Child Therapy
Are You Worried About Your Child’s Emotional Response And Behaviors?
Does your child struggle to manage “big emotions” like sadness, fear, and anger?
Is their anxiety or discomfort interfering with their ability to socialize and perform well in school?
Do they demonstrate symptoms of autism, or have they been given an autism diagnosis?
Are you feeling discouraged because you can’t seem to figure out how to calm and comfort them?
Whether or not your child is neurodiverse, it’s stressful for everyone in the family when excessive emotional outbursts occur. Though you want to do everything you can to support your child through their challenges, you may be concerned that an unhealthy cycle has been created or that a deeper issue is triggering their symptoms. They may experience temper tantrums, difficulty transitioning between school and home, or often get in trouble, causing you to feel frustrated about your child’s behaviors.
The discord has probably cast a ripple effect in your life at home. Maybe your other kids are no longer interested in spending time with your child due to their excessive displays of emotion, or perhaps you and your partner disagree on how to intervene. One of you may operate from a punishment/reward system, while the other thinks that indulging your child’s demands is the answer.
Living this way can make parenting feel difficult—impossible even. When nothing you do helps soothe your child, it can introduce feelings of discouragement and failure. But at A New Day Family Counseling, we know that you are doing your best. Our counselors specialize in child development and will work with you to support your child and other family members to reinforce happy, healthy behaviors.
Anxiety Is Increasingly Common Among Children
Growing up is tough as is, but today's children have to contend with certain hurdles that simply didn’t affect previous generations. For instance, the presence of technology in the lives of kids has impacted the way they see themselves and the world around them. It’s also led to a gradual decrease in play, physical activity, and time spent outside.
This was made significantly worse by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Department of Human & Health Services (HHS) secretary noted, “The pandemic has been particularly difficult on our children, who have been as scared and confused as the rest of us.” And in fact, a study done by The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) found that between 2016 and 2020, there was a close to 30 percent increase in the onset of anxiety and depression among children. [1]
That same study concluded that parents also experienced significant challenges during the quarantine period. For parents with young children, there was a sharp increase—34 percent—who were forced to quit or change jobs due to childcare demands. [2]
If you’re the parent of a child who’s struggling, you have enough on your plate. Not to mention, you’ve probably tried just about everything you can to intervene and help your child. Yet, with the support of a therapist, you can develop an actionable plan that will aid your child in managing their emotions and distress.
A New Day Family Counseling Specializes In Child Development And Interventions
Children benefit from therapy because it offers a safe space to explore and process their emotions. Through being given a voice to verbalize their feelings, needs, and wants, your child can learn to be responsible for managing their distress and solving problems on their own.
Additionally, because we have licensed child psychologists on staff, we are able to offer psychological testing to determine diagnoses of autism, ADHD, and other issues. No matter your child’s background or ability, ongoing counseling is available to strengthen coping and emotion regulation skills.
Our Approach
As a parent, you are essential to your child’s success in counseling. Your child’s therapist will work with you to ensure that you have the skills and insights needed to support their progress. That said, we will center the treatment process around your child, giving them the time and space to address their struggles independently.
Throughout early sessions, we will work with your child to uncover the underlying issues leading to disruptive symptoms. Using sand tray therapy and creative outlets, including arts and crafts, your child can relax and begin the process of exploration, which will ultimately allow them to develop healthier coping strategies.
We will also use games to teach your child essential social and emotional skills. Instead of accelerating their emotions from zero to sixty, they will learn how to handle their feelings and set boundaries appropriately. This will allow them to thrive not only at home but at school and in other environments.
Finally, our Worry Wise program is designed to offer children anxiety-specific therapy in a group setting. This structured program helps kids understand and slow down their emotional responses using elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Furthermore, because your child will be in a small group with other kids who share their struggles, Worry Wise is a great opportunity for socialization.
As your child improves their ability to manage their stress, emotions, and behaviors, they can begin to engage healthy habits that will improve their quality of life and help keep the peace at home. Working with our counselors, your child can be given a lifelong toolkit for managing big emotions and tough challenges.
Still Unsure If Therapy Is Right For Your Child?
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If your child grapples with anxiety, the best intervention is mental health treatment with a trained professional. Our child therapists specialize in child development and have years of experience working with a diverse population of kids and their families. We will team up with you and your child to completely tailor the counseling process to their unique anxiety symptoms and needs.
Equipped with individualized tools and attention, your child will likely show great progress at home, demonstrating that they are learning to effectively self-soothe and manage anxiety.
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We understand that there are a lot of big, confusing changes that take place in the midst of divorce or separation. Therapy can help your child navigate these changes, develop healthy coping strategies, and voice their emotions appropriately. Furthermore, your child’s therapist can act as a neutral presence since children often struggle with feelings of disloyalty when verbalizing their feelings to either parent.
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Yes. Therapy is a great way to help your child develop techniques to aid them in staying focused and organized. It can also help you, the parent, reinforce strong executive functioning at home, at school, and in every area of your child’s life.
We understand that ADHD-related behaviors are often overwhelming and difficult to regulate, but we will support both of you in achieving a healthy, manageable quality of life.
Child Therapy Offers Benefits To The Whole Family
At A New Day Family Counseling, we use expressive therapies, behavioral techniques, and skills-building to help children overcome obstacles and thrive. To find out more about how therapy can help your child, contact us.
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