Supporting Your Child Through School-Based Therapy
Let our expert school-based therapists help students improve their relationships, develop healthy coping strategies, and build their self-esteem.
Our services are covered by most major insurance, medical HMOs, and Medicaid.
School Based Therapy Request Form
Why school-based therapy can make a difference
Your child’s school has partnered with Mindfully to provide school-based therapy. Mindfully is one of Ohio’s leading mental health service providers.
Mindfully’s school-based therapy will give your child or teen a convenient way to talk to a professional mental health counselor. By working with a licensed therapist, your child or teen can learn healthy ways to manage emotions, improve relationships, and build confidence.
Because therapy happens during the school day, it’s convenient for families and allows close collaboration with teachers and staff who care about your child’s success.
Let Mindfully help your child or teen grow
Mindfully’s school based therapy can:
- Help children and teens improve how they manage relationships with peers, parents, and teachers
- Teach children and teens social and communication skills
- Help them to learn to overcome anger, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and mood disorders
- Give them strategies to decrease impulsivity and distractability
- Arm them with healthy strategies to handle intense emotions
- Help them learn healthy coping mechanisms.
Mindfully's Therapy Expertise
Mindfully’s school-based therapy team consists of masters level licensed social workers and clinical mental health counselors.
The school-based therapists have extensive experience in addressing the educational, emotional, and behavioral challenges that children and teens experience.
Mindfully clinicians receive continuous clinical training to keep them up-to-date on the latest interventions. They also receive in-house clinical supervision to ensure evidence-based care best practices are followed.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It’s completely normal to have questions when considering therapy for your teen. Here are clear answers to some of the most common ones we hear from parents.
What is school-based therapy in a private practice model?
School-based therapy services provide counseling and mental health support to students directly on school grounds, but services are delivered by licensed therapists (not employees of the district). This model allows students to access care conveniently during the school day while maintaining the quality and confidentiality of private practice therapy.
How is this different from the school counselor or psychologist?
School counselors and psychologists support students in academic and behavioral areas, while school-based therapists utilize clinical interventions (such as CBT, DBT, Play Therapy, EMDR Therapy, etc.) for addressing mental health concerns. Mindfully clinicians work collaboratively with school staff while maintaining a therapeutic role.
Do parents need to give consent?
Yes. Parents or legal guardians must provide informed consent to begin therapy services. Mindfully’s clinicians cannot support a student without the permission of a parent or guardian, except in emergencies as defined by state law.
Is therapy confidential?
Yes. Therapy sessions are confidential between the student and the Mindfully clinician. Information is only shared with parents or legal guardians as appropriate or when required by law (e.g., safety concerns). With a valid Release of Information on file, limited updates may be shared with school staff to support the student’s academic and emotional well-being.
How do parents or legal guardians cover the cost of school-based therapy?
There are three possible ways that the cost of school-based therapy can be covered for your child:
- Insurance: Many Medicaid, Marketplace, and Private insurance plans are accepted. Plans are billed directly upon the start of services. Note: Not all insurance plans cover school-based therapy.
- Private Pay: Families can opt into self-pay rates if they do not have an active insurance plan.
- Grant-Funded: In some cases, a school-specific grant for supporting students’ mental health may cover the cost of services.
How are students referred?
Referrals may come from:
- Parents/guardians
- Teachers or school staff
- School counselors/administrators
- Self-referrals from older students (with parental consent for minors)
What types of issues can school-based therapy help with?
- Anxiety, depression, or mood concerns
- Family stress, divorce, or loss
- Peer relationships and social skills
- Trauma and adjustment issues
- Stress management and coping skills
- Academic-related stress (motivation, test anxiety)
Where do sessions take place in the educational setting?
Therapy sessions are conducted in a designated private space within the school to protect confidentiality and create a safe, supportive environment for the student.
When are sessions scheduled?
Mindfully clinicians work with school staff and families to schedule sessions at times that minimize disruption to learning, often during electives, study halls, or non-core academic periods.
How do therapists collaborate with teachers or school staff?
With the parent or legal guardian’s consent, Mindfully clinicians may provide general feedback to teachers or staff members on strategies to support the student, but detailed session content is not shared unless necessary for safety.
What are the qualifications of Mindfully's therapists?
All of Mindfully’s school-based clinicians are licensed mental health professionals (e.g., LPC, LSW, LPCC, LISW). Many also have specialized training in trauma, child development, or evidence-based practices such as CBT, DBT, Play Therapy, or EMDR Therapy.
What if my child already has an outside therapist?
Mindfully encourages ethical continuity of care. If your child already sees a therapist, we will coordinate (with your consent) to ensure services are not duplicated and ensure your child’s needs are fully supported.
Can services continue outside of the school year?
Yes. Families may choose to continue therapy in the school setting, our Strongsville or Aurora offices, or via telehealth during school breaks and over the summer months.
What happens if my child needs more intensive support?
If a student requires services beyond what can be provided in a school-based setting (such as psychiatric care, intensive outpatient supports, or crisis intervention), we help connect families with appropriate service providers and outside resources as necessary.
Mindfully's accepted insurance plans include:
Note: School-based therapy takes place at your child’s school. Insurance policies may treat school-based services differently than office visits, so coverage and benefits patient costs can vary accordingly. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to clarify your benefits and patient costs for services at the school location. You can typically find a helpful phone number for benefit inquiries on the back of your insurance card.
Do you have other questions?
We are happy to help. Please reach out to:
Carey Ann Lopuchovsky, M.A. LPCC-S, LICDC
Associate Clinical Director