Here's where having a really good relationship with your pediatrician can be extremely helpful. I used the same pediatrician will all of my children. He knew us and each child literally from childbirth until they were just too old to go the the pediatrician anymore.

Pediatricians, well-trained and effective ones, are not just about colds and immunizations. They pay attention to the whole child's development: physically, mentally, educationally, and emotionally. They talk with the parents AND they talk with the child -- regularly.

When one child started displaying some anxiety issues, our pediatrician was our go-to guy. He talked to our child and it was something he was able to help us with. No therapist was needed. The situation resolved with his assistance. Another child displayed serious developmental issues and symptoms of ADHD. The pediatrician knew the steps for testing, etc. so that we could get him the resources we needed. Again, those resources didn't involve need for a therapist.

I would highly encourage you to start with talking to your children's pediatrician. If you don't have one that works that way. Find one. They are a vital support and resource.

Edited to add: My niece was a difficult child. (She's an adult now). She was prone to emotional breakdowns over the tiniest things. She was belligerent at times, etc. Back in the 1980's, they assumption was that it was a behavioral issue and therapy was needed. They tried that. It didn't work. It wasn't until she was in middle school that someone finally recognized her behavioral issues as indicative of ADHD. They got her tested, started her on a medication regimen, and viola!, her problems subsided.

She reflects on that now as an adult, and wishes her problem was recognized for the treatable condition it was earlier. It would have saved her (and her parents) a great deal of grief. Therapy was absolutely NOT what she needed.

Interestingly, she is a parent now, and her daughter is like a carbon copy of her. The fortunate part is she KNOWS what is going on and knows how to help her daughter and get her the help, when she's old enough, she needs so that her life will not be as difficult as her own was.

My point is that not everything is a therapy issue with kids. In fact, a great deal of childhood issues are often related to unrecognized and untreated ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning and developmental issues that need a more specific approach than psychotherapy. A good pediatrician will be well-versed in looking for those issues and ruling them out before pathologizing the problem into a mental disorder than requires therapy.