Psychotherapy for children and adolescents incorporates a variety of methods and procedures, which are used to help those experiencing emotional and/or behavioral difficulties.  Both verbal and nonverbal communication methods are used to help bring about change in actions, reactions and overall world view. 

Unlike adults, children may not have their own reasons for coming to therapy mainly because they are not cognitively or developmentally mature enough to express their thoughts and feelings accurately enough through speech.  Because of this, playing, drawing, building and pretending as well as talking are all important ways children share feelings and thoughts and work through and resolve issues in therapy.  Adolescents often are more able to understand and articulate their reasons for initiating and coming to therapy and engage in the process mainly through discussion of the problem and active resolution rather than play.