Child Therapy in Columbus, OH—Therapists and Counselors
Childhood should be a time of popsicle sticks and playing with friends until it gets dark outside. It’s a time of no responsibility and careless fun. So why are so many children hurting? When our children hurt, we hurt. It’s instinctive to protect the bright light of childhood. If we could, we would probably take all of their pain and struggles and put it on ourselves! Although that’s not possible, there is something you can do for your child.
Thriveworks Columbus understands how hard it can be for the entire family when a child is struggling with behavioral, mental, or emotional difficulties. We walk with them as they process, understand, and progress forward in their journey towards that happy childhood.
The brains of youth are unique from the fully formed brains of adults. That’s why it can be confusing or frustrating when your child is exhibiting uncommon symptoms of mental illness. It also means normal therapy techniques won’t always work. When someone sees and processes the world differently, they need an equally different approach. Thriveworks Columbus child therapy can be that bridge and help your child get back to the healthy, happy state they deserve!
What Is Child Therapy?
The goal of Child Therapy is to help your child understand, process, and handle problems that can range from mental illness to trauma to difficult behaviors. In all our years of experience, Thriveworks Columbus has never found two children who are alike. Therefore, every Child Therapy session is unique.
Children’s brains are especially neuroplastic: they can heal from trauma and grow past difficulties easier than adult brains can. The earlier a child sees a counselor once a potential problem is noted, the better the long-term outcome.
Of course, there is never a problem that is too big or too small for our Thriveworks Columbus counselors. We understand that seeing a counselor is a big decision with a lot of opposing factors, and we are more than happy to walk with you through the decision-making process. We can give you tools and recommendations to implement at home, or help you make the next best step. And if you decide counseling is that next step, we would love to walk beside you and your child!
A few of the more common reasons to bring a child to Child Therapy include:
- Changes in appetite
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Difficulty sleeping
- Unwarranted aggression
- Persistent anxiety and nerves
- Failing or worsening grades
- Social isolation
- Self-harm
- Expression of suicidal thoughts
- Recent changes in family (move, loss of a family member, etc.)
- Traumatic experiences
Thriveworks Columbus strives to optimize every child’s wellbeing while encouraging their unique personality. We would love to meet you and your child today and talk about what might come next!
What Does Child Therapy Look Like?
Children will often not have the vocabulary or insight to talk through what they need to process. They might have difficulty understanding their own emotions and experiences, and most of the traditional therapies might not work as well. The psychology field has progressed immensely and have developed many child therapies that work wonderfully in replacement of or in conjunction with traditional talk therapy. Some of these include:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Play therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Developing coping methods
- Practicing relaxing techniques
- Behavioral therapy
Scheduling a Session at Thriveworks Columbus
Our Thriveworks Columbus counselors are trained in many different counseling techniques and have many other tools/strategies that prove helpful.
Finally, we want to stress that anything your child might be struggling with is not your fault! Having a child in therapy does not make you a “bad” parent. You love your child in a way that no one else can, and that is vital in their development and healing. But at a certain point, love alone can’t reach the mental, emotional, and behavioral problems that might be manifesting. Thriveworks Columbus can be that professional bridge to bring you closer to your child and your child to a healthier, happier spot.
If you think your child could benefit from working with a therapist, reach out to Thriveworks Columbus today. Our therapists are ready and eager to help them live better and set them up for greater success.
