings that are too big for words can come out sideways, through play, art, and stories, and be understood. And because you know your child better than anyone, we keep you close to the work the whole way through.
Why parents reach out
If any of these sound like your kid, you are in the right place.
No two children arrive for the same reason. These are the ones we hear most on that first phone call.
Anxiety & school avoidance
Stomachaches on school mornings, tears at drop-off, constant what-ifs, or a child who needs reassurance on repeat. Our anxiety therapy page goes deeper.
Behavioral concerns
Notes coming home from the teacher, defiance at home, hitting or lying, or consequences that stopped working. Parents searching for a child behavioral therapist usually land here.
Friendship & social struggles
A child who is left out, cannot hold onto friends, gets overwhelmed in groups, or comes home lonely from a full playground.
Family transitions & divorce
Separation, a new sibling, a move, blending families. Kids often carry these changes in behavior before they can put them into words.
Grief & loss
The death of a grandparent, a parent, or a pet. Children grieve in bursts, and it rarely looks like adult grief. Our grief therapy page has more.
ADHD & autism questions
Wondering whether attention, focus, or social differences are part of a bigger picture. We do full psychological testing for children, right here.
No crisis, just growth
Nothing is on fire. You simply see a sensitive, intense, or quietly struggling kid who could use a person and a place of their own.
Have a teenager? Teens are a different developmental world, so they get their own team and their own page.
Visit teen therapy →How we work with kids
Play is how children tell us what is wrong.
Adults talk through their problems. Children play through them. A five-year-old cannot sit on a couch and explain the divorce, but watch them set up a dollhouse and the story comes out. Our clinicians are trained to listen in that language: play, games, drawings, and the relationship itself.
Underneath the play, the work rests on an attachment-based, relational foundation. Kids have plenty of adults telling them what to do; lasting change comes from a strong, trusting relationship with someone who genuinely gets them. On that base your child's clinician draws flexibly on proven approaches, including play therapy, expressive arts, CBT, mindfulness, exposure and response prevention, and family therapy, matched to your child rather than to a script. It is depth-oriented care in a kid-sized package.
And sometimes there is a dog. Bernie, our therapy dog in training, has a way of making a first visit feel a lot less scary.
You stay in the loop
How parents are involved.
Dropping your child at a closed door and hoping for the best is not our model. Therapy works faster when parents are part of it, so we build you in from the start.
You are in the intake
The first appointment includes you. We want your read on your child, the family story, and what you are hoping changes. You know your kid better than anyone; that knowledge shapes the whole treatment.
Parent sessions along the way
We schedule parent-only sessions with your child’s clinician as the work unfolds: what we are seeing, what it means, and concrete ways to respond at home when the big feelings hit.
Family sessions when helpful
Sometimes the fastest way through is together. When the work calls for it, we bring parents (and sometimes siblings) into the room so change happens in the relationships, not just in the playroom.
One honest note: kids also need a little privacy to open up. We keep you informed about themes and progress while protecting the trust that makes the work possible, and we will always tell you anything you need to know to keep your child safe.
What to expect
A space that feels nothing like a doctor's office.
Sessions are 45 minutes, usually weekly, with the same clinician every time, because consistency is what builds trust with a child. Younger kids head for the toys and games. Older kids might talk, draw, or do both. From the waiting room to the playroom, our offices are built to put children (and nervous parents) at ease.
Most families start seeing shifts within a couple of months: fewer blowups, easier mornings, a kid who seems lighter. Your child's clinician will keep checking that picture with you rather than leaving you to guess.
Start with a free call →
Psychological testing for children
Answers, not just appointments.
Sometimes the most helpful thing is a clear picture. Alongside therapy, we provide comprehensive psychological testing for kids: attachment-informed, doctoral-level evaluations that end with a plan, not a shrug.
ADHD evaluations
Attention, focus, impulsivity, and executive functioning, tested properly rather than guessed at.
Learn more →Autism evaluations
A thoughtful, affirming assessment of social communication and sensory differences.
Learn more →AuDHD evaluations
When both ADHD and autism may be in the picture, one combined evaluation looks at the whole child.
Learn more →Academic & learning
Reading, writing, math, and processing: understand how your child learns and what support they need.
Learn more →How do I get my child tested for ADHD or autism in San Diego?
