How Can Therapy
Help my Young Child?

Children are susceptible to the same emotional health concerns and mood conditions that affect adults. Experiencing stress during life transitions from school and family and being unable to express these feelings, they can be easily shamed, confused, or frightened. Counseling can help with the emotional distress that they may experience. Some of these responses could be anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and conduct disorder.

Seeing your child struggle can leave you feeling powerless, you should never feel alone or hopeless because there is help available! With the right professional intervention, symptoms can be managed, improved, and even go into remission. Help is available for children of all ages when it comes to improving their emotional health. The most beneficial form of help could be that which a child therapist can provide.

What is child therapy?

Child therapy is a branch of psychotherapy that has been designed to meet the unique needs of young children and adolescents. This form of therapy can also provide help to children if they went through a traumatic experience or if they are having difficulty adjusting to a stressful home or school environment.

Child therapists are trained to understand children and teens, enabling them to work with young clients to sort out their concerns in a way that they can understand. Regardless their age, the objective of therapy is to help children bounce back to a healthier and satisfying childhood. It also intends to prevent setbacks in their development.

What are the different types of child therapy?

Child psychotherapy can take many forms. The choice of therapy usually depends on the unique needs of the child and the expertise or training of the therapist. Some of the most common approaches are play therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and social skills training.

Play therapy uses play to help your child express and articulate their thoughts and feelings. CBT may work better for older children less interested in play and more aware of their own internal thought processes. Social skills training is often combined with the other types to assist the child in interacting with other people. If a child had a traumatic experience, trauma-focused therapy could be a fitting choice. To support your child, the whole family may also be involved through family therapy.

When does a child need therapy?

Children who have emotional or behavioral concerns may not display the same symptoms or behavior. If your child is having difficulty fitting in at home or school, difficulty adjusting during a transition (for example after the divorce of parents or enrolment to a new school), or if they are exhibiting worrisome behaviors, it may be best to see a child therapist.

What are some signs that my child needs counseling or therapy?

The signs and symptoms of each emotional condition are different. Very Well Family shares some common telling signs of emotional conditions in children that deserve attention:

Changing eating or sleeping habits.
Engaging in destructive behaviors.
Extreme feelings of sadness or worry.
Behaving badly.
Isolating from friends.
Regressing.
Increased physical complaints.
Talks about death frequently.

How can I go about getting my child therapy?

Step 1 – Contact a Qualified Provider

There are many ways to consult a qualified behavioral health professional – email, phone call, text, etc. Choose the most convenient way to communicate and discuss your child’s needs with your chosen professional. If you are calling a counseling center/practice, your child can be matched with a fitting child therapist.

Step 2 – Therapist/Parent Meeting (Often in the beginning of the first session)

In a therapy where the client is a child, it is customary for the therapist to meet with the parent or guardian first. This is an essential process that allows the professional to understand what’s happening with the child in terms of experiences, life events and symptoms.

Step 3 – The First Session

During the session, the therapist will assess the child’s symptoms and behaviors. In this session the therapist, parent and child can get on the same page and decide the best course of treatment.

Step 4 –Ongoing Sessions

Follow up sessions will include creating and implementing a treatment plan for your child, so that symptoms can be alleviated, and your child can function more effectively.

How do I know if therapy is right for my child?

If your child is extremely unhappy, scared, confused, experiencing low self-esteem, or any other intrusive symptoms, it can take an expert to provide effective help. An appointment can be done in person (face-to-face) or online.

Like adults, each child is unique. It would be difficult to predict how they can be helped or how they would individually respond to therapy. The most effective way to know which approach to take can involve bringing them to an expert. An expert will be able to evaluate their symptoms, provide diagnosis and deliver the most effective treatment either in person or online.

How does child therapy work?

Child therapy provides children with an environment where they can feel safe while facing their obstacles and discovering creative, yet appropriate solutions. For younger children this can involve playing, drawing, and talking. For the older children or teenagers, it can entail talking, or, perhaps the use of other mediums, such as music, to express difficult emotions.

Often, parents seek help because of their children’s unruly, reckless or challenging behavior. Child therapy provides the opportunity to change the way children would perceive their challenges, understand their thoughts and feelings, and behave in a more acceptable way to resolve their individual concerns.

Many therapists include parenting sessions and family therapy in the treatment, which often helps alleviate symptoms faster.

How can therapy help my child?

The primary goal of therapy is to equip children and their parents with the tools needed for the child to function well and to successfully handle and manage life stresses. Therapy can also help children accept harsh realities in life and manage changes and transitions, such as the death of a loved one or the separation of parents. It can similarly help them build their self-esteem and confidence.

Therapy can also help if they are behaving recklessly, with anger, or if they are confused and feeling worthless. For older children, it can give them the opportunity to ask questions and understand their condition, symptoms and treatment, thereby inspiring them to participate and get better.

Meanwhile, a child therapist can also assist you, so you get the tools needed to properly support you child. With their assistance, you and your child can face obstacles together with less turmoil.

How do I talk to my child about his/her therapy?

Convinced that therapy can help your child, all you need to do is take the next step in scheduling with a professional. Making the decision for older children, however, can be more difficult. Believing that their concerns are not just passing with time, you can help them understand how better they would feel with therapy. It is important to remember, though, most people do not respond well to being pressured, children included!

Talk to them gently, but persistently. It may be challenging for them to open up in the beginning and to ‘get into the groove’ of therapy, so give them time. Therapy works, but it is not a quick fix. Be patient.

Is there child therapy near me?

For some children, therapy is the best form of help that a parent could provide. If your child has symptoms or behaviors that you believe are not just passing, it may be best that you bring him/her to a behavioral health professional before these symptoms even get worse. If the child is going through a challenging transition, contact Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC.

If visiting the office is not an option for you, you can access online counseling.

How can I access help through online counseling?

Online counseling, also known as telemental health or teletherapy, is a comfortable way to access therapy. It can be done from the comfort of your personal space – in your living room, in your bedroom, even in your backyard. To access online therapy, all you need is a telecommunication device and an Internet connection. Child therapy delivered online is equally effective as in-person or face-to-face therapy.

Parenting is satisfying, rewarding, but often challenging, complicated, and overwhelming. Aside from nurturing the physical health of your child, therapy could be the best help that you could provide your child when they are struggling. With the right help from CCS – Fuquay-Varina, NC, your child can enjoy a fulfilling life and relationships. Take that first step now. Call us!

Resolving Child Behavior Problems at Home through Online Counseling