Skip to content

Best Child And Teen Therapists in West Des Moines, IA (2026)

16 child and teen therapists ranked by RP ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →

The short answer

  1. 1

    Best overall in West Des Moines: Thriveworks Counseling & Therapy West Des Moines, RP Score 63/100; 3.7★ from 15 Google reviews; open 7 days a week.

  2. 13

    Most-reviewed: Ankeny Family Counseling, 56 Google reviews at 4.0★, the most of 16 ranked; ranked #13.

Rankings can't be bought. Psychologists can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank

16 West Des Moines child and teen therapists are ranked here by RP Score, from eight published factors. 4 open Saturdays and 2 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 16 rated practices.

Top 10 child and teen therapists in West Des Moines at a glance

Ranked by the RP Score from public listing data, not by treatment outcomes; Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank.

Top 10 child and teen therapists in West Des Moines at a glance
RankBusinessRP ScoreGoogle ratingBased inHoursBest for
1Thriveworks Counseling & Therapy West Des Moines633.7★ (15)West Des MoinesSat · Sun · EveningsOverall
2Sagent Behavioral Health - Des Moines614.3★ (54)Des Moines, 2 mi awaySat · Evenings—
3MWI Health - West Des Moines594.8★ (19)West Des MoinesEvenings—
4Sagent Behavioral Health - West Des Moines584.4★ (25)West Des Moines——
5Bloom Women's Wellness584.9★ (55)Urbandale, 4 mi away——
6Stride Autism Centers - West Des Moines ABA Therapy575.0★ (8)West Des Moines——
7Realm Therapy and Wellness575.0★ (9)West Des Moines——
8Lighthouse Counseling (LHC)565.0★ (4)West Des Moines——
9Red Couch Counseling LLC- Ankeny563.6★ (55)Ankeny, 11 mi awaySat · Sun · Evenings—
10Stride Autism Centers - Urbandale ABA Therapy565.0★ (16)Urbandale, 3 mi away——

The 16 best child and teen therapists in West Des Moines, ranked

Ordered by RP Score, a 0–100 score from eight published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.

Ranked by the RP Score from public listing data, not by treatment outcomes; Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank.

Scores below: based on 7 of 8 factors; recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.

  5. #5 Bloom Women's Wellness

    Based in Urbandale, 4 mi away

    58/100RP Score

    Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 4.9★ from 55 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Mental health service”.

    • 4.9★ from 55 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM · Sat–Sun closed
    Address
    10574 Justin Dr, Urbandale, IA 50322
    View profile for Bloom Women's Wellness(515) 499-4959

  12. #12 Audrey Giese, LMHC, LLC

    Based in West Des Moines

    55/100RP Score

    Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and proximity: 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews, based in West Des Moines.

    • 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon 9 AM–5 PM · Tue–Wed 9:30 AM–5 PM · Thu 9 AM–4:30 PM · Fri–Sun closed
    Address
    1200 Valley W Dr Ste 204, West Des Moines, IA 50266
    View profile for Audrey Giese, LMHC, LLC(515) 868-0443

  13. #13 Ankeny Family Counseling

    Based in Ankeny, 10 mi away

    55/100RP Score

    Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and specialty focus: 4.0★ from 56 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Counselor”.

    • 4.0★ from 56 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Thu 8 AM–8 PM · Fri 8 AM–5 PM · Sat 9 AM–1 PM · Sun closed
    Address
    1910 SW Plaza Shops Ln, Ankeny, IA 50023
    View profile for Ankeny Family Counseling(515) 508-1150

Also serving West Des Moines

20 more child and teen therapists within 25 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a specialty we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.

