Children

In therapy with children the therapist collaborates with the parents to provide personalized care based on the child’s symptoms and issues. Focus is on helping the child and the parents to successfully address challenges and to strengthen relationships.

Children enter our lives without instruction manuals, FAQs, or customer support. We are handed a small, complex being, and are expected to transform them into a responsible and productive member of society. But it is hard to be objective with our own kids and to see the difference between developmentally appropriate behavior and issues that are more serious. It often helps to consult a professional who can help us sort through the complexities and come up with a plan for change when necessary. Here are some questions to consider when deciding if your child would benefit from therapy:

• Has your child asked to talk to someone about life challenges?
• Has your child experienced a significant loss, such as death of a loved one or a pet?
• Has your child experienced the loss of a parent through separation or divorce?
• Are you seeing isolation, sadness, significant irritability, or loss of interest in things that used to interest your child?
• Is your child having suicidal thoughts?
• Is your child having difficulty going to school or is school performance suffering?
• Is your child reporting or demonstrating symptoms of anxiety?
• Is your child struggling to make friends?

If you answered “yes” to some of these questions, your child may benefit from seeing a professional therapist to address these concerns. A therapist can also help you decipher when an adjustment in parenting or a change in environment would be helpful. Many children respond well to therapy and experience significant improvement.