Child Therapy in State College, PA—Counseling for Kids and Teens

When you think back on your childhood, what do you remember? Certainly the laughs, the smiles, the wholesome memories made with friends and family. But you might remember some not-so-good times too, like: the first time you cried over a breakup; or the time that you got picked on; or the day you found out that your parents were getting a divorce.

Many of us tend to repress these memories—but we all have them. And the children of today have them, too. Human suffering isn’t reserved for adults. Kids, teens, and adolescents suffer as well. And in many cases, they don’t yet have the skills or tools to rise to the challenge.

It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.

It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”

–L.R. Knost

Fortunately, child therapy can help kids work through their challenges. These mental health professionals have skills and experience specific to helping young individuals as they encounter mental and emotional trials. If this is something that you think your child or teen could benefit from, contact us. Thriveworks State College, PA has child therapists and teen counselors on our team who would love to help.

How Can Child Therapy Help Kids?

Child therapy is designed to help kids manage stress, anger, and other difficult feelings that might negatively impact their mental health. It can also help kids cope better in challenging situations, heal from trauma, build healthy relationships with their family members and peers, and more. Here are a few more specific examples of how child therapy might help your young one:

1. Coping and healing from their parents’ divorce.

If you and your child’s mother or father have recently separated, your child is likely moving through some really difficult feelings. They might be feeling angry, upset, confused, guilty—emotions that are hard for even us adults to confront. Not to mention that these will only worsen as time goes on if they remain unaddressed. A child therapist can talk to them about how they’re feeling, help them understand their specific emotions, and teach them how to communicate or channel those emotions. You child’s therapist might encourage them to journal, craft, or practice deep-breathing.

2. Dealing with major changes in their life.

Divorce is certainly a major change, but there are other big changes that children go through, too. Common major changes include moving to a new town or attending a new school, both of which will likely bring out difficult emotions similar to those mentioned above. Again, your child’s therapist can help them work through these emotions and also cope during this difficult or stressful time. Their therapist might teach your child about positive self-talk as well as stress-relieving techniques as part of treatment.

3. Managing a mental illness.

Another common topic in child therapy is mental illness. If you’ve noticed that your child seems depressed, anxious, or is exhibiting symptoms of another mental health condition, treatment is often necessary to managing said illness. Child therapy can serve as the appropriate treatment method, as these therapists are trained to help young individuals better understand and manage their given challenge. If you decide to pair your child with a Thriveworks State College therapist, they will take a look at your son or daughter’s symptoms and offer a personalized treatment plan just for them.

There are many other instances in which a child therapist can be helpful as well. When you get down to it, if your child is struggling mentally or emotionally, in any way, shape, or form, therapy can likely help them get back on their feet.

Set Your Child up with a Therapist at Thriveworks State College Counseling

As we’ve reiterated many times, child therapy can help a range of kids with a range of challenges. Child therapy benefits can vary from one kid to the next, but one thing remains true: therapy can equip kids with essential tools for growing well through life. If you think that your child or teen could benefit from talking to someone, reach out to Thriveworks State College Counseling. We pride ourselves on only partnering with the best of the best counselors and therapists that we can find. This means that if you decide to pursue child therapy at Thriveworks State College, you can count on your child’s therapist approaching treatment with the essentials, including…

• Skills
• Experience
• Training
• Expertise
• Compassion
• Care

Your child is in good hands here at Thriveworks State College Counseling. To get them started with their first therapy session, just contact our office. We’re here to help and we can provide you with this help as soon as today.