Start with a free 15-minute call. From there, testing at Coastal Therapy Group is four more steps: an intake with you and your child at our Carlsbad office, a testing day in our dedicated assessment suite in Vista, a clear written report, and a feedback session in Carlsbad where we walk you through the results and exactly what to do next.
- 01
A free 15-minute call
Tell us what you are seeing at home and at school. Kari, our care coordinator, answers your questions and matches you with the right evaluating psychologist.
- 02
Intake in Carlsbad
You and your child meet the psychologist at our Carlsbad office. We take a full history, hear your concerns, and plan exactly which questions the testing should answer.
- 03
Testing day in Vista
The evaluation itself happens in our dedicated assessment suite in Vista: a calm, kid-friendly space, with breaks and snacks built around your child’s pace.
- 04
A clear written report
You receive a thorough report in plain language: what we found, what it means, and specific recommendations for home and school.
- 05
Feedback session in Carlsbad
We sit down with you and walk through the results together: diagnoses if any, strengths, supports, school accommodations, and exactly what to do next.
Curious about cost and current availability? Everything lives on our psychological testing page.
Meet the team
Our child psychologists and therapists.
Every clinician here holds a doctorate in psychology, and each of them genuinely likes working with kids. Click any card for a full bio, or skip the browsing: one free call and we will match you.
Questions
Frequently asked questions about child therapy.
01 How do I know if my child needs therapy?
Trust the change, not the label. When something shifts and sticks for more than a few weeks, such as sleep, appetite, school refusal, withdrawal from friends, meltdowns beyond what fits their age, or a spark that has gone dim, it is worth a conversation. You do not need to be sure before you call; that is what the free 15-minute consultation is for.
02 What happens in a child therapy session?
Sessions are 45 minutes, usually weekly, with the same clinician every time. For younger children the work happens through play, games, and art, because play is how kids naturally process feelings. Older children mix talking with activities. It looks light from the outside; underneath, your child is building a trusting relationship and working through what brought them in.
03 How are parents involved in child therapy?
Closely. You are part of the intake, we hold parent-only sessions with your child’s clinician along the way, and we bring the family into the room when that is what the work needs. We keep you in the loop on themes and progress while protecting the privacy your child needs to open up.
04 What ages do you see?
From infancy through about age 12 on this page. Dr. Julieta Aguilera Rice works with infants and toddlers together with their parents, and the rest of the team sees preschoolers through preteens. Teenagers have a page and team of their own: see teen therapy.
05 How do I get my child tested for ADHD or autism?
Start with a free 15-minute call. From there it is four steps: an intake with you and your child at our Carlsbad office, a testing day in our dedicated assessment suite in Vista, a clear written report, and a feedback session where we walk you through results and next steps. We offer ADHD, autism, combined AuDHD, and academic evaluations for children.
06 How much does child therapy cost?
Individual sessions range from $230 to $300 per 45-minute session, depending on the clinician. We are an out-of-network practice and provide superbills that many PPO plans reimburse. Current rates and insurance details live on our Cost + Info page; for testing costs, see psychological testing.
07 Do you offer online sessions for kids?
Case by case, and we will be honest with you about it. Telehealth reaches anywhere in California and can work well for older children and for parent sessions, while many younger kids do their best work in person, in the playroom. Your clinician will talk it through with you on the free consultation call and recommend what actually fits your child.
08 Do you offer evening appointments?
Several of our clinicians offer evening availability, which helps around school pickups and work schedules. Share what your week looks like on the free call and we will match you with someone whose hours work.
09 Do you see teenagers too?
Yes. Teens are a different developmental world, so they get their own page, approach, and team: visit teen therapy. If you are not sure which fits your 12- or 13-year-old, just ask on the free call.
Ready when you are
Your kid gets to feel like a kid again.
One free 15-minute call with Kari. Tell her what you are seeing, ask anything, and she will match your child with a clinician who genuinely fits. No pressure, and no runaround.
4.9 on Google · 90+ reviews · Serving North County since 2018
Where we are
Find a child therapist near you in Carlsbad, Encinitas, or Vista.
- 2564 State Street, Suite B
Carlsbad, CA 92008 - 169 Saxony Road, Suite 211
Encinitas, CA 92024 - 1800 Thibodo Road, Suite 110
Vista, CA 92081