Child therapy, also known as counseling for kids, helps young individuals better understand and manage the challenges that affect their mental health. Common challenges amongst kids include behavioral issues, trauma, bullying, depression, and anxiety. All ages of children can attend and benefit from child-therapy at Thriveworks Tampa.
Child therapy works by using multiple techniques, tailored to fit the child’s needs based on their age group, their challenges, and the severity of their challenges. It might involve play therapy for younger kids or cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, art therapy, and others for varying ages. In any case, Thriveworks child therapists in Tampa, FL have the expertise and experience to help kids at their level.
It’s not always obvious when a child should see a therapist for their behavior, though in the midst of challenges like divorce, loss, bullying, and other mental health conditions, it’s often a good idea to seek it out. Common behaviors that can indicate a need for child therapy include separation anxiety, bedwetting (at inappropriate ages), and agitation/excessive irritability — especially if it reaches a point of physical violence.
Sam is an outgoing, athletic, and smart young girl. She always stays on top of her homework and in her free time, likes to meet her friends at the ice cream shop near her house. Lately, Sam’s parents have noticed that she is a little quieter than usual but suppose it is due to being tired from all of the softball games she has been playing in. That was, however, until they got a letter from Sam’s school letting them know that her grades are slipping. This shocks Sam’s parents because she’s always been an A student. Sam won’t open up and explain what’s going on, so her parents decide to seek out help from a child therapist.
During one of Sam’s appointments with her therapist, she admits she feels overwhelmed but doesn’t want to disappoint her parents by quitting one of her after school activities. She also has been dealing with her first breakup and has kept it a secret. Now that Sam’s parents are aware of what’s going on in their daughter’s life, they work together to decide what needs to drop from Sam’s schedule to give her more time to focus on school. They also make an effort to have more meaningful conversations and encourage her to open up more about her friendships and relationships.
Seeing your child go through challenges when you don’t know the root of the problem can be hard. You want to protect your child from anything that may hurt them but it’s not always that easy. That is why child therapy can be beneficial for your child. At Thriveworks Tampa Counseling, our child counselors and psychologists have the experience and skill set needed to help your child or teen work through all of their complicated emotions.
When Could a Child Benefit from Child Therapy?
There are many different reasons why a child might benefit from child therapy at Thriveworks Tampa Counseling. If you notice that your child is struggling with something in school, at home, or even a shift in their personality, they may benefit greatly from professional help. Some of the common reasons to pursue child therapy could include:
- Learning disabilities
- Abuse or neglect
- Bullying at school or online
- Violence or criminal behaviors
- ADHD concerns
- Eating disorders
- Loss of a loved one, friend, or pet
- Difficulties making friends
- Depression, anxiety, or other mental health illnesses
- Divorce of parents
- Addictions to drugs or alcohol
- Puberty changes
- Emotional issues
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Low self-esteem
- Major life changes such as moving to a new school or a parent remarrying
These aren’t the only reasons why you may want to seek help from a child psychologist. There are so many different reasons why your child may be having difficulties coping with their emotions or challenges. In addition, you may not even know the root cause of what your child is going through. That’s okay too. We can help navigate through their emotions to identify the problem at hand.
How Does Child Therapy Work?
Much like therapy for adults, child therapists will sit down and perform assessments to learn what is causing the pain, confusion, and frustration within your child. Once the psychologist is more aware of the situation, they will come up with a plan of action that is unique to the child’s situation. After compiling all of the necessary information, they will choose the therapy method that works best for your child. Commonly, more than one method will be used to connect on deeper levels. Different types of therapy methods may include:
- Traditional talk therapy
- Play therapy
- Family therapy
- Art therapy
- Narrative therapy
- Teaching relaxation methods
- Behavior modification techniques
- Identifying and treating underlying medical and psychological issues
These are just some of the types of therapy that can be used. The goal of using a combination of techniques is to equip the child with the tools they need to better hand the stressors and challenges of their life, no matter what the issue is. Our Tamp child therapists have the education and experience required to help make meaningful changes and progress in the lives of children and teens who are experiencing these negative feelings.
Schedule an Appointment with a Child Therapist at Thriveworks Tampa, FL
If your child appears to be suffering, don’t feel like you have failed them as a parent. You can’t possibly understand or know everything that is going on in your child’s life. Continue to guide, support, and love them in every way you can. This may include setting them up with a child psychologist. If you are in the Tampa area, you are in the right place! We have the compassionate and caring professionals you are looking for.
If you are ready to schedule an appointment with one of our child therapists, just give Thriveworks Tampa Counseling a call at (813) 473-4663 or visit our online booking portal. We understand how busy schedules can get. That’s why we offer evening and weekend appointments in addition to our regular daytime schedule. On top of that, we also offer online counseling appointments to give you the ease and comfort of having your session from anywhere. Whatever you choose, we’ll be here waiting to help!
Self Esteem, Stress, Life Transition, Relationships, Anxiety, +2 more 
