When you think of childhood, what comes to mind?
Is it hot summers playing outside until it gets dark, grass stains and popsicle sticks? Is it the school bookfair and learning something new? Or maybe it’s snuggling up for a movie night or listening to your parents tell a bedtime story.
Childhood is a time of no responsibility and care-free fun. So, when our children hurt, we feel it. Today, so many children are facing mental health concerns that are dampening the bright light of childhood. If it were possible, we would all take their pain and make it our own.
Unfortunately, what many of our kids are going through today is something only they can go through. We as adults and parents and caregivers can give them the tools and support, they need from an early age to build a healthy, happy life.
Thriveworks Middleburg Heights understand that when a child suffers in any way- behaviorally, mentally, or emotionally- the whole family hurts. Our child therapy is meant to support all of your family as you process, understand, and move forward in your child’s mental health journey.
Kid’s brains don’t work the same as adults. It can be frustrating then to try and understand their perspective. Why are they still having tantrums? Why won’t the nightmares stop? Why don’t they talk at school? It doesn’t always make sense to our adult brains. That’s why a child therapist’s job is to bridge the gap between our children’s young brains and our adult ones. Thriveworks Middleburg Heights has professional child therapists who are ready and excited to meet you and your family.
What Is Child Therapy?
Child therapy with Thriveworks Middleburg Heights has two main goals:
- Help your child understand, process, and handle their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
- Help you and your family support your child in a way that is developmentally appropriate
Children’s brains have high levels of neuroplasticity- meaning they are constantly growing and shaping. This is great news! If a child experiences a trauma, they are more likely to fully recover from it than an adult. They can grow past difficulties and learn from the experiences better than adults, who’s brains are mostly already grown.
There is never a problem that is too big or too small for our Middleburg Heights, OH therapists. The decision to see a counselor can be a hard one to make, we understand. We are more than happy to walk you through that decision making process and answer any questions you have. For more information, give us a call at (380) 201-3145.
Every kid is different, so every therapy session should be too. We see children for many reasons, some of the more common ones include:
- Drastic changes in appetite or significant weight loss/gain
- Insomnia or difficulty sleeping (including night terrors, nightmares, and wetting the bed)
- Unwarranted aggression
- Persistent anxiety and fear
- Failing or worsening grades
- Social isolation or bullying
- Mental illness
- A recent traumatic event (even if you child seems fine, we never know exactly what is going on in their head. If a traumatic event occurs, seeing a child therapist can help ensure you child readjusts)
- A major change in the family (move, loss of a family member, illness, etc. can all have small but long-lasting effects on a child’s mental health. Many of them are risk factors for anxiety and depression later on in life).
- Self-harm or expression of suicidal thoughts
What Does Child Therapy Look Like?
Depending on the age and development of your child, they might not have the vocabulary or personal insight to talk through what they need to process. At their age, they might just be beginning to understand their emotions. Being able to relate those feelings and have a conversation about them is simply not in the skillset of many younger children.
Fortunately, the counseling field as developed many therapies that work just as well as traditional talk therapy for children. They use skills the child naturally is exploring to communicate their inner worlds. On the flip side, these therapies can be used to teach kids the skills they need in order to healthily manage their emotions. Some of these therapies that Middleburg Heights, OH offers include:
- Art Therapy
- Music Therapy
- Play Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Developing coping methods
- Practicing relaxing techniques
- Behavioral therapy
Familial support is also a big part of child therapy. Learning how to support your child in the unique way they need is instrumental in their mental well-being. Together, we can create a cohesive team.
Your child’s mental wellness can start today. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call Thriveworks Middleburg Heights at (380) 201-3145.
