The Youth Counseling Program provides no-cost counseling services for children and teens, including longer-term trauma counseling and teen-focused crisis support.
Our passionate and experienced counselors specialize in working with children and adolescents, offering culturally responsive, trauma-informed care to meet each youth’s unique needs. Using evidence-based and integrative approaches, we help youth build emotional regulation skills, process their experiences, and develop healthy tools for growth and resilience. We offer two counseling service areas including trauma counseling for youths up to age 18 and short-term teen crisis counseling for teens ages 12-17.
Do you want to?
- Connect to free trauma-informed counseling for your child to support them in their healing process, increasing their sense of safety, and gaining a better understanding of their symptoms.
- Connect to free, short-term (up to 12 sessions) teen counseling to improve communication, address mental health needs, explore identity, and build positive, safe family relationships—all in a supportive, judgment-free space.
Trauma Counseling
Who can participate?
- Youth ages 2-18
- Youth living in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Greene, or Nelson Counties
- Youth has experienced trauma that would also be considered a crime and/or youth has experienced trauma that would also be considered traumatic discrimination
- Youth is currently experiencing mental health symptoms that interfere with daily functioning
- Youth who have faced barriers to receiving mental health support
- Youth is ready to engage in therapy with adequate support systems in place relevant to their developmental need
What to expect from trauma counseling:
- Creative, Integrative Support: Counselors help youth process trauma using an integrative approach that includes play, art, music, sensory activities, sand play, and other supportive interventions.
- Caregiver Involvement Matters: Caregivers play an important role in their child’s healing. Counselors work with youth and families to determine the best ways for caregivers to be involved.
- Getting Started with Care: Counseling begins with an extended intake process at the ReadyKids office over the first four weeks, focused on gathering important information, completing forms, building safety and trust, and assessing each youth’s needs.
- Personalized Goal Setting: Counselors work with youth and their caregivers to set personalized counseling goals based on the youth’s specific symptoms and needs.
- Support Beyond Sessions: Trauma-informed counseling gives caregivers practical tools and strategies to support their child’s healing at home and at school throughout the week.
- Experienced, Qualified Staff: All counseling staff have a minimum of a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or psychology and have extensive experience working with children, adolescents, and their families. Many of our Staff are Licensed professionals.
How the trauma counseling process works:
- Counseling services are provided at no cost to participants.
- We aim to respond to all referral inquiries within one week. You can contact us by calling 434.906.0763 or by completing our online referral form.
- After a referral is submitted, our referral coordinator will follow up to share more about the program and determine eligibility. Eligible youth may be placed on a waitlist.
- There is usually a waiting period to begin counseling. If your child needs urgent support or you’d like to explore other options, we can offer additional referral resources.
- A counselor will reach out when a space is available to discuss the process of signing initial intake paperwork and beginning the intake process.
- Counseling begins with an extended intake process over the first four weeks, focused on gathering important information, completing forms, building safety and trust, and assessing each youth’s needs. If our counseling program isn’t the right fit, we can provide referrals to other appropriate services upon request.
- Trauma counseling sessions take place at the ReadyKids office.
Funding for this program is provided by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, grant #26-F4122VP-23.
Teen Crisis Counseling
The Teen Crisis Warmline has closed and is no longer available. Please see Resources for Teens in Crisis for additional support. You can also contact our Referral Coordinator if you need help finding resources or connecting with a teen counselor.
Who can participate?
- Teens, ages 12-17, who are not involved with the Department of Social Services or the Department of Juvenile Justice.
- Teen living in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Fluvanna, Louisa, Greene or Nelson counties.
- Teen may be experiencing mental health symptoms interfering with daily functioning, conflict at home threating stability of living situation, concern around absenting from home/school, patterns of aggression, struggling with anxiety and/or depression, and safety concerns related to gender identity and/or sexual identity
- This program has eligibility requirements that our referral coordinator can talk through with you. Call or fill out the referral form to see if this could be a good fit.
What to expect from teen crisis counseling:
- Flexible Counseling Options: Teens can participate in individual and/or family counseling based on their preferences, which they’ll discuss with their counselor. Family sessions are scheduled as needed.
- Short-Term Support: Counseling is short term (up to 12 sessions). If needed, counselors can provide referrals for longer-term support services.
- Convenient Locations: To make counseling more accessible, counseling sessions can take place at school, in community locations, or at the ReadyKids office as scheduled with the teen and/or caregiver
- Experienced, Qualified Staff: All Teen counselors have a minimum of a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or psychology, and bring extensive experience working with children, teens, and families. Many of our Staff are Licensed professionals.
How the teen crisis counseling process works:
- Counseling services are provided at no cost to participants.
- We aim to respond to all teen crisis referral inquiries within 3-days. You can contact us by calling 434.906.0763 or by completing our online referral form.
- Our goal is for you to meet with a counselor within one week of your first contact with our program.
- Teens work with their counselor to choose a schedule and location that best fits their needs. Teen counseling can take place at school, in the community, or at the ReadyKids’ office.
- Participants can meet with their counselor for between 1-2 hours per week, for a total of up to 12 sessions.
- If additional support is needed at the end of 12 sessions, counselors will work with the teen to provide referrals for longer-term counseling or connect them with other resources as appropriate.