Counselling
When children and adolescents are met with challenges in their school or home environment - with their friends or family, or even within themselves - it can leave them confused, fearful, stuck and alone. This can then lead to a range of feelings they do not understand or know how to deal with. The quality of a child’s relationships can greatly affect their cognitive, emotional and social development. Counselling is a process that can assist children and adolescents to develop the self-awareness, skills and knowledge to manage and cope with such challenges.
What is Counselling
Child and adolescent counselling offers a safe space and an empathetic ear while providing tools and goal directed strategies to bring about change in thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Counselling can focus on resolving conflicts, understanding thoughts and feelings, and thinking of new solutions to daily problems.
Child therapy is important because it provides an opportunity for the child to learn to regulate their emotions. They will gain an understanding of the connection between their feelings and behaviour so they can have more control over them, and therefore the relationships in their lives.
Our counsellor builds a relationship of trust with the child through talking and listening. This allows the child to freely express themselves, giving them awareness of their behaviours and what is happening in their world. In the therapeutic space, the child or adolescent can feel safe, comfortable, and understood. This makes it easier for them to use therapy in a helpful way that creates a positive and hopefully everlasting change. They will learn strategies to help them successfully navigate through unpredictable challenges that lay ahead.
Counselling sessions will focus on working towards an optimistic future, developing positive coping methods, as well as boosting self-esteem and self-confidence.
We believe one of the most important goals of counselling is making sure the child understands what is happening to them, why it is happening, and most importantly that they are not alone.
WHEN SHOULD I TAKE MY CHILD TO A COUNSELLOR
Although mental health issues are becoming more accepted in our society, the unfortunate reality is that there is still a ‘stigma’ associated with needing professional help. This is also very true in the case of parents needing support for their child. Parents can be reluctant to engage the services of a professional because they can feel it is their fault and that they have failed as a parent.
We want to assure all parents that getting help is not a sign of weakness. It demonstrates the love you have for your child and that you are willing to engage in this process together.
All children at times will display challenging and defiant behaviours, just like all children will experience adverse life experiences such as divorce, death, trauma, sickness or bullying. This is a natural and normal part of life. Some children can understand, manage their feelings, and control their behaviours. However, some children find this really difficult.
If your child’s behaviour is causing them to get into trouble at school, or is seriously disrupting your family life, it is important to get help. Disruptive behaviour, inability to sleep, frequent meltdowns, explosive or dangerous behaviour such as aggression, substance abuse, or disordered eating can be generated by anxiety, trauma, and frustration, or even from an undiagnosed learning disorder.
We can help with:
- Adjustment Issues
- Divorce
- Attention Deficit Disorder
- Depression / Sadness
- Identity Issues
- Stress Management
- Behavioural Issues
- Anxiety
- Health Anxiety in relation to Covid-19
- Navigating Issues with Peers and Family
- Bereavement
- Low Self Esteem
- Puberty
- Bullying
HOW DOES COUNSELLING WORK
The counselling process at Young Folk Therapy
Parent Consultation. We start the process by having a parent consultation to discuss the nature of the issues along with gathering relevant information about the child or adolescent’s situation. We will also explain how we will be working with your child and give you lots of opportunities to ask questions. We want you to trust us and feel comfortable with the process.
Counselling / Therapy. We suggest weekly individual sessions, however at the beginning of the process or for more serious issues, this may not be enough. We can offer additional sessions if needed. Therapy will be delivered using a person-centered approach. This means your child, not their issues, are at the centre of the therapy session. The counsellor will help them figure out their own strengths and solutions to their problems.
Check-In and Reflection. After the 5th session, we will organise a check-in with the family or caregiver to assess the progress of the counselling process and whether we need to continue with further sessions, take a break or conclude the process.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Sessions are conducted with the strictest of confidentiality whilst also adhering to professional counselling safety and child/adolescent safeguarding guidelines.