Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

How I help to support your child with psychotherapy

Parents often worry when a child has a problem that causes them to be sad, disruptive, rebellious, unable to cope or inattentive.  You may be concerned about your child’s development, eating or sleeping patterns and how they are getting along with family and their learning at school and at home.

Every child is unique and special but sometimes they experience problems with feelings of behaviour that cause disruption to their lives and the lives of those around them.

I'm a trained, experienced, fully insured and DBS checked therapist. I offer talk therapy and therapeutic play for children and teenagers to make sense of sad, angry, painful and confusing feelings and thoughts towards more agreed positive outcomes.

Play is vital to every child’s social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development. It helps make learning concrete for all children and young people including those for whom verbal communication may be difficult.

Children receive emotional support and can learn to understand more about their own feelings and thoughts. Sometimes they may re-enact or play out traumatic or difficult life experiences in order to make sense of their past and cope better with their future. Children may also learn to manage relationships and conflicts in more appropriate ways.

The outcomes of therapy may be general e.g. a reduction in anxiety and raised self-esteem, or more specific such as a change in behaviour and improved relations with family and friends.  Children can develop confidence to explore things that are worrying them or affecting their day to day life.  By supporting the emotional health of pupils, psychotherapy helps to make it easier for children to access their inner resourceful states and build healthy relationships within the home and school environment.

Some parents delay seeking help because they worry that they will be blamed for their child/ren’s behaviour.  Feeling responsible for your child’s distress or problems is a normal part of caring and through my work with families and one-to-one clients, I also support parents’ unresolved/undiagnosed issues that could be affecting their child’s issues..  When an adult deals with problems like divorce, death or depression, sometimes their responses come from their own unresolved pasts which can escalate the problem..  

I have created an approach that helps to manage their inner child responses effectively. It's essential for everyone concerned to create an environment where everyone feels safe while working on these complex subjects together so that, in time, they can speak freely and trust that they will be supported.

How therapy for children & parents can help:

The benefits of therapy have been proven by scientists in hundreds of well-designed research studies. In therapy, they have a chance to talk/act/draw things out fully until their feelings are relieved or the problems are solved. 

To help them cope with trauma

When children and young people experience a traumatic event, such as the death of a parent or family member, therapy can help support them to cope with their feelings and start to heal. Children who are depressed may find their mood lifting.  Others may no longer feel afraid, angry, or anxious.  Your child’s relationships and coping skills may improve greatly.

Children who go through therapy after a traumatic event often have an easier time adjusting and tend to have fewer mental health issues later in life. I help teach them techniques to support their mental health and create an environment that encourages them to talk during our sessions, knowing they have support and are not alone.

To improve the social skills of children and young people

Children who have trouble making friends or are shy may benefit from therapy. Therapy for children can help them learn social skills and build self-confidence, making it easier for them to interact with other children and socialising in family relationships. As a result, children who receive therapy may have an easier time making friends and participating in activities, their goals and values become clearer. They may grow in many directions—as young people in their own right, in their close relationships, in their work or schooling, and in the ability to enjoy their lives.

You can help your child and their emotional well-being by working with a specialist to focus on communication and helpful tips for them to take into the real world as they make friends.

To address behavioural issues through child and adolescent years

Children with behavioural issues and would benefit from therapy. In some cases, treatment may also help identify underlying issues contributing to the child’s behaviour problems.  Sometimes, children have neurodevelopmental disorders which leads to behaviour issues - such as ADHD or ODD. Generally, children with ADHD are easily distracted, disorganised, and they may have difficulty sitting still. Children with ODD are often described as angry, defiant, or vindictive.

Through working with a therapist, children and young people can learn how to manage their behaviour and feel confident in social situations.
To reduce anxiety and depression

Anxiety and depression are common mental health issues affecting children of all ages. If left untreated, anxiety and depression can lead to severe problems like substance abuse and suicidal thoughts. However, therapy can help children manage their anxiety and depression, preventing these issues from worsening.  

To improve their overall mental health

Even if a child is not experiencing specific mental health issues, therapy can still be beneficial. Therapy can help children to develop healthy coping skills, learn more about themselves, and build self-esteem. As a result, children who work with a therapist often have better mental health overall