How We Started

While pursuing my master's degree in education with a focus on clinical mental health, I saw something that troubled me. Children and Spanish-speaking families in our community were being turned away or treated by providers who didn't specialize in what they actually needed. The problem wasn't that help didn't exist—it was that the right help wasn't accessible.

I realized that therapy for kids shouldn't be a guessing game. It shouldn't fit a template. When a child walks into our office, we see a person first—someone with their own story, their own pace, their own way of processing the world. That insight became the center of everything we do at MBS Confidant. We launched this practice because we understood that if we didn't create a space where children and families felt truly understood, the gap would only keep widening. Columbia needed a counseling practice that treated children with the depth and care they deserved, and that specialized in reaching the communities that were being left behind.

What We've Learned

Every child communicates differently. Some talk freely. Others express themselves through play, through drawing, through silence. We've learned that traditional talk therapy doesn't work for everyone—especially younger children. That's why we use play therapy and other modalities. A child in our office isn't failing to express themselves; we're learning their language.

Families matter more than we initially understood. A child's struggles rarely exist in isolation. When we support the whole family—parents, siblings, the system around the child—that's when real change happens. We offer family services because therapy isn't just about the individual sitting in our office; it's about healing the relationships that hold them up.

Language access changes everything. For Spanish-speaking families, finding a therapist who truly understands both the culture and the clinical reality is a game-changer. We were committed to this from the start because we knew how many families were avoiding care simply because they couldn't find someone they could trust to understand them fully.

How We Work With You

Working with us means being seen. We don't rush through intake forms and move to the next client. Your child's story matters to us, and we take time to understand where they're coming from. We use evidence-based approaches—CBT, DBT-informed therapy, play therapy—but we apply them with flexibility. What works for one young person might not work for another, and we're honest about that from day one.

You'll notice that we keep your child's wellbeing at the absolute center. That means regular communication with you, clear goals, and real progress toward improving their quality of life. Children are our future, and we treat them that way—with the respect, clinical skill, and human warmth they deserve. If you're looking for counseling or therapy in Columbia, SC that actually listens, we'd like to meet you.