Child and Teen Therapy – Counselors and Coaches in Latrobe

Childhood is an emotional time. Kids are learning how to appropriately express themselves amongst all the other social, educational and extracurricular pressures on them. As a child that leaves very little time to process what has happened throughout the day and as parents it can leave even less time to figure out whether the reactions our child has is age and developmentally appropriate.

A child counselor is trained to know what are and are not appropriate behaviors and reactions. They also know the impact that an unchecked behavioral problem can have in the long term. Kids who have a hard time regulating their emotions may also be carrying an undiagnosed mental health issue. Without the skills to process a situation, kids can react by becoming angry, violent, withdrawn, or anxious.

If left untreated these types of reactions could lead to larger mental health concerns, such as:

• Anxiety disorders
• Mood disorders
• Behavior disorders
• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders

A child counselor is knowledgeable in helping children regulate their emotions and finding healthy solutions to their challenges. Children benefit from having an active listener to help them explore their emotions and fears. When children are able to properly express and articulate their emotions they gain many important skills.

Skills that are gained through regulated self-expression enable kids to:

• Interact with adults and children and make friends
• Express and articulate feelings in appropriate ways
• Empathize with others
• Solve problems in a peaceful way
• Develop the ability to resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situation

Our child counselors are experienced in assessing how well your child can regulate their emotions and if there is an underlying mental health concern. Once they have assessed your child, a counselor can then start working with them and your family on the best way to teach and gently guide them towards a path of greater awareness and control over their disordered thinking. This can bring about positive changes in many areas of your child’s life, such as school, interpersonal, and home life.

Our child counselors are always willing to discuss details specific to your child, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today to find out more.