Children's Therapy in Helsinki: A Guide for Parents

As a parent, it's natural to worry about your child's wellbeing. When a child behaves unusually, withdraws, is persistently anxious, or struggles with other problems, seeking professional help is a wise decision. Helsinki offers a wide range of children's therapy services, and this guide helps you navigate the options.

When Might a Child Need Therapy?

Children's mental health problems often manifest differently from adults. Signs to look out for include:

• Behavioural changes: Aggression, tantrums, or withdrawal that differs from the child's normal behaviour.
• Anxiety: Intense worry, separation anxiety, or new fears.
• Sleep and appetite changes: Nightmares, difficulty falling asleep, or changes in eating.
• Social difficulties: Problems with friendships, school bullying, or isolation.
• School-related issues: Concentration difficulties, learning challenges, or school avoidance.
• Regression: The child returns to earlier developmental stages (e.g., bedwetting, clingy behaviour).
• Traumatic experiences: Parents' divorce, death of a loved one, or other stressful events.

It's important to remember that seeking help doesn't mean you've failed as a parent. Supporting your child's mental health is responsible parenting.

Children's Therapy Approaches in Helsinki

Children's therapy differs from adult therapy: children express themselves through play, drawing, and other activities. Several forms of children's therapy are available in Helsinki:

Play therapy is one of the most common forms of children's therapy. The child expresses feelings and experiences through play in a safe environment. The therapist observes and supports the child during play.

Art therapy uses drawing, painting, and other artistic expression to process emotions. It is particularly suitable for children who find it difficult to express themselves in words.

Music therapy uses music and sound as therapeutic tools. It can help a child express emotions, improve concentration, and strengthen social skills.

Occupational therapy focuses on supporting the child's ability to function in everyday life. It helps with motor skills, sensory regulation, and self-regulation.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is suitable for older children and adolescents. It helps identify and change thought and behaviour patterns.

Family therapy can be beneficial when the child's problems are related to family dynamics or life circumstances.

Where to Find a Children's Therapist in Helsinki

Child health clinic and school healthcare: The first point of contact can be the child health clinic (for young children) or the school nurse. They can assess the situation and guide you further.

Child psychiatry: HUS child psychiatry outpatient clinic offers specialised care with a referral.

Family counselling centre: Helsinki's municipal family counselling centres offer support for families with children without a referral.

Organisations: MLL (Mannerheim League for Child Welfare) and other organisations offer support for parents and children.

Costs and Funding

Private children's therapy costs vary depending on the therapy approach and therapist. Generally, the price is 80–120 euros per session.

Kela can also support other rehabilitation forms such as occupational therapy or music therapy if the child has a diagnosed condition requiring rehabilitation.

Public sector services are free or very affordable. Family counselling centres and child health clinics are free services.

Kela and rehabilitative psychotherapy

Kela's rehabilitative psychotherapy is available to people aged 16 to 67 whose ability to work or study is threatened by a mental health disorder. You must have been in appropriate care for at least 3 months, and a psychiatrist must have written you a B statement (B-lausunto). Kela covers up to 80 sessions per year and up to 200 sessions over three years. The reimbursement for individual therapy is 57.60 euros per session, and you pay the rest yourself. The therapist must be a Kela-approved provider, so check the therapist's eligibility in advance. Current conditions and reimbursement amounts are at kela.fi.

The Parent's Role in Children's Therapy

In children's therapy, the parent's role is central. The therapist often works with both the child and the parents. As a parent, you can support your child by:

• Being open and honest in an age-appropriate way
• Creating a safe and predictable everyday life
• Being patient: change takes time
• Attending parent guidance sessions
• Continuing to practise skills learned in therapy at home

How to Prepare for Your Child's Therapy

Once the decision to start therapy has been made, you can prepare for it as follows:

• Talk to your child openly: Explain to your child, in an age-appropriate way, what therapy means. Emphasise that therapy is a safe place where you can talk and play, and that going there is a good and normal thing.
• Prepare yourself: The therapist may ask you to fill in a background information form. Think in advance about what changes you have noticed in your child and when they began.
• Be patient: Children's therapy does not usually produce immediate results. Change takes time, and progress may show in small steps.
• Keep everyday life normal: Your child needs a safe and predictable daily routine alongside therapy.

When Is Therapy Not Enough?

In some situations, a child may need broader support than therapy alone. If the child has serious behavioural disorders, significant learning difficulties, or complex family situations, a comprehensive treatment plan may be needed. In that case, several professionals may be involved in care: a psychologist, doctor, occupational therapist, and the school's special education teacher can work together for the child's benefit.

In Helsinki, extensive multidisciplinary assessments and treatment periods are available through HUS child psychiatry. Access is by referral, and they are largely free for the family.

Hope for the Future

Children are remarkably resilient, and with the right support they can recover even from difficult experiences. Research shows that early intervention in childhood mental health problems can prevent problems from becoming chronic and significantly improve a child's future prospects. The earlier a child gets help, the better the outcomes.

Where to find a therapist

You can look for a therapist in several places:

• Search services run by the Finnish Psychological Association (Psykologiliitto) and professional bodies.
• Kela's service provider search, if you are applying for rehabilitative psychotherapy (only Kela-approved therapists qualify for reimbursement).
• The Valitse Terapia service and other directories.
• Your own health centre, occupational health service or student health service (YTHS), which can refer you onward.

You can contact several therapists and see with whom the collaboration feels natural.

Get help in a crisis now

If you are having thoughts of self-harm or are otherwise in an acute crisis, you do not have to face it alone.

• In an emergency, call 112.
• MIELI Mental Health Finland crisis line: 09 2525 0113 (English and Arabic), 09 2525 0111 (Finnish), 09 2525 0112 (Swedish).
• For under-29s: Sekasin chat (sekasin.fi).

Help is available anonymously, and you do not need to be sure your situation is serious enough.

Sources

• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Therapy guarantee for children and young people
• City of Helsinki: Social and health services
• HUS Helsinki University Hospital
• Mielenterveystalo (Mental Health Hub)