Between school schedules, work responsibilities and everyday pressures, it can be hard to know when your child needs more support than you can provide on your own. For many families, reaching out for professional help is an important step toward building resilience and healthier relationships.
Cameron Koenig-Barker, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Child Saving Institute (CSI), has seen firsthand how vital that step can be. For the past four years, Cameron has worked with children as young as three through early adolescence. His specialty lies in helping young kids process emotions through play therapy, a developmentally appropriate way of meeting children where they are.
Cameron explains that the first meeting with a new family is about listening. He spends time learning about the child’s history, their daily struggles and the perspectives of everyone involved: parents, caregivers and sometimes teachers or doctors. “Parents often feel pressure to present the best version of their family,” he says, “but therapy works best when we put everything on the table. Our role is not to judge, but to understand and build a plan that helps.”
As a new parent himself, Cameron says his empathy for caregivers has deepened. “Even small choices in parenting can feel huge. It helps me relate when I sit across from a mom or dad who feels exhausted or unsure. There are no easy answers and acknowledging that can be comforting in and of itself.”
One of the challenges Cameron sees often is parents hoping for fast solutions. Some may wonder why their child is “just playing” in session or expect behavior changes after only a visit or two. He emphasizes that therapy is a process of building trust and giving children tools to cope. For younger kids, that might mean choosing the toys or games they want to use and expressing themselves through play. For older children, it might be leading conversations about what feels important to them that day. In either case, Cameron believes allowing children to guide the process creates a stronger foundation for healing.
Parents also have an active role in that process. Cameron frequently meets with them separately to talk about strategies that can make a difference at home. One of his go-to recommendations is to focus on reinforcing positive behaviors instead of only reacting to negative ones. He also teaches what he calls the “thermostat, not thermometer” approach: encouraging parents to regulate their own emotions so they can model calmness instead of mirroring their child’s anger or anxiety. “Kids learn so much from what we do,” he says. “If a parent can name their own feelings, take a breath and then guide their child through those big emotions, it makes all the difference.”
This is where many parents benefit from their own support, too. Sometimes Cameron recommends that caregivers seek individual therapy alongside their child. Doing so gives parents the chance to build their own emotional tools, which strengthens the entire family system.
For families who worry about whether their child really needs therapy, Cameron offers a simple guideline: Pay attention to noticeable changes in behavior, mood or functioning that last more than a month. If daily life is being disrupted, whether by anxiety, sadness, anger or something else, it’s worth scheduling an assessment. And even when parents feel uncertain, an initial consultation, starting at childsaving.org/youmatter, can provide reassurance and direction.
The impact of therapy can be profound. Cameron recalls a five-year-old boy who had experienced significant trauma. Over the course of a year and a half, the child worked through his feelings in play therapy while his mother learned new ways to support him at home. Together they created a “trauma narrative,” a small book the child wrote and read aloud to his mom about what had happened to him. That act of storytelling, paired with his mother’s new understanding of trauma, helped transform their relationship and the boy’s confidence. “It was incredible to watch him take ownership of his story and to see his mom meet him with empathy,” Cameron says.
Parents don’t have to wait for something severe to happen before reaching out. Small, consistent steps at home also make a difference. Cameron encourages parents to set aside at least five minutes each day of focused, one-on-one time with their child: playing a quick game, talking about their day or simply sharing a laugh. “Those moments signal to kids that they matter and that their perspective is valued,” he explains. Listening carefully, validating their feelings and praising even small successes can strengthen a child’s sense of security and resilience.
When life feels overwhelming, Cameron wants families to know they are not alone. “There is always support available,” he says. “No parent should feel like they have to figure everything out by themselves.”
Child Saving Institute provides mental health services tailored to children and families in Omaha, from assessments to ongoing therapy. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit childsaving.org/youmatter.
