Young Child and Child Mental Health Treatment: Guiding Little Steps through Big Feelings
Parenting a child with big emotions can feel overwhelming—and at times, exhausting. You’re here seeking support, and that means you’re already doing something brave. Compass Health Center’s Young Child and Child treatment programs provide family-centered care for children ages 5–14. Our team is here to help you and your child build skills and strategies to help increase the calm, connection, and confidence in your home, at school, and in the community.
Schedule an AppointmentAbout the Program
Northbrook, IL
Oak Brook, IL
Children (8-14)
PHP
Supporting families as children learn to regulate, relate, and reconnect
When a child’s emotions become overwhelming—showing up as tantrums, defiance, anxiety, or withdrawal—it can affect every part of family life. Knowing when it’s the right time to seek more support can be difficult—and finding the right support can feel just as hard. Our goal is to offer a space that supports both your child and your family as you navigate the challenges that can come with childhood mental and behavioral health concerns. Compass Health Center’s Young Child and Child treatment programs in Chicago, Northbrook, and Oak Brook, Illinois, provide short-term, comprehensive care for children ages 5–14 who struggle to manage emotions or behaviors that disrupt their routines at home and school.
Our multidisciplinary treatment teams help children:
- Understand and express emotions in healthy ways
- Build coping and problem-solving skills
- Strengthen frustration tolerance and flexibility
- Improve communication and social relationships
- Reconnect with curiosity, confidence, and joy in learning
Parents and caregivers are active partners in treatment, gaining tools to support emotional growth and consistency at home.
Programs
Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
Runs Monday through Friday, with program hours aligned to the typical school day.
A full-day, structured level of care for children whose emotional or behavioral difficulties are interfering with daily life. The PHP provides stability and coordinated, multidisciplinary support, helping children return to school and extracurricular routines with stronger coping skills, self-regulation, and renewed confidence.
After-School Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
For children stepping down from PHP or needing more support than weekly therapy, the IOP offers after-school treatment focused on emotion regulation, anxiety management, and family collaboration—all while maintaining their daytime school schedules.
Chicago Location Young Child PHP and IOP (Ages 5–10)
At our Chicago location, both PHP and After-School IOP are available for children ages 5–10. Designed for emotional and behavioral dysregulation, the program helps children build skills in emotion identification, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, relaxation strategies, and effective communication—supporting greater stability at home, in school, and in daily routines. Young child programming generally begins at age 5, though offerings vary by location based on your child’s needs and clinical recommendations. Please call to learn more.
Every feeling is a chance to grow
Children who would benefit from this program may experience:
- Frequent or intense emotional outbursts
- Difficulty calming down after becoming upset
- Aggression, irritability, or oppositional behavior
- Persistent anxiety or panic
- Sadness, withdrawal, or low mood
- School avoidance or refusal
- Challenges following directions or maintaining friendships
If your child’s emotions often feel “too big”—or if anxiety or school challenges are beginning to impact daily life—Compass can help you understand what’s really happening and what can help.
Families seeking support for mood or anxiety concerns may consider our Child Mood & Anxiety Program, and those experiencing school avoidance or school-related anxiety can learn more about our Child School Anxiety & Refusal Program.
Specialized, evidence-based care for emotional and behavioral dysregulation in children
Each child’s treatment plan is uniquely designed by Compass’s team of child psychiatrists, therapists, and experiential specialists, and include:
- Immediate psychiatric assessment and medication management (typically within 24–48 hours of starting a program)
- Individual and group therapy focused on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and social skill-building
- Family therapy and parent support groups to strengthen communication and structure
- Evidence-based therapy modalities, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness
- Experiential therapies such as creative expression, recreation, mindfulness, movement, and animal-assisted therapy
- Academic coordination to maintain learning progress, align support across settings, and reduce school-related stress
- Specialized programs and services for OCD, mood and anxiety disorders, school anxiety and refusal, and emotional/behavioral dysregulation vary by site and age.
Children and families gain tools to manage symptoms, regulate emotions, and return to school or social settings with greater confidence and stability.
Where parents and children grow stronger, side by side
Parent involvement is essential to a child’s long-term progress. You play one of the most powerful roles in a child’s growth and healing. We only know what we know in this moment—and that’s okay— as parents, we are all still learning. As you gain a deeper understanding of how to interpret and respond to your child’s behaviors, the whole family begins to feel more connected, confident, and capable.
Our program provides ongoing education and support so parents can better understand what drives their child’s emotions and how to respond in ways that promote calm and connection.
Each family’s involvement may include:
- Family therapy to strengthen communication and mutual understanding
- Parent strategy groups to learn effective tools for managing emotions and behaviors at home
- Monthly skill reviews to reinforce progress and keep growth going beyond treatment at Compass
When parents learn new ways to respond to big emotions, children learn new ways to express them—and the whole family begins to feel better.
Nurturing emotional growth and a love of learning
In PHP, your child will receive daily educational support during the school year to stay on track academically while focusing on emotional well-being. Our team collaborates with each child’s teachers and school counselors to ensure a smooth return to the classroom and to address issues such as school avoidance, test anxiety, or peer stress that may contribute to dysregulation.
Learn more about our specialized School Anxiety & Refusal Program.
Helping children find balance in a world that feels big
Compass Health Center’s expert clinicians provide compassionate, evidence-based care for children experiencing emotional and behavioral dysregulation, anxiety, or mood challenges. Our integrated, experiential model allows children to learn in the ways that feel most natural to them—through creativity, movement, and connection.
Families leave with:
- A shared language for emotions
- Tools to navigate anxiety and mood shifts
- Practical skills that promote stability and confidence
For children whose anxiety, mood symptoms, OCD, or school stress require more targeted treatment, explore:
Because learning to regulate emotions is a skill for life
When a child struggles with intense emotions, the whole family feels it. If your child is having a hard time managing emotions, anxiety, or behavioral challenges, Compass Health Center can help. Our compassionate team is here to guide your family toward stability, understanding, and renewed connection.
Our Success Stories
Compass saved my life! I came into Compass with suicidal ideations and no hope. After a couple of weeks of being in the program, I did not have those thoughts anymore. Compass helped me change my mindset, from a negative pattern of thoughts to a more positive and optimistic frame of mind.
Patient
My child is leaving Compass more equipped to handle her emotions, her anxiety, her depression, and the things that all trigger these. She is willing to use the skills, which is a huge change, and this is all due to how well Compass worked for her.
Parent of Child Patient
I liked how in Compass, everyone was respectful of my opinions, pronouns, and preferred name. There was no judging, and you can open up to people. I also like how I can relate to other kids. I also really appreciate learning new skills.
Patient
Compass is a godsend. An amazing program for children who are struggling and families who are seeking help and guidance. I could not imagine that she would be so much better in less than 2 months. I wish we could have found Compass without going to the ER. Thanks for all you do!
The evening IOP program challenged me in a supportive and respectful way to help change my way of thinking. Compass provided me with the tools to help deal with life situations in a healthy way.
Meet Forward, Compass Health Center's Lookbook
Forward is a collection of voices, insights, and design that feels less like a brochure and more like a magazine you’d actually want to flip through. We created this Lookbook to show how care can be approachable, engaging, and thoughtfully designed—just as our treatment experience is. Inside, you’ll find our philosophy, programs, and patient outcomes shaping Compass care today, and what’s next.
Get Forward, The Compass Lookbook
