Parents often assume that their children only need therapy if they are displaying concerning behaviors. But in fact, you're often better off taking your child to therapy before any worrisome behaviors develop. If something potentially traumatic or troublesome happens in your child's life, then it's a good idea to take them to therapy. With the help of their therapist, they can work through the situation and related emotions to help prevent bigger issues in the future. So, in what situations can a child benefit from therapy? Take a look.
When someone close to them passes away.
Explaining death to children is hard. As a parent, you must discuss death with your child in an age-appropriate manner. But when they lose someone close to them, such as a sibling or parent, your grief may make it hard for you to have these discussions productively. A trained therapist can help your child work through their grief in a kind, friendly, way. They can explain death to your child in evidence-based ways and be a safe place for your child to open up about their emotions.
When they are being bullied.
Bullying is sadly quite common in schools, and it can have life-long impacts on its victims. It's hard to know what advice to give to a child who is being bullied, and kids who are bullied do not always feel comfortable opening up to their parents about their trauma. A therapist, however, can help your child navigate this challenging situation. They can role-play scenarios with them to help them understand the best ways to react to a bully. They can also work through some exercises to improve your child's self-confidence despite the bullying.
After moving.
Moving to a new town or school can be hard on kids. They have to leave their old friends behind and make new ones. It can be helpful for a child to see a therapist, at least for a session or two, after moving. The therapist can talk to them about the feelings of loss they're experiencing, and also about life skills such as making new friends and joining new classes.
Therapy is not just for kids who are acting out or showing signs of depression. It can also be a really wise choice for kids who are in tricky life situations, such as those described above.
Contact a local pediatric therapist for more information about therapy options.
For a long time, I wasn't sure if my counseling was really working or not. It felt like no matter what I did, I just couldn't stay on top of my personal frustrations, so I started addressing those concerns with my counselor. I was able to find a counselor who really understood what I was up against, and it was really neat to talk with her about everything that I was having a hard time with. We chatted about everything in my life ranging from the initial issues I started having to my daily struggles at work, and I felt like those early talks were helping a lot. On this blog, find out more about working with counselors and making things right.