When people hear "The Center for Child Development," they picture children. They imagine play therapy rooms with sand trays and puppets, teenagers sitting across from a counselor for the first time, and parents learning how to support a child through anxiety. And they're right — that is a big part of what we do.
But there's another side of CCD that many people don't know about. Through the Delaware Center for Counseling and Wellness (DCCW), we provide full-spectrum mental health services for adults — individuals, couples, and groups. And when you understand why, it makes perfect sense.
The Connection Between Adult Wellness and Child Wellness
After more than two decades of working with children and families, our founder Lisa R. Savage, LCSW, noticed a pattern that kept showing up in session after session. A child would make real progress in therapy — learning to regulate emotions, building confidence, developing healthier ways to cope — and then hit a wall. Not because the child stopped trying, but because something at home wasn't shifting.
That "something" was almost always an adult who was struggling too.
Research backs this up. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry found that parental mental health is one of the strongest predictors of a child's emotional well-being. When a parent is dealing with untreated anxiety, depression, or unresolved trauma, it ripples through the entire family system — even when that parent is doing their absolute best.
This isn't about blame. It's about biology and environment. Children are wired to absorb the emotional climate around them. A parent who is constantly on edge teaches a child, without saying a word, that the world is unsafe. A parent who shuts down emotionally models that feelings are something to avoid. None of this is intentional, and recognizing it is actually a sign of strength.
Why We Built the Counseling and Wellness Program
CCD didn't add adult services as an afterthought or a business decision. It grew out of necessity. Too many families were making progress in the therapy room only to lose ground at home because the adults in the system didn't have their own support. We realized that to truly help children heal, we needed to help the whole family — and that meant creating a space where adults could do their own work.
The Delaware Center for Counseling and Wellness was built on the same values that guide everything we do at CCD: compassionate, evidence-based, culturally responsive care. The difference is that DCCW is designed specifically for adults, with services tailored to the challenges that come with adulthood.
What Adult Services Look Like at CCD
DCCW offers a range of therapeutic services, each designed to meet adults where they are. Here's what's available:
Individual Therapy provides personalized, one-on-one sessions where you can explore personal difficulties, develop coping strategies, and work through anxiety, depression, self-esteem challenges, and more. Our therapists create a safe, non-judgmental space where you can be honest about what you're going through — without worrying about being "too much."
Couples and Marital Therapy offers guided support for partners who want to improve communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen their relationship. Whether you're navigating a rough patch or working to rebuild trust, our therapists help you develop healthier patterns together.
Group Therapy creates a supportive space to share experiences, develop interpersonal skills, and find community with others facing similar challenges. There's a unique kind of healing that happens when you realize you're not the only one going through something.
Trauma Therapy uses evidence-based methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and EMDR to help adults process overwhelming experiences, reduce intrusive memories, and regain control. Trauma doesn't have an expiration date — and neither does the opportunity to heal from it.
Specialized Support includes therapy for new mothers dealing with postpartum depression and anxiety, conflict resolution, and work on childhood wounds that continue to impact adult life. Many of the adults we see are parents who realize that their own upbringing is showing up in how they parent — and they want to break the cycle.
You Don't Have to Be a Parent to Come Here
One of the most common misconceptions about DCCW is that you need to have a child in therapy at CCD to access adult services. That's not true. While many of our adult clients are parents of children we work with, our counseling and wellness program is open to any adult in Delaware who needs support.
You might be a college student dealing with anxiety for the first time. A young professional navigating a toxic work environment. A couple trying to communicate better before things get worse. A woman processing a difficult pregnancy or postpartum experience. An adult who grew up in a challenging household and is only now starting to understand how it shaped them.
All of these are valid reasons to walk through our door.
The Advantage of a Family-Centered Practice
There's something uniquely powerful about receiving therapy at a practice that understands the full picture of family life. When a parent and child are both in therapy at CCD — with appropriate confidentiality boundaries in place — the clinical team can coordinate care in ways that a fragmented system simply can't.
For example, if a child's therapist notices that separation anxiety is spiking, and the parent's therapist knows that the parent is going through a major life transition, those insights can inform both treatment plans. The result is care that's more connected, more responsive, and more effective.
This doesn't mean your therapist will share your private information with your child's therapist without your consent. Confidentiality is foundational to everything we do. But with your permission, coordinated care can make a real difference in how quickly your family moves forward.
Breaking the Stigma Around Adult Therapy
Many of the adults who come to DCCW tell us the same thing: "I should have done this years ago." The barriers to seeking help are real — stigma, time, cost, the belief that you should be able to handle things on your own. But the truth is that asking for help is one of the most courageous things you can do, especially when you're also responsible for other people.
In many communities, particularly communities of color, mental health care has historically been inaccessible or culturally misaligned. At CCD, we are intentional about creating a space where every adult feels seen, respected, and understood — regardless of their background, identity, or life experience. Our team reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, and cultural responsiveness isn't an add-on. It's woven into how we practice.
Telehealth Makes It Easier
We know that getting to an office isn't always possible — especially for working adults, parents juggling schedules, or anyone dealing with the kind of anxiety that makes leaving the house feel impossible. That's why DCCW offers telehealth appointments for many of our adult services. You can connect with your therapist from home, from your car during a lunch break, or from wherever you feel most comfortable.
Telehealth has been a game-changer for many of our clients, and the research supports its effectiveness. A meta-analysis published in Psychological Services found that telehealth therapy produces outcomes comparable to in-person therapy for anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Getting Started Is Simpler Than You Think
If you've been thinking about therapy but haven't taken the first step, here's what the process looks like at DCCW:
First, you call our office at 302-292-1334 or send an email to [email protected]. Our team will ask a few questions to understand what you're looking for and match you with a therapist who fits your needs.
Next, you'll schedule an initial session — either in person at our Newark, Delaware office or via telehealth. During that first appointment, your therapist will get to know you, understand your goals, and begin building a plan together.
From there, you'll meet regularly — usually weekly or biweekly — and work at a pace that feels right for you. There's no pressure, no judgment, and no timeline you have to follow.
Your Healing Matters Too
If you're a parent, you've probably spent years putting everyone else first. Your child's needs, your partner's needs, your job's demands. Somewhere along the way, your own mental health slipped to the bottom of the list. But here's what we've learned after more than twenty years of working with families: when you take care of yourself, everyone around you benefits.
Your healing isn't separate from your child's healing. It's part of it.
And if you're not a parent — if you're simply an adult who needs support — you belong here too. The Center for Child Development has always been about helping people thrive, and that mission doesn't have an age limit.
Ready to take the first step? Call us at 302-292-1334 or visit our Counseling and Wellness page to learn more about our adult services. We're here when you're ready.