Child Therapy
Does Your Child Seem Distressed And Out Of Sorts?
Has your child been exhibiting troubling behaviors, such as aggression, defiance, tantrums, or difficulty sticking to their daily routine? Do they seem anxious, overwhelmed, or withdrawn? Are they encountering issues at school, in their peer group, or in themselves that make you concerned they might be struggling to find their place in the world?
Because you know your child so well, it’s alarming to witness troubling changes in their mood or behavior. It feels like the kid you knew is somehow gone, or different. Maybe they’ve turned inward lately and lost interest in their friends or activities. They might struggle with big emotions and intense reactions that are mismatched to the circumstances or have a hard time coping with changes in routine.
Their Behavior May Be In Response To What’s Happening Around Them
Perhaps a recent life event—such as divorce, school transition, age milestone, or a death in the family—has impacted your child emotionally, leading to academic decline, mood swings, behavior regression, or social withdrawal. This transition may have triggered excessive worry and fear in your child or caused them to become unmotivated and disengaged. Or maybe the reason behind their change in mood is unknown to you, leaving you puzzled not knowing how to ‘solve’ the problem or care for them in the way they need.
More than anything, you want your child to be healthy and sure of themselves. But as much as you love and support them, you might not know how or need additional support in doing so. Fortunately, therapy offers the supplemental support you may be seeking to help your child through this challenging chapter. With a collaborative approach that will be adapted to their age and unique needs, therapy for children offers them helpful skills to manage and express their emotions.
Children Struggle With Mental Health As Much As Adults
We all enter the world yearning for love and a sense of belonging. For children to thrive, they need a healthy amount of social interaction coupled with a progressive sense of autonomy as they grow and mature. When these elements are absent, they may become troubled or struggle to cope.
The unfortunate truth is that children are facing more challenges with mental health than ever. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2016, “1 in 6 U.S. children aged 2–8 years had a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder.” [1] What’s more, a recent Pew Research Center survey of parents with minor children reported that “mental health tops the list of worries that U.S. parents express about their kids’ well-being.” [2]
External Influences Can Negatively Impact How Children Think And Feel
While it has always been challenging to make friends and navigate the pitfalls inherent in coming of age, our modern era is rife with additional obstacles for kids–the comparison trap of social media with its potential for cyberbullying, the pressure of high academic performance, and striving to uphold implicit expectations and standards. It’s no wonder our kids are stressed out.
As our children continue to develop and grow, so too do our parenting skills. But knowing how to handle the everchanging stages of development and provide the right kind of support isn’t necessarily obvious. As parents today, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the abundance of data available. When it becomes clear our child needs more than what we can offer, we may end up feeling helpless.
When you partner with a therapist, you can be confident that your child receives the support they need to thrive. However, child counseling will also be collaborative, relying on the positive participation of parents to ensure success.
Therapy Offers Solutions To Help Your Child Feel Known To Themselves And Others
As a parent, you want what’s best for your child. If you’re feeling defeated or overwhelmed in trying to address what’s wrong single-handedly, you’re not alone. Many families I’ve worked with over the years have had the same concerns and found that therapy provided the practical solutions they were looking for.
By creating a safe environment where your child will feel comfortable and at ease, we will work together to identify the root cause of their challenges. Once identified, I can provide them with the necessary tools to overcome obstacles while also building up their sense of worth, confidence and belonging. Even if you’re worried you might not have the same influence over your child that you once had, I can assure you that you do. Together, we can create a smoother path forward for your family.
What To Expect In Sessions
After an initial consultation with you and your child, the majority of sessions will be attended solely by your child. However, you will be included in occasional sessions to ensure you understand and can reinforce the concepts your child is learning. This allows you to oversee the application of the tools your child will be practicing at home. Your active participation in supporting skills and strategies outside of sessions will be key to your child’s success.
When kids are stressed, they often feel alone in their emotions. Therapy will be an opportunity for your child to gain an understanding of the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Depending on their needs, counseling might also include:
Teaching neuroscience and neuropsychology to show your child how the body and brain affect each other;
Learning coping skills to manage stress, regulate intense emotions, problem-solve, and handle challenging situations;
Working on strength-based approaches that build up your child’s self-esteem and hone their social skills;
Processing unresolved trauma and strengthening resilience;
Developing a vocabulary to better identify and express their emotions, improve communication, build self-worth and self-esteem, and instill a broader understanding of mental health;
Behavior modification, if applicable;
Encouraging healthy autonomy to become more comfortable and confident.
The overall goal is to be a holistically healthy kid by addressing underdeveloped skills or areas of struggle.
A Tailored Treatment Plan For Your Child
With an integrative blend of modalities to choose from, therapy will be customized to address what your child struggles with most. For example, we may incorporate attachment-based therapy to help them understand how they relate to both their family and the world.
We might also draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children to help them recognize distorted thought patterns and modify unwelcome behaviors. In addition, by creating and sharing stories about their experiences that help externalize what happened, narrative therapy can be an effective way for children to gain perspective while fostering self-compassion and self-acceptance.
By developing greater self-awareness and compassion for themselves, therapy provides a reset button for your child. Counseling for children can move them toward emotional well-being and a more empowered sense of self, a solid foundation for being known to themselves.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Therapy Is Right For Your Child…
Will I be informed about what my child talks about in therapy?
As their counselor, I aim to build trust with your child so they feel comfortable opening up to me. Therefore, I provide every child I work with a level of confidentiality while also explaining to them what its limits are. If, for example, they share something concerning with me that I think you should know about, I will advise them of this and ensure you are kept informed.
How involved will I be in my child’s counseling sessions and treatment?
Therapy for children will be a team effort that relies upon your participation. I will make sure that you understand the goals of therapy and can reinforce at home what your child learns during sessions. For counseling to be successful, it’s important your child feels supported and encouraged throughout the process by the ones who matter most to them—their parents.
How can I tell if my child’s behavior warrants therapy?
No one knows your child as well as you do. When something isn’t right with them, you can tell. My advice is to trust your gut. If their behavior seems out of the ordinary and is concerning you, it’s okay to reach out to a child psychologist, therapist, or behavior specialist for a consultation.
With The Right Support And Resources, Your Child Can Thrive
Asking for professional help can be the key to positive changes. To find out more about child therapy at Be Known Wellness Group, email, call 857-505-1856, or visit our contact page to schedule a free 15-minute call.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html
[2] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/03/02/mental-health-and-the-pandemic-what-u-s-surveys-have-found/
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