Mental Health Therapy is not the easiest for parents to discuss. Mental health continues to be an area most are hesitant to ask for help with. Nobody wants their child to “need therapy”. Whether a child has a history of trauma or is simply struggling with being human, we can help.
It makes sense that parents and guardians need and benefit from professional insight. This is especially true for sensitive subjects or developmentally appropriate issues of growing up. Growing up is hard work! Many assume therapy is only reserved for big problems like abuse, neglect, and trauma. However, therapy can be focused on positive growth, strengths, and experiencing a life they love without one specific life event causing the interruption.
Almost 4 million children and youth experience mental health challenges. Mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in childhood can cause long-term problems affecting development, health, education and well-being. If left untreated, these delays may persist and greatly effect adulthood. A 2009 study found only half of children and youth with anxiety, disordered eating, depression, and ADHD received care. That's why we've added this way to help.
When to Get Help
Many times these “glitches” in a child's life may not be glaringly obvious to the people closest to the child. The good news is you can play an important part in your child’s mental health by being observant and seeking a professional evaluation to determine if help is needed. Children and youth need mental health therapy when they have mental, emotional, or behavioral challenges that they are not effectively cope with alone. This means their challenges are affecting how well they do, feel, or act.
We get that as a parent, you want nothing but health and happiness for your child. When your child is distressed, that can be hard to cope with as a parent. Particularly when you feel like nothing is working or there’s nothing you can do to “fix” it. Sometimes you simply can’t “fix” it on your own – especially when you are emotionally invested in the situation yourself. That’s when it’s best to ask for professional help.
Red Flags
It is important to understand that children who are experiencing distress, may not directly share it with their parents. That doesn’t mean your child doesn’t love or trust you. The truth is many children are unable to fully process and explain the complexities that accompany the emotional and/or psychological challenges they are experiencing. Sometimes children even withhold communication in fear of disappointing their loved ones. Therefore, caregiver observation is key to getting help.
Treating mental health challenges as soon as possible can help children reduce problems at home, school, and healthy development into adulthood. It truly sets them up to experience a life they love.
Behavioral Signs
- Unprovoked aggression
- Unusual, unexpected, or sudden changes in behavior
- Distressed easily and quickly over little things
- Low grades or a sudden academic decline
- Refusal/strong resistance to attend school
- Repetitively performing rituals and routines like hand-washing
- Your child responds to voices he/she hears in his/her head
- Alcohol / drug use, abuse, or addiction
- Excessive neglect of personal appearance or hygiene
- Dangerous or illegal thrill-seeking behavior
- Paranoia and excessive secrecy
- Excessive perfectionism
- Excessive avoidance to protect self
Emotional Signs
- Worry, anxiety, or fear
- Anticipating worries well in advance
- Feeling down, or sad more often than not
- Suicidal ideations (thoughts) or attempts
- Not feeling worthy, or “good enough”
- Having “rollercoaster” moods
- Feelings of hopelessness
Cognitive Signs
- Difficulty concentrating on important tasks
- Problems with memory
- Intrusive, obsessive, or racing thoughts
- Unable to communicate feelings; shutting down
- Delusions or hallucinations
Social Signs
- Difficulty adjusting to social situations and/or new situations
- Social withdraw from activities your child once liked or loved to do
- Marked decrease in enjoyment and time spent with friends and family
- Spending most of his/her time alone or engaging in voluntary social isolation
- Trouble starting and maintaining relationships
- Overly suspicious of others
- Constant Need for Reassurance
Physiological Signs
- Too much/little sleep, nightmares, bed wetting
- Changes in eating patterns, too much/little, weight loss/gain
- Changes in their energy levels, energetic vs fatigued
- Stomach aches, nausea, headaches, backaches without a medical explanation (constantly going to the nurse - but a legitimate need for medical care is ruled out)
Environmental Factors
- Grief and the death of a loved one, pet, home, etc.
- Bullying
- Sexual, emotional, and/or physical abuse
- Witnessed abuse and/or intimidation
- Relocation issues (i.e. changing schools, homes, families, and/or cities/states)
- Family substance abuse or addiction
Keep in mind that children of all ages and abilities, from toddlers to teens and verbal to non-verbal, can benefit from mental health therapy.
Who Can Help?
Mental health Therapists include: Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. These professionals offer invaluable insight into your child’s social and emotional development and mental health. Mental health specialists have the knowledge and expertise to recognize, identify root cause, assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of mental health conditions, adjustment issues (divorce, new school, bullying, grief, etc.), and psychological distress.
Their purpose is to help children better interpret what they are dealing with and/or the trauma that occurred – in a way they can process and understand. This helps children work through their emotions and experiences so that they can live life without the lasting effects of fear, confusion, anxiety, or trauma. Ultimately, Mental Health Therapists help your child to resolve his/her challenges and resume a healthy and productive life.
How Therapy Works
Children learn by doing and therapy is no different. While therapy greatly differs based on the age of the child, most therapy sessions work through problem-solving skills and talking about feelings. With younger children, this looks like working with the whole family, drawing, playing, and talking. For older youth, they work through sharing and directly learning to develop the skills needed to work through problems. Therapy looks different for each patient; there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Therapy is designed to identify the root cause of the child’s challenge. Then, the therapist can work with the child/family to develop skills to cope, problem-solve, and create healthy thinking patterns.
Therapy will usually be future-oriented. Meaning there will be little looking back or digging up the past. Instead, they will be working towards an optimistic future, developing positive coping methods, as well as boosting self-esteem, self-confidence, and other positive states and traits. Therapists give praise and support as children learn. They help children and youth believe in themselves and find their strengths. Therapy builds helpful thinking patterns and healthy behavioral habits. Therapy can provide them with opportunities to not just survive after trauma but thrive in life.
A therapist might meet with the child and parent together or meet with the child alone. It depends on the child's age and their specific situation. When children are young, it is common for therapy to include the parent. Parent-focused approaches typically mean that parents talk with the therapist about the child’s behavior and feelings then the parent implements with their child at home. Regardless of the age or structure established, therapists do want to meet with the parent/caregiver within the appointment to give tips and ideas for how to help their child at home. Therapists may also observe parents and children together and then make suggestions for finding different ways to react. Sometimes, entire families need support while trying to communicate, learn, and create boundaries. Sometimes other important adults in the child’s life (for example, a teacher) are included as well.
Parents are usually concerned with how long treatment will take and how soon they will see progress. How quickly your child makes progress will depend on the complexity of his challenges, how long the problem has had to take root, and the established goals of therapy. Being aware of the factors that affect results can help you form realistic expectations and avoid frustration. For example, a child who is severely anxious may have difficulty participating in therapy. A teenager with depression may resist treatment, and need help to see how they might benefit from it. Missed appointments and conflicts between parents over the need for therapy can also undermine and limit progress. One overwhelmingly positive influence is having a supportive and involved family and regularly kept appointments.
What's Next...
If you have any questions or concerns about your child please reach out to us at TheraTree. We provide free screenings and full mental health evaluations. You can reach us by phone/text at 270-688-8449 or email at newpatients@theratreepeds.com.