Child & Adolescent Therapy
While children and adolescents experience many of the same mental health challenges as adults, the approach to working with young people differs significantly for two main reasons.
First, children often lack the emotional language that adults have, making it harder for them to express themselves verbally. As a result, therapy for youth often incorporates alternative methods, such as art and play, to help them communicate. Second, therapy with young people frequently involves family or parental involvement to varying degrees. We recognize that a child's well-being is influenced by their environment, and believe that therapy is most effective when the work done in sessions is supported and reinforced at home. Additionally, we offer parenting support to assist families in managing challenges they may face within the home.
Effective Forms of Therapy for Children and Adolescents
Therapy offers children and adolescents a safe space to work through their thoughts and emotions. With the help of a specialized psychologist, children and adolescents can learn to identify and understand their emotions. This can help them feel better equipped to regulate their difficult emotions, resolve problems, modify behaviours, and make healthy and lasting changes.
The following are a few different types of psychotherapy available to children and families. Each offers unique approaches and techniques to bring about healthy outcomes. Sometimes a therapist may choose to use just one specific therapy approach, and other times he or she may find a combination of various treatments is the best approach.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
CBT helps children to identify the connections among their thoughts, emotions and behaviours. CBT also helps children identify unhelpful thought patterns. Once a child recognizes that their thoughts are associated with their feelings and moods, they can learn to control themselves and their behavior. Research has shown that CBT is highly effective at treating depression and anxiety as well as helping individuals, including children, deal with highly stressful experiences.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT helps children and adolescents process their inner emotions. ACT provides context and understanding to emotions that can seem overwhelming. This allows kids to work through emotions and move forward.
Who is Therapy Right for?
At every age, children can be faced with life’s challenges. The following are some of the events and situations that can impact a child’s mental health and well-being:
- The death of a loved one
- Bullying
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Domestic violence
- Moving or attending a new school
- Divorce
- Social anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
- Eating disorders
Therapy is not a "quick fix" to a child’s behavioral or emotional issues. It is instead a thoughtful and comprehensive process that provides children with insights and skills so that they may become masters of their thoughts and feelings. This, in essence, is how children develop into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
If you would like to explore treatment options for your child, please give our office a call.