Three Common Questions about Therapy for Kids
This blog has been updated from the original September 2020 post.
San Diego is a great place to live. On one hand, it has this easy-going feeling, with sunshine and sandy beaches, but there are also a lot of pressures that go with living in Southern California. Raising kids and the whole parenting thing gets complicated. In fact, lately, you have been considering therapy for your child.
Now you’re searching for a child therapist and it feels a bit overwhelming.
You have some names from friends, but you have lots of questions. Who wouldn’t? After all, it’s your kid and you want to understand what taking your kid to therapy will be like. So far you have read some therapists’ websites trying to find out basic information. Sometimes there’s a lot of information to sort through.
Here are three common questions that I am asked about child therapy in San Diego.
1. Does my child really need therapy?
There is a long and short answer to this question. Here is the short answer. If your child has experienced a traumatic event, a recent loss, or a major life transition, and is struggling to function in key areas of life, the answer is yes. Therapy can definitely help your child cope better. The longer answer involves going into detail about what symptoms your child may actually be experiencing. If you are concerned today about your child’s well-being, reach out for help. Many therapists (including myself) provide free, phone consultations that can help assess if therapy is right for your child.
2. How long will therapy take?
The length of therapy depends on factors such as how long the problem has been going on and how severe the symptoms are. Other factors include your child’s developmental level and personality. Some research suggests that improvement is connected with higher frequency at the onset of therapy. When there is a commitment to focused therapy, which includes weekly sessions, goals are reached much sooner.
3. How much does therapy cost?
The bottom line is that mental health is an investment that pays dividends over time. Hoping that an issue will simply go away is not realistic. Anxious kids often become anxious and depressed teens. They don’t outgrow the symptoms of an issue, they simply morph over time and become more problematic. While it’s important to do your research and learn what you can do at home to help, know that professional help can really make a difference by reducing symptoms now and providing a good foundation for better overall mental health in the future.
I am not an insurance expert, but how much therapy will cost depends on several factors such as if you have an HMO, a PPO, or you plan to pay for an out-of-network therapist. Before you call any therapist, call your insurance company and ask about your Behavioral/Mental health Care benefits. Ask about your co-pay if you use an in-network provider. Ask about your deductible and if you have met it for the year. Additionally, if you are interested in working with a therapist who is not contracted with your health insurance, ask about out-of-network benefits.
Here are some questions you might consider before you call a therapist about child therapy in San Diego.
Do I need to address my own underlying issues in therapy?
If you are experiencing marriage problems, depression, substance abuse, anxiety, or have never healed from past trauma, it can impact how you show up as a parent. This consequently can affect your child’s mental health. Getting help for yourself may be the best thing you can do for yourself and for your children’s mental health.
What is my budget for therapy?
For therapy to be effective, it needs to be viewed as an investment in your and/or your child’s well-being. It’s less about fixing a symptom, and more about looking at the underlying issue. There are many ways to invest in your child’s well-being (competitive sports, tutoring, music lessons, participation in a spiritual community), that help your child build character and skills.
Therapy is a specific investment in your child’s emotional and mental health that builds a strong foundation for everything else they do in life, especially school/vocation and relationships. If you are able to break unhealthy patterns or interrupt patterns now that have begun to take root in your child, the benefit will echo into the future.
Free Consultation for Child Therapy in San Marcos and Encinitas, CA
I hope I helped answer a few of your questions about therapy for kids. If you are looking for a child therapist in San Diego north county to help your child with anxiety, I provide therapy in San Marcos and therapy in Encinitas. You can read more about how I can help here.
Click here to visit my contact page where you can check my availability, and book a free, phone consultation.
Thank you for visiting my website. I hope you found this blog helpful. Take care and be well.
Tami