Childhood isn’t always blissful happiness and adventures. As much as we as parents try to protect our child, bad things happen, and they might be struggling. When they do, it can be hard to know how to handle it. How are you supposed to talk about a loved one’s passing to a six-year-old? And a conversation with your 3rd grader about why they’re acting out in class won’t be all that beneficial.
At Thriveworks in Red Bank our child and adolescent counselors understand that childhood is not immune to difficulties. But we also have a keen understanding of the wonderful resilience of a child’s mind. Whatever you child is going through, they can overcome it and continue to thrive.
For more information or to schedule an appointment today, give us a call at 732-606-4469.
What Is Child Therapy?
Our brains are growing and maturing until around the age of 25. This means that adults will have a different brain than a 7-year-old. Our brains are instrumental in and processing the world. If you have a child who is going through difficult times, it is hard to connect with them because their brain is functioning at a different level than yours.
Thriveworks Counseling in Red Bank, NJ employs some of the best child and adolescent counselors for this very reason. We can’t always relate to what a child is thinking and feeling, but we can seek to understand them. Our client-centered therapeutic approach means we will always get on our client’s level. So however old you child is- toddler, adolescent, young adult- and whatever they are going through- familial changes, trauma, loss, mental health concerns- you can rest assured that they are in the best hands possible.
Red Bank adolescent counselors believe in never turning a child away. There is no such thing as a problem that is too big or too small for counselors. They deserve the absolute best chance at a healthy, happy, fulfilling future, and counseling can be a big protective factor of that. As always, if you have any questions about the therapeutic process for children or what you roll in that will be, give us a call. We are happy to talk to you about it.
Specifically, we see children for issues such as:
- Change in appetite
- Significant weight loss or gain
- Difficult sleeping
- Unwarranted aggression
- Persistent anxiety and nerves
- Failing or worsening grades
- Social isolation
- Self-harm
- Expression of suicidal thoughts
- Recent changes in family (move, loss of a family member, etc.)
- Traumatic experiences
- ADHD
- Concerns about autism
- Increase self-confidence
- Questions about identity or sexual orientation
- COVID-19 stress
- Adjusting to homeschooling and work-from-home
Every child is wonderfully unique, and every part of them plays a big part in the counseling process. We are not just our problems, and the same goes for children who are coming to counseling. Thriveworks Red Bank has counselors who are trained to understand the intricacies of a child’s mind and know how to point them in the direction of healing and growth.
What Will a Child Therapy Session Be Like?
It all depends on the age of your child, the circumstances they are in, and their own personality. For older children who are able and willing to talk through their experiences, a safe, unbiased, nonjudgmental space away from outside pressure could be what they need to process stuck emotions. Other children, particularly younger ones, don’t have the self-awareness to process verbally. This is when advanced, researched techniques can be used. Red Bank counselors are skilled at:
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Play therapy (Using play to explore hidden or misunderstood emotions and memories)
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (identifying negative thoughts and the behaviors associated with them and replacing them with positive ones)
- Developing coping methods
- Practicing relaxing techniques
- Behavioral therapy
The fact you are reaching out for your child shows the depth of your love and dedication. Thank you for all the care you have given in raising your child. Know that our job as counselors will always be to strengthen the parent-child relationship. Counseling is a great tool because we remain unbiased, outside professional who can share our expertise with you and your child.
If you have questions about child therapy or want to schedule an appointment today, go to our website or give us a call at 732-606-4469. We have both in-person and online child therapy.
