The terms counselor and therapist are often used interchangeably, and both professionals provide mental health support. What really matters is their training, experience, and approach. A licensed professional counselor (LPC) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) can both offer therapy for anxiety, stress, anger, and trauma. The key is finding someone who specializes in your concerns and makes you feel supported and understood.

The best therapist is one who makes you feel comfortable, heard, and respected. Here are a few tips:

• Look for a therapist who specializes in what you’re struggling with—whether it’s anxiety, trauma, parenting challenges, or perfectionism.

• Read their website, bio, and reviews to get a sense of their approach.
  

• Schedule a consultation to see if their style is a good fit. Therapy is a collaborative process, and it’s okay to switch therapists if you don’t feel a connection.

At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we work with anxious, overwhelmed kids, teens, and young adults. If you’re not sure if we might be the best fit, we’re happy to help you figure it out.

Many insurance plans do cover costs of therapy, but there are limits to what they will cover. They may restrict you to only getting treatment for certain diagnoses, limit how much counseling you can receive, or require sessions to occur on a schedule they decide - not the clinician. At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we don’t take insurance, but we do provide you with a superbill that you can submit for partial out of network reimbursement - if your plan allows it.

Insurance is tricky - which is why we’ve created a free guide on how to find out if your insurance will cover a portion of our fee for you. You can find that over on our Fees and Insurance page.

While we don’t take insurance, we know some families can only make therapy work if it;’s in-network. If we have a good referral for your plan, we are happy to share their contact info with you.

There are a lot of different counseling modalities out there, and it can be hard to figure out which one is best for you.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, but some of the most effective and widely used therapy types include:

CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy)

Play Therapy

Trauma Therapy

At Compassionate Counseling St. Louis, we tailor therapy to the client—whether that means helping a perfectionist teen manage stress, teaching a young child self-regulation skills, or guiding a college student through anxiety-driven burnout.

Absolutely. Counseling is a judgement free space, and our practice is rooted in what Carl Rogers termed “Unconditional Positive Regard” - no matter what you say, think, or do, we approach you with compassion, empathy, and understanding. Outside of safety issues, like being a danger to yourself or others, child abuse, or elder abuse, what you say in session stays in session. We’re ready to listen to whatever it is you need to get off your chest - and we’re ready to collaboratively work together towards a solution.