Unranked child and teen therapists serving West Des Moines
BusinessGoogle ratingDistance
515 Therapy & Consulting4.4★ (39)In West Des Moines
Axis Therapy Centers - West Des Moines4.8★ (11)In West Des Moines
Balanced Psychiatry4.7★ (49)In West Des Moines
Balanced x Holistic Psychiatry5.0★ (22)In West Des Moines
Child Psychiatry Associates3.1★ (21)In West Des Moines
Compass Clinical Associates, PLLC3.3★ (96)In West Des Moines
Focused Life Clinic4.9★ (42)In West Des Moines
Healing Collective Counseling4.9★ (53)In West Des Moines
Heartland Christian Counseling3.9★ (14)In West Des Moines
Human to Human Counseling5.0★ (38)In West Des Moines
Iowa Therapy Solutions4.6★ (10)In West Des Moines
Journey Mental Health PLLC5.0★ (35)In West Des Moines
Kavalier and Associates3.0★ (57)In West Des Moines
Luna Mental Health PLLC4.7★ (29)In West Des Moines
Midwest Autism & Therapy Center - West Des Moines4.6★ (11)In West Des Moines
New Life Counseling (West Des Moines)3.4★ (15)In West Des Moines
Precision Psychiatry4.6★ (11)In West Des Moines
Premier Counseling Professionals4.9★ (33)In West Des Moines
Relationship & Intimacy Center4.4★ (36)In West Des Moines
The Mind Co.4.8★ (20)In West Des Moines

How we ranked West Des Moines child and teen therapists

We scored 16 West Des Moines child and teen therapists on eight factors, weighted as shown. A practice is ranked when its specialty is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A practice with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 9, 2026.

Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Sponsored businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.

Read the full method: formula, sources and exclusions

RP Score factors and weights
FactorWeightComputed fromIn West Des Moines data
Reputation25%Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back itMeasured
Review volume5%Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed practice on the listMeasured
Recency5%Share of Google reviews from the last 12 monthsNot yet collected
Availability10%Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, and round-the-clock or same-day availabilityMeasured
Specialty focus25%How clearly the practice does this specialty (its Google category and name)Measured
Proximity15%Based in the city scores highest, less the farther away it isMeasured
Claimed profile10%The practice has claimed its Ranked Psychologists profile (free or paid earn the same)Measured
Partnered5%The practice links to Ranked Psychologists from its own website with our badge, checked periodicallyMeasured

How to choose a child and teen therapist

  1. Check the license with the state or provincial board that issued it; most boards publish a free online lookup.
  2. Make sure child and adolescent therapy is a regular part of their work, and ask what approach they use and why.
  3. Ask how much of the work is with the child alone and how much includes parents or caregivers.
  4. For ADHD, learning or autism assessments, ask who does the testing and whether a written report is included.
  5. Ask about fees, insurance and the cancellation policy before the first session. In the US, if you are uninsured or paying yourself, you can ask for a good faith estimate of expected charges.
  6. Check practical fit: in-person or online sessions, evening times, and how soon they have an opening.
  7. After a few sessions, ask yourself whether you feel heard. Changing to a different provider is common and fine.

Questions to ask a child and teen therapist

  • Are you accepting new clients, and how soon could I start?
  • Which license do you hold, and in which state or province?
  • How much of your work is child and adolescent therapy?
  • How do you involve parents, and what do you keep confidential?
  • What do you charge per session, and do you take my insurance or provide a superbill?
  • Do you offer online sessions?
  • What is your cancellation policy?
  • What do you keep confidential, and when would you have to share information?

