How We Support Divorced Families Seeking Counseling in St. Louis
At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we work with many children and teens who are navigating the emotional challenges of divorce and separation. Often, one of the most common questions we hear from parents is:
“Can I start my child in therapy if the other parent doesn’t agree?”
It’s a tough position to be in. You may know your child is struggling, perhaps their struggles are showing up with anxiety, school refusal, sleep issues, or big emotional outbursts. You’re ready to find a St. Louis counselor who can help. But if you’re divorced or separated and your co-parent isn’t on board, it can feel confusing and frustrating to figure out your next steps.
Here’s how we help.
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Our Role: Support, Not Custody Recommendations
We provide anxiety therapy in St. Louis to help kids and teens feel more calm, confident, and in control. Our role as St. Louis therapists is not to take sides or make custody recommendations. We never offer parenting evaluations or testify about who’s “right” or “wrong.”
Our focus is always on helping your child feel safe, supported, and emotionally regulated, especially during times of change.
What If Only One Parent Supports Counseling?
In the state of Missouri, legal custody refers to who has the right to make decisions about a child’s medical and mental health care. If there’s no legal agreement in place yet (or if both parents share joint legal custody), then both parents typically need to agree before a child can begin counseling.
We understand that not all parents are in agreement about therapy. If one parent objects to counseling, here are a few options we often recommend:
Medical Recommendation: Your child’s pediatrician, school counselor, or primary care provider may be willing to make a recommendation for counseling. This can support your decision and show that therapy is being sought in good faith.
Legal Support: If you’re in the process of filing for divorce or finalizing custody agreements, you may need to ask the court for permission to begin therapy. We are happy to provide a general letter confirming a parent’s interest in counseling, without offering any opinion on parenting ability or custody.
Status Quo: If you have already begun counseling a few weeks prior to filing for divorce, some lawyers may recommend keeping counseling in place, especially if it is of benefit to your child.
Pausing Services: In some cases, it may be necessary to pause services until legal clarity is obtained. We follow court guidelines carefully to respect both parents’ rights.
We Welcome Both Parents When Possible
We understand that some parents worry therapy will damage the parent-child relationship, or that a therapist will "take sides." That’s not how we work.
Our approach to counseling in St. Louis is focused on helping your child feel better - whether they’re struggling with anxiety, anger, perfectionism, or adjusting to the stress of divorce. We welcome both parents’ involvement when possible, and we offer general feedback and parent communication when both parents provide consent.
Support for Parents is Available
Parenting can be a tough job, especially when big transitions are happening. Our expert parenting coaches are ready to help you build your own parenting toolkit.
Seeking Anxiety Therapy in St. Louis for Your Child?
If you’re a divorced or separated parent looking for counseling in St. Louis for your child or teen, we’re here to help. We understand how complicated these situations can be, and we can walk you through next steps with clarity and care.
Please note: This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal advice. Every custody situation is different, and we encourage parents to speak with their attorney if they have questions about legal rights related to counseling or medical decision-making.
Reach out today to learn more about our services, or visit our FAQ page to see how we work with families going through divorce and co-parenting transitions.
If you are looking for support during your separation or divorce, we’d love to talk about how St. Louis therapy and St. Louis parent coaching at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis can help. Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As anxiety experts providing St. Louis therapy, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Couer, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your first free consult on this website, on our consultation page.
