Therapy for Children
School is back! Change is hard and can be a difficult transition for families after the freedom of summer. Maybe your child is in a new school, has a new teacher or is starting school for the first time. Regardless it is a big change for your family as you navigate your new routine. This can also be a great time to make room in your schedule for therapy. It can be hard to know when your child could benefit from counseling whether they are struggling with transitioning back, a recent traumatic event, or ongoing feelings of anxiety or depression.
Your child could be struggling with one or more of the following:
Separation anxiety
Feelings of worry
Has experienced or is experiencing trauma
Family conflict issues
Parental separation or divorce
Grief or loss
Struggling with friendships or social interactions
Feelings of depression
Nightmares
Behavioral concerns
Having trouble regulating their feelings
Therapy is a great resource that can help your child navigate through these things, and also support you as the caregiver. You may be wondering what the process looks like for kids. Therapy is for children of all ages. It is a safe, nurturing environment where your child will feel validated, heard and supported. Children learn how to identify and express their feelings, and learn effective tools on how to handle big feelings. Through the support of the therapist and caregivers, children are able to better regulate their emotions and use tools that help them handle feelings such as anger, sadness, worry, fear, shame, or even excitement. Some children may also be struggling with negative beliefs such as “I can’t do anything right.” Therapy can help children recognize these beliefs and change their thinking patterns.
While therapy is FOR children of all ages, therapy LOOKS different for children of all ages. Children, adolescents and teens often express themselves not just through words, but through expressive arts, play, sand tray, games, movement, or imagination. One type of therapy you may have heard is play therapy, where children explore their thoughts, feelings and experiences through play using toys. Through play the therapist is engaging them at their level, making them feel comfortable and safe to share their feelings and experiences through their own language. Play therapy provides a space for a child to share their world through their creativity and imagination.
At The Haven, we are also trained in therapies that help children who have experienced different types of trauma. Traumatic experiences can include, but are not limited to: family violence, domestic violence, child abuse, car accidents, natural disasters, a scary medical procedure, or bullying. The two types we are trained in are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). These specific therapies help children share and reprocess their traumatic event(s) in a safe, supportive way with the goal being to decrease their trauma symptoms, change negative beliefs that were developed as a result of the trauma and help children feel empowered to better cope with hard feelings and everyday situations.
It is also important to know that therapy for kids involves the caregiver. In fact, this is one of the most important parts of therapy. For therapy to be most effective, the caregiver plays a supportive, involved role that looks different in every family. This often means learning the tools your child is learning so you can help them handle their emotions at home and school or supporting your child as they share their thoughts and experiences. The therapist is also there to provide parenting support.
At The Haven, we know it can be scary to trust another adult with your child. We are here to answer all of your questions and support you through this process. We hope to hear from you soon!
Until we see you,
Jordan & The Haven Team
