If a child is displaying more heightened distress, frequent crying, sadness, anger, irritability, agitation, or not engaging in previously enjoyable activities this may also signal there are mental health issues that a psychologist could help with.
Why your child might see a psychologist. Your child might see a psychologist if they need: counselling to help with grief, trauma or other issues. educational and developmental assessment and support to help with learning difficulties, disorders like ADHD and challenging behaviour, or social skills.
It is usually a time when all of your energies are being demanded in order to care of your child. Some signs that your child may be experiencing a mental health crisis include: Rapid mood swings. Extreme energy or lack of it, sleeping all the time, or being unable to sleep.
Preschoolers make sense of their world through play, and can't always put their feelings into words. This makes play therapy a fantastic option for this age group, since it builds on a young child's natural strengths. I usually start seeing children for therapy by themselves around ages 7-9.
As well as evaluating for developmental delays, private psychologists help children to overcome abuse, personal trauma and other experiences that can affect their emotional and mental health.
Childhood toxic stress is severe, prolonged, or repetitive adversity with a lack of the necessary nurturance or support of a caregiver to prevent an abnormal stress response [5].
Being mentally healthy during childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are problems. Mentally healthy children have a positive quality of life and can function well at home, in school, and in their communities.
However, it's a good idea to seek professional help or reassurance yourself if your child is constantly anxious and: it's not getting better, or is getting worse. self-help is not working. it's affecting their school or family life, or their friendships.
A child psychologist is a specialist who works with the mental processes of children, while a psychologist is someone who provides mental health diagnoses and treatment to patients of any age.
A child therapist is a mental health professional who focuses on the treatment and rehabilitation of disturbed children, while a child psychologist is a professional that can diagnose and treat many different mental health problems and syndromes in children.
Research shows that kids benefit the most from mental health therapy when their parents are involved. When parents and the family are involved, your child feels more supported, that the work is not just on them, and that there is a team of people that have their back.
Explain therapy in age-appropriate language.
All kids are familiar with the doctor. Tell your little ones a therapist is like a “feelings doctor.” Kids know what it's like to experience distress. Tell them a therapist will help them talk about times when they feel sad, mad or bad.
Extreme Feelings of Sadness or Worry
If a child seems unusually anxious, sad, or irritable for an extended period of time and it is getting in the way of their ability to do things they normally do, it is a good idea to seek help.
Legally speaking, people under the age of 18 do not typically have a right to confidentiality in therapy. However, some therapists ask parents to agree to the therapist's confidentiality rules before they will treat the client.
While it might seem like a “young people” way of coping with life changes, that's not true. Therapy or counseling benefits anyone who's in need of a listening ear, compassion, a change in perspective, a change in behavior, self-awareness, or acceptance. Those needs don't go away when you hit 50 or 60 years of age.
Your child might benefit from seeing a therapist if: They need emotional support and someone to talk to about their feelings. They're struggling with anxiety, depression, anger, or big life changes. You'd like help figuring out how to get along better with your child, and improve tough behavior.