Children's Therapy - Power Psychology

Our child psychologists use a variety of approaches including talk therapy, behavioural therapy or play therapy which involves using toys, games, puzzles, and art to help children process and articulate difficult thoughts, feelings and memories in a positive, encouraging and nurturing environment.

What is Child Therapy?

It can be difficult to interpret the thoughts and feelings of children. The way they process information, recall memories and react to the influence of others makes it challenging to understand how they think. Child therapy is tailored to the child's age and developmental stage. It is designed specifically for young children under 12 who are displaying mental health issues, behavioural issues or coping issues. It's a way to help them through their problems by dealing with their challenges in a safe environment where they can express themselves freely.

Signs of Distress in Children

Children who are distressed often express their emotions through their behaviour. They may act out, have tantrums, misbehave, or withdraw from their friends and family. These behaviours can be a response to the child's own negative emotions or a way to get attention from others. If you notice that your child is suddenly acting differently and won't communicate with you, counselling is a helpful option to get to the bottom of your concerns in a safe and nurturing environment.

Chronic Sadness

You child may be struggling if they experience persistent sadness or are feeling down for several days or weeks.

Social Withdrawal

Children in distress may become reserved and withdraw from play time and avoid previously acceptable social interactions.

Extreme Trantrums

Although young children can have tantrums, unusually anger and aggression can be a sign of a bigger problem.

Changes in Eating

If your child has uncharacteristically started over or under eating, it may be a sign of emotional distress.

Physical Pain

Children with mental health issues often have physical signs such as headaches, back pain and stomachaches.

Difficulty Focusing

If your child is having more difficulty focusing than normal, they may be dealing with something else on their mind.

Loss of Interest

Loss of interest in activities that they once enjoyed could be indicative that your child is dealing with a problem.

Difficulty Sleeping

Nightmares, insomnia, and oversleeping are all signs of emotional distress in young children.

A counselling approach that uses different kinds of play therapy techniques to help children express thoughts and feelings. It is a specialized approach made for young children. Play therapy may appear as normal play time to an outside perspective, but to a trained therapist, it offers invaluable insights into the thoughts and feelings of young children who can not properly articulate what they are going through.

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What Can Counselling Help With?

It can be hard for children to cope with the stresses and strains of life, especially if they are going through a tough time. Counselling can help children through a variety of situations, such as divorce of parents, school problems, depression, anxiety, bullying, loss, abuse and neglect. Child counsellors are trained to work with children to teach them how to manage their feelings better so they can deal with what's happening in their lives.

Anxiety Disorders

Children can, like adults, develop generalized anxiety, social anxiety, performance anxiety (stage fright), test anxiety, phobias, and panic disorders. However, they often find it very difficult to express their thoughts and explain why they feel so scared all the time.

Bullying

Children who experience bullying often suffer from low self-esteem and poor self-image. They may be more likely to have trouble with academics, social relationships, and even physical health. They may be at risk for developing mental illnesses like depression or anxiety disorders.

Divorce or Separation

Children who live in a home with divorced parents are often in a difficult position. Not only do they have to deal with the emotional turmoil of their parents' divorce, but they also have to navigate the sometimes-confusing world of relationships, family dynamics, and household management on their own.

Depression & Grief

Depression and grief are hard for anyone to deal with, but it is especially challenging for children. Children have not yet developed the tools to cope with difficult emotions, so they don't always know how to express their feelings. This can make them feel even more isolated and misunderstood than adults might feel in similar situations.

Learning Disabilities

Children who are struggling with learning disabilities can greatly benefit from counselling. Child therapists can help them identify their strengths and weaknesses, and develop strategies for overcoming their challenges. It also gives them the opportunity to find ways to improve their study habits and skills.

ADHD and Autism

Counselling helps children with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder develop coping strategies for managing their symptoms and improving their quality of life. It also helps them develop the skills to communicate effectively, manage social situations better and make friends more easily.

OCD

Children with OCD show signs of obsession, which are fears that the child can't stop thinking about, and compulsions, which are rituals that your child may do to control their fears. Counselling can help reduce and even eliminate obsessions and the need to act on them.

Trauma

Children who have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect can find it difficult to verbalize their memories, thoughts and feelings. Our therapists offer a specialized approach to help children process what had happened in a developmentally appropriate way and learn how to cope with their complex feelings.

School Problems

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Children's Counselling