There is little that compares to the hurt we feel when our children hurt. When we can’t figure out what is causing them pain it is especially bad. And the truth is, our children will hurt. Depression, anger, anxiety, and behavioral issues can affect a 7-year-old just as much as a 17-year-old or a 77-year-old!
But while we can sit down and have a heart-to-heart with our teenagers, and adults can talk through their problems, there’s an extra level of difficulty when walking a child through a difficult time. For someone who doesn’t even fully understand death, the loss of a grandparent can be confusing and devastating. And it doesn’t matter how persuasive you are, sometimes kids just don’t understand why they have to listen to their teacher.
What Is Child Therapy?
The human brain isn’t fully developed until around 25 years of age, so you can imagine how much different children’s brains are! The undeveloped brain can make it hard to understand, process, and handle the issues that are causing a child pain. Anything from mental illness to trauma to loneliness will look different in a child than adult and requires a different approach.
Although it is heartbreaking to watch a child suffer, it can actually be easier for children to recover from trauma and mental illness than adults. The term “neuro-plasticity” describes how the brain is more like clay than stone, and the younger the child the more mold-able their brain is. So even if your child has gone through incredibly difficult circumstances, they still have a large hope for a happy future.
If you are still unsure if counseling is the right path for you and your child, give Journey to Wellness Counseling, LLC a call and we can walk you through the decision-making process.
Some of the common issues we see children for include:
- Change in appetite
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Difficult sleeping
- Unwarranted aggression
- Persistent anxiety and nerves
- Failing or worsening grades
- Social isolation
- Self-harm
- Expression of suicidal thoughts
- Recent changes in family (move, loss of a family member, etc.)
- Traumatic experiences
- ADHD
- Concerns about autism
- Increase self-confidence
The love you show for your child is undeniable. If they are struggling with one of the issues above or a different issue entirely, know that it is not your fault. Sometimes, life hits hard. Journey to Wellness Counseling, LLC is here to ensure that you and your child don’t stay down but stand up and grow.
What Does Child Therapy Look Like?
That truly depends on your child and what they are going through. Sometimes, simply having a judgement-free space is all a child needs. On the other hand, children usually don’t have the awareness needed to process their internal thoughts and emotions. There are interactive techniques I like to use when this happens to keep your child moving forward.
Some examples include:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Play therapy (Using play to explore hidden or misunderstood emotions and memories)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (identifying negative thoughts and the behaviors associated with them and replacing them with positive ones)
- Developing coping methods
- Practicing relaxing techniques
- Behavioral therapy
- Modelling (actively modelling how to respond in a healthy way to situations a child might encounter)
