Child Therapists in Oakland, MI—Child Therapy and Counseling
Allie’s parents have decided to separate. She’s an only child, which only adds to the lonely feelings she’s experiencing in the wake of this news. None of Allie’s friends understand what she’s going through, so she doesn’t want to talk to them—and she certainly doesn’t want to talk to her parents about how their divorce makes her feel. So, she keeps her feelings bottled up inside. But she can’t prevent them from affecting her life. Her grades start to drop and she quits the soccer team. She has no desire to go to school, to participate in the normal after-school activities, or to even hang out with her friends. She just wants to keep to herself.
Allie’s reaction to her parents divorcing is not abnormal. This is a major change, one that can have ripple effects on the lives of everyone involved—especially the children. The good news is that there are people out there who can help in these instances: child therapists. Child therapists can serve as that third party; a third party who knows how young mind’s work. They can listen and talk to your children when they’re going through tough times, such as the difficult situation painted above.
Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed first. –Matthew Jacobson
Is your child or teen struggling? Are they in the midst of a major change or transition that’s throwing their life off balance? Are they struggling to learn or focus at school? Are they still figuring out how to navigate their relationships with others? The possibilities are endless. The difficult truth is that our kids and teens will struggle from time to time, just as we do. Fortunately, they can better navigate their challenges with the help of a child therapist. To begin working with a child therapist at Thriveworks Oakland Counseling, just call our office at (947) 217-3010.
Should I Look into Therapy for My Child?
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell when your child is suffering. Kids and teens tend to keep a lot of their problems to themselves, because they feel embarrassed or they don’t want to talk to their parents about it. You shouldn’t take offense to this, as it’s normal for kids to keep their troubles from their parents and other family members. That said, it is important that you keep an eye on them and take action if they appear to be struggling. For example, the following kids can probably benefit from talking to a third party:
- A child just lost his grandma who he’s always been close with.
- A teen is afraid to go to school because he’s the bully’s newest target.
- A kid is struggling to accept the reality of her parents’ divorce.
- A teen is showing symptoms of an eating disorder.
- A child has witnessed a traumatic event and hasn’t been able to sleep since.
These are just a few instances in which child therapy can prove helpful. Now, it might be difficult for your child to accept or get used to the idea of therapy. However, they do warm up to their child therapist and learn to better navigate the challenges that lie before them.
How Does Child Therapy Work?
Child therapy is catered to young minds. Children and teens are not properly equipped to deal with many of the challenges that get thrown into their laps. Their minds are still developing and they are still learning how to process their emotions, deal with stress, and so on.
Now, there are a few different approaches that prove particularly beneficial to children. Here are a couple of those modalities:
- Play therapy: This is an effective way for kids, at many different age levels, to explore and illustrate their feelings. Both play therapy and art therapy techniques supplement play therapy.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps people address negative thinking patterns. For example, it’s easy for any of us to assume the worst. In child therapy, the therapist will use CBT to help the child see that their negative thoughts are not reality.
Child therapy at Thriveworks Oakland Counseling is customized for each child. If you decide to pursue child therapy for your child, know that their therapist will get to know their needs and then design a treatment plan that will best meet those needs.
Schedule Child Therapy at Thriveworks Oakland Counseling
You should be proud of yourself for looking into mental health care that could set your child up for years of happiness and success. We are honored to have the opportunity to work with your child, and we hope to hear from you soon. To schedule a child therapy session, simply call our office at (947) 217-3010.
