Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Children and Adolescents
Welcome! This post is for the parents on the edge, wondering if their child would benefit from therapy and what therapy for children and adolescents even looks like. I hope that this article will answer any questions that you may have, keeping in mind that every child and family is unique and should you need a more personalized conversation, please call our office for a more tailored conversation.
Signs Your Child May Be Displaying That May Alert the Need for Children’s Therapy
Changes in sleeping or eating habits
Changes at home or at school that are causing them stress
Frequent worrying; excessive fears
Withdrawal from family and friends
Frequent crying; mood swings
Reports of symptoms like stomach aches and headaches that cannot be better explained by a medical reason
Destructive and/or disruptive behavior
Regression
Wetting the bed
Difficulty paying attention; changes in academic performance
Difficulty with bullying
Suicidal ideation; self-harming behavior
The Logistics of Engaging in Therapy
Therapy typically occurs weekly, although a time may come when session frequency can be decreased to biweekly or even monthly as goals are achieved. Currently, LifeSpring Counseling Services offers sessions through telehealth. If you are wondering if telehealth is an appropriate fit for your child, please read my article entitled, “How Do I Know if Telehealth/Online Counseling is Right for My Child?” You as the parent are an integral part of the process and frequent communication with your child’s therapist will be so important, whether at the start or end of sessions, through scheduled parent consultation calls, or through family therapy.
What Does Therapy for Children Look Like?
This depends on your child’s age! When children are in early elementary school, therapists typically use play and literature to build a relationship with your child and to teach coping skills.
As children progress through elementary school, it may move on to talk therapy in tandem with organized games, like cards or board games with modified rules to fit therapeutic lessons. As your adolescent moves on to middle school and high school, gaming may be utilized but more frequently a transition to entirely talk therapy occurs.
Your Role in the Counseling Process
You are the link between your child, their therapist, and all the external factors impacting their mental health. You are someone who can provide utilized information on academia, recreation, sleep and dietary habits, friendships, and familial relationships. You provide insight into the effectiveness of services as it displays outside of session, along with the encouragement to use coping skills outside of session. Should you be interested in connecting your therapist to your child’s school as an additional resource in IEP meetings or 504 meetings that can be arranged. Family counseling can also be scheduled.
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How Do I Know if Online Counseling (Telehealth) is Right for My Child?
How to Effectively Communicate with Your Child’s Mental Health Therapist
What Every Child and Adolescent Therapist Wants Parents and Caregivers to Know
Listening Skills to Help Cultivate a Healthy Connection with Your Child
How to Use Questions to Build Engagement & Improve Communication
Changes You Can Make at Home to Help Support Your Child While in Therapy
Search Our Other Blogs!
Interested in Counseling for Children & Teens?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!
Here’s how you can get started! Online counseling for children and teens isn’t the only service offered at our Maryland office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written by: Caroline Masucci, LMSW
Caroline is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) at LifeSpring Counseling Services in Maryland, and she specializes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and communication skills. She works closely with children, teens, and adults.
Photo credit: Elina Fairytale, Ksenia Chernaya, Andrea Piacquadio, & Annushka Ahuja
Date of download: 10/21/2022
