Children are our biggest joy, and we want to see our kids happy, healthy, and enjoying new life experiences each day. We want our children to achieve their highest potential and reach for their dreams. However, this isn’t always easy. Children experience distress just as adults do. Their distress is often recognized in behaviors, such as temper tantrums, verbal aggression, getting in trouble at school, problems with peers, or unsafe behaviors. Alternatively, their behaviors may be more internal, such as difficulty sleeping, nail biting, chronic stomachaches, and withdrawing from activities. These behavioral symptoms are red flags for distress in our children, and we need to support them in navigating this difficulty. As parents we may feel helpless. We may not know what to do – there was no owners manual written with our kids! Therapy can help.
Individual and family therapy can help kids gain important skills including identifying emotions in themselves and others; social skills to meet new friends and get along better with others at school; conflict resolution skills to manage problems at home and school; effective communication skills; anger management; and, managing anxiety effectively. Therapy with children often includes modalities such as child-centered play therapy, art therapy, or other expressive art techniques. Play is the language of children. Play is how they express themselves, how the process the circumstances of their life, and how they often communicate best with others. In play therapy, the therapists primary goal to to allow the child to been seen, heard, and understood in order to enhance their ability to connect with others and regulate their emotions. By increasing the ability to regulate emotions, children can make better behavioral choices, express themselves effectively, and build healthy relationships.
Additionally, parenting support can help you feel more confident in supporting your child as he or she navigates life’s changes. When parents take an active role in therapy, it allows the child or adolescent to have a strong support system that will meet their needs when it is time to leave therapy. Positive parenting techniques can help parents feel equipped with the tools they need to build positive relationships with their children.
If you suspect your child is struggle in any developmental stage, give us a call and set up a consultation to discuss if individual therapy and/or family therapy could benefit your child.
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