Choosing to go for counseling is a big step, but ultimately, it’s a beneficial one. In terms of child counseling, it can be hard to determine if and when your child may need the help of a professional.
Why Child Counseling Is So Important
At its core, counseling provides children with the skills and methods necessary to manage their emotions and navigate stressful situations. It promotes a higher level of self-esteem and self-confidence, can improve social skills, and works to ease the transition between stages of life.
For The Child
Experiencing growth and change isn’t always easy. In childhood and adolescence, emotions can run high and small changes in routine or family life can make a big impact on a child’s mental health. Child counseling aims to help children and teenagers work through these emotions and stressful times themselves so that they can develop into adults that can manage daily life independently.
These are also key foundational years. Low self-image and confidence in childhood can negatively impact future development. Through therapy, children are taught healthy coping mechanisms that will see them through the rest of their lives, giving them a safe outlet to speak about their experiences and frustrations.
For The Family
Child and adolescent mental health issues can also take a toll on the family as a whole. Parents may feel unequipped to help their child, and broken communication causes more familial rifts than it fixes. When more family members are involved in a certain situation, family counseling proves beneficial. While a child or teenager receives counseling, parents or guardians receive assistance in helping them understand what their child is going through, and how best to help them.
Child counseling teaches children and adolescents how to effectively communicate their concerns with family members, especially in turbulent situations such as death or divorce. These communication methods promote empathy and understanding within a family, for everyone involved.
When Is Child Counseling Needed?
It’s important to remember that every child is unique. We all have different responses to the world around us, and the reasons for seeking counseling aren’t the same from child to child. However, there are some situations that appear more prevalent when considering if a child needs counseling.
Bullying
It’s an unfortunate occurrence in schools, and even within a child’s friendship group. Bullying lowers self-confidence, negatively impacts a child’s self-image, and can even end up causing physical harm.
Divorce
As hard as it is for parents, it can be just as hard on the children in a family going through a divorce. Sometimes, parents can be too close to the situation to be able to help effectively. In these cases, a professional can help speak to your child, easing concerns from all sides of the family.
Anxiety, Depression, and Mental Health Issues
Parents aren’t always equipped to help children with mental health issues. A professional is able to provide assistance to a child in terms of teaching them to manage their anxiety or depression, but can also advise parents on how best to support their child going forward. A child’s diagnosis isn’t always straightforward, either. The CDC reports that 73.8% of children aged 3-17 with depression also have an anxiety diagnosis.
Traumatic Events
All children will react differently to experiencing a traumatic event, but in most cases, professional help eases the stress surrounding the situation and teaches children and adolescents how to process such events.
Acting Out of the Ordinary
Has your once social child become a recluse? Are they eating less than normal? Any behavior that differs from their personal norm could be a sign that your child is struggling in some way. Aggression, anxiety, academic decline, and substance abuse indicate that they could benefit from seeking professional help.
Child Counseling At Fifth Street Counseling Center
It’s important to remove the stigma of teen counseling. It’s always good to ask for help when you need it, and we at Fifth Street are ready to speak to you and guide you through troubled times. Contact us today at 954-797-5222 and let us give you and your child the help you need.
