Therapy for children
Is Your Child Struggling And You Feel Unable To Help Them?
Are you feeling overwhelmed as a parent? Perhaps at times your child exhibits behavior that has become more than you can handle and you feel helpless. The nightly rituals of bath and bedtime might seem like a battle of wills—you only wish you knew how to make it go more smoothly. And if your child exhibits behavioral problems—such as tantrums, biting, hitting, or crying spells—you are probably at a loss of what to do.
Maybe you’re worried that your child may be anxious or sad when they complain of tummy aches, irrational fears, or tell you that they don’t want to go to school. Although you wish they were happy and carefree, it’s clear something is going on beneath the surface. As much as you want to know how to help them, you might feel out of your depth.
Parenting can be challenging when your child’s behavior is out of control. If you have a young child, they may not be able to articulate what’s wrong, but as they struggle to regulate big emotions, their behavior has become a cause for concern. And if you are having difficulty curbing your older child’s gaming and screen time, you might feel like you’re losing control.
Your Family Dynamic Might Be Under Stress From the Pandemic
The demands of working from home while your children simultaneously attend school virtually may have added a new kind of pressure on your family. While previously your kids might have had lots of activities outside of the home, without their usual outlets to blow off steam, your children may have grown more reliant upon screen time to preoccupy their time. Sadly, this new normal may have caused them to become withdrawn and isolated. And for parents, especially moms, the pandemic has forced many of us to multitask work and personal duties all under one roof, leaving us overwhelmed.
We understand how challenging parenting can be. Fortunately, there are therapists available who specialize in child behavior. Therapy for children offers scan offer your child healthier ways of regulating their emotions as well as help you develop tangible skills that will make parenting a more enjoyable experience.
Covid Has Pushed Families To Their Breaking Point
The impact the pandemic has had on the emotional wellbeing of families has been devastating. Research published in 2021 confirms that children have experienced significant anxiety and depression as a result of social isolation, loneliness, lack of physical exercise, and family stress precipitated by the Covid-19 outbreak.1 Moreover, separation anxiety in children is also on the rise due to the pandemic.2
Children Pick Up On Our Stress
No matter how hard we try to accomplish everything as parents, the pandemic has placed impossible demands upon us. Even though we’ve done our best under unprecedented circumstances, there’s are limits to what we can do. With everyone under one roof for much of the time, it’s become harder for us to juggle the demands of parenting and working.
We often have a harder time raising children when we lack the social supports that once existed more commonly, such as having an extended family nearby to help out. With visits from friends and family suspended by Covid, we too have been impacted by isolation and lack of support.
Although you may feel like you are the only parent who struggles with your children’s behavior, these challenges are a new reality of our post-pandemic world. Rather than blame yourself, there is therapy and coaching available for you and your child to get the help you need.
Therapy Offers Benefits For Children As Well As Parents
If your child is showing signs of depression or anxiety, there are ways you can help them. Our team of trained child counselors and psychologists has found that working with children and parents alike can lead to positive transformations in your daily interactions with each other. By providing you with parenting coaching, we can teach you how to communicate more effectively with your child so you can better understand what they are thinking and be able to give them what they need.
Our practice provides counseling that is tailored to the needs of each child and family. Depending upon the age of your child, we will either meet with them separately or together with you and perhaps your spouse.
Tangible Skills For Parents With Younger Children
For children under the age of eight, our first session will be attended with parents so we can better understand how you interact with each other and how your reactions may be impacting your child’s behavior. We will also explore what behaviors and situations you find stressful or problematic, what you are hoping to change, and what treatment goals you would like to achieve, such as decreasing tantrums or learning what to do when your child won’t stop crying. Thereafter, your child will receive individual therapy.
If you think parent coaching would benefit you, we offer separate sessions to improve your interactions and communication style. Your therapist may recommend you read No Drama Discipline by Dan Siegel.1 The accompanying workbook contains skills and strategies to help stop you from getting trapped in negative reactive behavior and to choose positive reinforcement instead.
Therapy For Children Ages Eight And Older
After an initial intake session with you to gather pertinent information, we will meet with your child privately, followed up with feedback sessions every two weeks with you and the therapist. Our therapy sessions for older children usually begin with playing some kind of game with them, such as Break the Ice or Jenga. We find that this is a more engaging and creative way to interact with your child that helps them get comfortable with therapy and be more willing to share their thoughts and feelings.
The Modalities We Use
For children under the age of eight, our first session will be attended with parents so we can better understand how you interact with each other and how your reactions may be impacting your child’s behavior. We will also explore what behaviors and situations you find stressful or problematic, what you are hoping to change, and what treatment goals you would like to achieve, such as decreasing tantrums or learning what to do when your child won’t stop crying. Thereafter, your child will receive individual therapy.
If you think parent coaching would benefit you, we offer separate sessions to improve your interactions and communication style. Your therapist may recommend you read No Drama Discipline by Dan Siegel.1 The accompanying workbook contains skills and strategies to help stop you from getting trapped in negative reactive behavior and to choose positive reinforcement instead.
But You May Wonder
Whether Therapy For Children Is Right For You…
“My child is so young—how will therapy work?”
For children ages seven and under, you will participate in therapy along with them so we can observe your interaction together. We highly recommend in-person therapy at this age so we can ensure your child is engaged in the process. We have a fully-equipped playroom where therapy takes place. Surrounded by toys, paints, and a sandbox, your child will be put at ease and participate in child-centered play therapy as your therapist offers you helpful coaching skills.
“Having to send my child to therapy makes me feel like a failure as a parent.”
Even though you may feel like you’re the only one experiencing problems with your child, you’re not alone. Many families are in the same boat, especially since the pandemic has added so much stress and pressure to our lives. But you’re not a failure—you’re a parent doing the best you can. Admitting you need help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The counselors at Koba Psychological Services are trained to provide therapy for children and parents who require guidance—there is no shame in that.
“Isn’t therapy for children time-consuming and expensive? “
Seeking out child and family counseling can seem daunting at first. After all, therapy for children is an investment of your time as well as money. However, when you consider what child counseling and parent coaching have to offer, it’s an investment worth making.The work we do in therapy will help regulate your child’s emotions so they can become more confident and well-adjusted as they continue to grow. Learning tangible parenting skills will boost your confidence as well, leading to a calmer and happier home environment.
Asking For Help Is The First Step Toward A Happier Family
It’s okay to admit you could use some help with the overwhelming task of raising a child. We’re here to help. If you would like to find out more about therapy for children, please contact us today.