Therapy for Kids with High-Functioning Autism in Eden Prairie, MN
Therapy can help children better understand themselves while building skills that support confidence, connection, and daily functioning.
Parenting a child with high-functioning autism can come with unique questions and challenges.
If you are parenting a child with high-functioning autism and looking for guidance and support, therapy can help.
Many children on the autism spectrum are bright, capable, and verbal, yet still struggle with emotional regulation, social interactions, flexibility, or coping with everyday stress.
At Creekside Counseling, we offer therapy for kids with high-functioning autism, supporting children and teens as they navigate emotions, relationships, and expectations at home and school. Our therapists provide in-person therapy in Eden Prairie, MN and virtual therapy across Minnesota, helping children feel understood and supported while honoring their individuality.
Therapy for High-Functioning Autism in Children
Children with high-functioning autism often experience the world intensely. While they may do well academically, they may struggle in areas that are less visible to others.
Therapy may be helpful if your child is experiencing:
Difficulty with social skills or making and keeping friends
Emotional outbursts, shutdowns, or difficulty regulating emotions
Anxiety around transitions, changes, or uncertainty
Sensory sensitivities that impact daily life
Trouble with flexibility, perfectionism, or rigid thinking
Therapy focuses on helping children build skills while honoring their strengths and neurodiversity.
Common Reasons Families Seek Autism Therapy
Parents often search for a therapist for kids with autism when their child is struggling with:
Navigating friendships, peer conflict, or social expectations
Managing frustration, disappointment, or big emotions
Adjusting to school demands, group work, or classroom expectations
Coping with transitions such as changing schools, routines, or teachers
Building independence while still needing structure and support
Autism treatment for children is not about changing who a child is. It is about supporting how they experience and interact with the world.
What Therapy Looks Like at Creekside Counseling
Therapy for children with high-functioning autism is structured, supportive, and strengths-based.
Our sessions are:
Child-centered and developmentally appropriate
Focused on emotional regulation, communication, and coping skills
Designed to support both the child and the family
Parent involvement may be included to help reinforce skills and provide support at home.
Our Approach to Self-Esteem Therapy for Kids
Our therapists use evidence-informed, trauma-aware approaches tailored to each child and family. This approach supports growth while respecting each child’s individuality and neurodivergence.
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CBT helps children understand how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. In therapy, kids learn to notice negative or self-critical thinking patterns that often show up with depression and practice more balanced, supportive ways of thinking. CBT also helps children build coping skills for managing sadness, low motivation, and emotional overwhelm in everyday situations.
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ART is a gentle, structured therapy that helps children work through distressing memories or emotional experiences without needing to talk through every detail. This can be especially helpful for kids who have trouble putting feelings into words. ART supports emotional relief, improved mood, and a stronger sense of control over thoughts and feelings.
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This approach focuses on building a strong, trusting relationship between your child and their therapist while helping kids identify strengths and small, achievable steps forward. Rather than focusing only on problems, solution-focused therapy helps children notice what is already working and build confidence as they move toward emotional stability and hope.
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Play therapy helps children express and work through anxiety using activities that feel natural and safe, such as play, art, movement, or storytelling. For kids who have difficulty explaining worries with words, play therapy supports emotional regulation, confidence, and coping skills in a developmentally appropriate way.
Parenting a Child with High-Functioning Autism
Parents often carry a lot of responsibility while advocating for their child’s needs. Therapy can support not only the child, but the family system as a whole.
Therapy can help families:
❋ Learn strategies to support regulation and communicationTherapy provides practical tools to support emotional regulation, communication, and everyday interactions.
❋ Better understand their child’s emotional and sensory needsParents gain insight into how their child experiences the world and what supports help them feel regulated and safe.
❋ Strengthen the parent-child connectionTherapy supports deeper connection and trust by helping parents respond to their child’s needs with confidence and care.
❋ Reduce stress and conflict at homeAs understanding and skills grow, families often experience less tension and more ease at home.
Our Providers
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Elisabeth Emmerich
OWNER, MA, LPCC, RPT™
Elisabeth helps women navigate anxiety, perfectionism, and the lingering effects of childhood trauma, while also supporting kids and teens through anxiety, trauma and life transitions. As a mom of three, she brings firsthand understanding of the pressures of motherhood to a warm, compassionate, and practical approach that helps clients untangle old patterns and create meaningful change.
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Marina Mitcheltree
MA, LPCC
Marina supports children, teens, and families navigating anxiety, behavioral challenges, and life transitions. She specializes in early childhood mental health, child-parent relationships, and play therapy, and is passionate about empowering women and supporting BIPOC communities. As a mom, she brings personal insight into the challenges of parenting while creating a compassionate, practical space for families and individuals to heal and grow. -
![Laura Muench Eden Prairie MN Social Worker]()
Laura Muench
MSW, LICSW
Laura specializes in early childhood, autism support, and parent-child relationships, helping families navigate behavior challenges, anxiety, and life transitions. With a strong focus on connection and attachment, she takes a warm, practical approach to supporting both children and parents. Laura especially enjoys working with young children and guiding families toward more confidence, stronger communication, and meaningful, lasting change.
Your Questions, Answered
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Children with high-functioning autism may have strong verbal skills but struggle with social interaction, flexibility, or sensory sensitivities.
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Difficulty with social skills, emotional regulation, transitions, or understanding social cues may indicate support could help.
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Therapy focuses on building social skills, emotional awareness, and practical strategies for navigating daily challenges.
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Yes, therapy can help children learn how to initiate conversations, read social cues, and build meaningful peer relationships.
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Consistent routines, clear communication, and practicing skills learned in therapy can help reinforce progress.
