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CHILD THERAPY
“Is my child normal?”
It’s a question just about all parents ask themselves. However, the deeper question is, how do you know if your child needs counseling?
Taking your child to counseling doesn’t mean that there is something inherently wrong with them. There are many reasons why a child may benefit from it. Whatever the reason, counseling will help them develop skills to understand and process their emotions, and will ultimately help them become well-adjusted adults.
If they are struggling with something emotionally, it might present as them acting out or withdrawing. Experiences like divorce, moving, being bullied or experiencing a traumatic event can cause intense emotions in a child.
A note about children and grief:
Counseling is especially recommended if your child has experienced the loss of a loved one. Talking about death with children must be adjusted to suit their developmental level, to be respectful of their family’s values and to be sensitive to their capacity to understand what is happening. It’s important to be as truthful as possible depending on the age of the child. Children may imagine more extreme circumstances if specifics are not shared with them. Even if they do not fully understand death, children will be aware of and affected by the actions of adults in their lives. Loss and death are part of the cycle of life that children need to be able to comprehend.
A great thing about children is that they are resilient!
Play therapy is a type of counseling for children 3-12 years of age. The way in which a child expresses themselves through play is often their natural way of communicating. A play therapist enters their world to communicate with them and help them understand any psychological and psychosocial challenges they might be facing. In play therapy, children are able to express their experiences and feelings through a natural, self-guided and self-healing process. Play therapy helps children grow and encourages healthier social integration and development.
If you’re ready to get help for your child call our offices at 815-515-0010 or fill in the form below.
