What to expect from kids’ therapy
This blog has been updated from the original October 2020 post.
There are lots of things to experience and talk about in North County San Diego. However, right now many parents are stressed out and anxious. The reasons are varied, and one of the reasons may be how the past few years have taken a toll on families.
In general, though, parents tend to talk a lot about how their kids are doing in school and at home. Parents talk about what kids are participating in, like soccer or dance, or piano lessons. One thing that parents don’t talk openly about is their child needing therapy.
Talking about Child therapy.
Stigmas persist about getting help from a counselor or mental health therapist. And when it’s your kid who needs child therapy for anxiety, it’s not something proudly posted on social media.
Perhaps you’ve experienced counseling and you’re wondering what to expect from child therapy. Does it work the same? Is my kid going to sit on a couch across from a therapist, discussing what’s on their mind?
Here’s a short list of things to expect from child therapy.
The therapist will provide a kid-friendly experience.
Expect therapy to look different from adult therapy. Therapy for kids often includes therapy games, creating art, writing, reading books, watching videos, role-playing with puppets, building things with blocks or clay, and therapeutic play with other toys.
The therapist will connect well with your child.
This sounds basic, but the foundation of therapy is a relationship of trust. Expect the therapist to be able to connect well with children on their level. If your child doesn’t feel comfortable with the therapist, ask for a referral to another therapist.
The therapist will explain the therapy process.
This begins with the first time you speak with the therapist over the phone and continues along the way. Therapists have different processes. Expect a therapist to explain their process to you and to your child. This will include explaining confidentiality, office policies, what the child will be doing in the therapy room and communication between you and the therapist.
The therapist will require you to fill out paperwork.
At the beginning of the therapy process, there will be information gathering and documents to sign. The laws and ethics of mental health providers govern standards of care. Documentation is part of that standard of care. Expect therapists to gather personal information about your child, have you sign consent forms for treatment, and have agreements about office policies and fees.
Free Consultation for Child Therapy in San Marcos and Encinitas, CA
I hope this provides some information on what to expect if you are seeking therapy for your child. 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