Child Psychotherapy

bullying issues non-invasive counselling gentle play therapy behaviour problems bed-wetting learning disabilities feelings through play reflection awareness balanced growth true potential creative communication

One in five children experience emotional or behavioural difficulties sometime in childhood.

Early intervention is vital to help families.

Every child matters.

The benefits of Child and Teenage Psychotherapy

• builds their confidence and self esteem,
• helps them to learn to love and accept themselves for who they are,
• helps children to develop emotionally and socially,
• And most importantly... how to make them into well-rounded, content and happy children and eventually adults.

WHAT IS CHILD AND TEENAGE PSYCHOTHERAPY/PLAY THERAPY?

Therapy for children and teenagers is both similar and different from therapy work with adults. All types of therapy, regardless of if you call it Psychotherapy, Counselling or Play therapy, and regardless of the age of the client, have the same goal, and that is to help the client with some Psychological issues that cause distress.

But what is different when working with children and teenagers is that the practitioner has to modify the therapy to suit the young individuals developmental level. So a child therapist must, as well as being trained in Psychotherapy and Counselling theory and skills, also have a very good knowledge of Child Development and Child Psychology in general. 

WHAT CAN CHILD AND TEENAGE PSYCHOTHERAPY/PLAY THERAPY HELP WITH?

Therapy can help young people who struggle with: 

• Bullying
• Low self-esteem
• Learning disabilities (ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and more)
• Behaviour problems
• Depression (suicide issues)
• Anxiety (including bed-wetting and night-mares)
• Exam stress
• Parental separation
• Physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Bereavement

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER REFERRAL?

The first session is usually with the child’s parents or guardians, (without the child) and they are asked to give background information. This is also a chance for them (him or her) to meet the practitioner and ask more questions about the therapy, or to air any related concerns. The therapist must then make an assessment and decide if therapy is the best intervention for the child (sometimes the young client needs to be referred to a Psychiatrist or GP for further assessment before therapy can start).

Then if it is decided to go ahead with therapeutic work, the sessions take place usually once a week and last between 30 and 50 minutes depending on the individual child. The parents or guardians then come back every 4-6 th session for therapy review. Therapy work with children and teenagers is usually more short-term then work with adults, and most youngsters come between 5 and 15 sessions depending on the issues.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A THERAPY SESSION?

Young children under 10 years of age don’t yet have the cognitive maturity to express what bothers them, so talking therapy is not usually effective with this age group. Children work through experiences and learn how to manage their feelings through play, and this is what Play Therapy is about. The therapist has a “Play Therapy Tool Kit” with toys, art and crafts materials, hand puppets, a sand tray with miniatures and other sensory materials available to use in the session. Some children work through what they need to in silence, but many use the materials and also talk to the therapist as they do clay or paint ex.

Most older children and teenagers do some art- work too, but many just like to talk.