Terms explained

PhD / PsyD
Doctoral degrees in psychology. A PhD usually has a stronger research focus, a PsyD a stronger clinical focus; both can lead to a psychologist license.
Licensed psychologist
A person licensed by a state or provincial psychology board to practice psychology. The title is protected by law.
Psychological associate
In some states and provinces, a master’s-level practitioner licensed or registered by the psychology board, often with supervision requirements.
LPC / LMHC / LCPC
US licenses for professional or mental health counselors (the name differs by state). They provide counseling and therapy.
LCSW
Licensed clinical social worker: a master’s-level social worker licensed to provide therapy.
LMFT
Licensed marriage and family therapist: licensed to treat individuals, couples and families with a focus on relationships.
RP / RCC
Registered psychotherapist (Ontario) and registered clinical counsellor (British Columbia): Canadian titles for licensed therapy providers.
PSYPACT
An interstate agreement that lets psychologists licensed in a member state provide telepsychology to clients in other member states once they hold the required authorization.
Telehealth
Sessions held by secure video or phone instead of in person. The provider generally needs to be licensed where the client is located.
CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy: a structured talk therapy that works on the links between thoughts, feelings and behavior.
DBT
Dialectical behavior therapy: a form of CBT that teaches skills for managing intense emotions and relationships.
ERP
Exposure and response prevention: a form of CBT used for OCD.

Child and teen therapists in West Des Moines: frequently asked questions

Who is the best child and teen therapist in West Des Moines?

By RP Score, the highest-ranked child and teen therapist in West Des Moines, IA is Thriveworks Counseling & Therapy West Des Moines with an RP Score of 63/100. It has 3.7★ from 15 Google reviews. It is open 7 days a week. Sagent Behavioral Health - Des Moines (#2) and MWI Health - West Des Moines (#3) follow. We ranked 16 child and teen therapists on eight factors, last updated November 9, 2026.

How many child and teen therapists are there in West Des Moines?

RankedPsychologists ranks 16 child and teen therapists serving West Des Moines, IA. 8 of them are based in West Des Moines; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 25 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.

What should I do if I need help right now?

In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 (US and Canada), any time. In an emergency, call 911. This site cannot help in an emergency.

Which child and teen therapists in West Des Moines work on weekends?

4 of 16 ranked child and teen therapists post Saturday hours and 2 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Thriveworks Counseling & Therapy West Des Moines (#1), Sagent Behavioral Health - Des Moines (#2) and Red Couch Counseling LLC- Ankeny (#9). Posted hours are office hours; many practices also offer evening or online sessions by appointment.

What Google rating do West Des Moines child and teen therapists have?

The median Google rating among 16 rated child and teen therapists in West Des Moines is 4.8★, with a median of 16 reviews. Ankeny Family Counseling has the most, 56 reviews, and ranks #13. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.

How does RankedPsychologists rank child and teen therapists?

Each child and teen therapist gets a 0–100 RP Score from eight published factors, led by reputation (25%), specialty focus (25%), proximity (15%) and availability (10%). A practice with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only practices with a confirmed specialty and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.

Do child and teen therapists outside West Des Moines count in this ranking?

Yes, if they are within 25 mi of the West Des Moines city center, our service radius for child and teen therapists. Each listing shows where the practice is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 15% of the RP Score, so a nearby practice gets a small edge.

Can child and teen therapists pay to rank higher on RankedPsychologists?

No. The RP Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured practices may appear above the list, labelled Sponsored and showing their honest rank.

How are child and teen therapists in West Des Moines ranked?

Each practice gets an RP Score from 0 to 100 from 8 published factors, including its Google rating, how clearly it focuses on child and adolescent therapy and how close it is. Sponsored placements are shown separately and never change rank. The score does not measure treatment outcomes.

Can a teenager start therapy without a parent?

It depends on where you live. The age at which a young person can agree to outpatient mental health care on their own differs between states and provinces. Ask the practice how it handles consent and what it shares with parents.

Can I see a child and teen therapist online?

Often, yes. Licensing generally follows where you are during the session, so the provider needs to be licensed or authorized there. In the US, psychologists in PSYPACT member states can offer telepsychology to clients in other member states; counselors and social workers have their own rules. In Canada, ask whether the provider is registered in your province.

What if I need help right now?

Do not wait for a consultation. Call or text 988 (US and Canada) if you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, at any time. In an emergency, call 911.

Update log for West Des Moines

  1. November 2026: RP Scores recalculated for 16 child and teen therapists serving West Des Moines.

More child and teen therapists and West Des Moines pages