The Different Aspects Of Child Psychotherapy Training

Whenever you take your child to a child psychotherapist, you're in good hands. One reason for this is because of how much training this profession requires. Performing child counseling is no easy feat, after all. In this post, we will discuss what a child psychotherapist is, what they offer, and how much training they need to go through to be qualified.

What Is A Child Psychotherapist?

A psychotherapist is a person who treats someone's mental disorders through therapy and cognitive techniques rather than medicine. Therefore, a child psychotherapist is in the same profession as a general psychotherapist, but they treat young children and/or adolescents who are having problems at home or at school.

This is a rewarding profession, as your childhood and teens are parts of your life that are vital to your growth. If any problems arise when you're a child, they can lead to serious consequences should they go untreated. For example, a child who has experienced trauma should get treatment right away, or the effects of childhood trauma could haunt them as they're an adult.

Here is a list of issues a child psychotherapist can treat:

• Trouble learning. Every child learns differently, but if your child just can't seem to learn something, it doesn't mean they aren't bright. Often, a therapist will need to find the best way for your child to learn, and then work from there. You may soon discover that your child is gifted, but they learn differently from everyone else.
• Phobias. Many children experience fear, and many have fears they can grow out of without any therapy. However, a child who has a severe phobia can benefit from professional treatment delivered as soon as possible. Severe phobias can worsen as a child grows older and can become harder to treat.
• Depression and anxiety. Children get depressed and anxious too, and sometimes your teen's depression is more than a phase. Treating depression and anxiety is important; left untreated, it can be harder to manage.
• Aggressive behavior. Some children have defiant or aggressive disorders. When discipline is not enough, treating the disorder through cognitive behavior methods can help to improve behavior.
• Eating disorders. During adolescence, body image can become all-consuming. Some teens may develop eating disorders to stay skinny, but this can lead to serious health effects. You can combat all types of eating disorders through therapy.
• Bullying. Many children get bullied, and when they do, a therapist can teach them ways to deflect the bullying. It goes both ways as well. If your child is bullying another kid, a therapist can help figure out why, and then teach them better ways of expressing their feelings and their problems than hurting others.

Other delays in development. Every child develops differently, but if your child is having significant developmental delays, this can be troublesome. A therapist can search out the reason and take measures to improve their development.

Child psychotherapists will use many techniques to treat your children. Some will treat your child by talking with them, while others may use cognitive behavioral therapy, where children are treated by changing negative thoughts into something better and more motivational. Sometimes, art therapy may be used, where the child can express themselves through creative means. Music therapy may be utilized too.

A child psychotherapist will work with caretakers and teachers to determine the best method of treatment for each individual child.

How A Child Psychotherapist Is Trained

A child psychotherapist will have different requirements depending on what state or country they're in. However, one thing they all have in common is that being a child therapist requires years of training and education.

Learning how to change people is a lot of work, and so is learning how children think. A child's brain is different from an adult's and can change quite a bit during childhood, making it hard for those who are untrained to keep up. A child psychotherapist requires specific education because of this reason.

Educational Requirements

To be fully qualified, future child psychotherapists usually obtain a master's degree in counseling, social work, or a related field. These degrees can take years of study to be completed, and a potential child psychotherapist sacrifices quite a bit to be able to do their job properly.

If a potential therapist goes through a psychology program, they learn how to test psychologically, which can open more career paths. The school they go to needs to be accredited; this is a requirement to getting a license.

Internship

Many future child psychotherapists have the opportunity to work in an internship with an organization that works with children. They get practical experience working with children who have a variety of issues. This is experience they take with them into a professional practice after licensing.

Licensing

A child psychotherapist must be licensed in what they do so that they can offer clients the best experience possible.

All states in the US require a doctorate, a postdoctoral internship, and a passing grade on the Examination for the Professional Practice of Psychology to become a clinical child psychotherapist. Once licensed, ongoing education is required for continued licensure. 

Play Therapy Training

Play therapy isn't required when practicing child psychotherapy, but it's a valuable tool used in the field. As you can probably assume, play therapy involves children playing and using art as a way to express themselves. Children love to play, so this can be an effective treatment. However, a child psychotherapist may need certification to have it in their office. Many organizations offer this certification, such as the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement. You can be a child psychotherapist without offering play therapy, but when children have so many ways of learning, it's good to have as many tools as possible.

As you can see, child psychotherapy is a lot of work and takes a lot of training to do, so when you choose a psychotherapist for your child, you are choosing someone who is well-equipped to help. However, how can you find the best child psychotherapist in your situation?

Finding The Right Child Psychotherapist

Here are some ways to find the best child psychotherapist to work with your child:

Ask For Recommendations

If you're a parent, then odds are you have parent friends, or, at the very least, have some acquaintances with children. At least one of them may have taken their children to psychotherapy, and they may be able to give you a recommendation. When asking about their psychotherapist, you might want to check if their child's and your child's problems are similar.

Read The Reviews

When you're looking up places that offer child psychotherapy, check out their online reviews. You can read missives written by other clients and see how effective the psychotherapist was. Read each review carefully and be sure they are offering valuable praises and criticisms of the psychotherapist. If you find a one-star review and it's not explaining why the psychotherapist is bad, you can probably dismiss the review.

Talk To Your Doctor

One of the best ways you can find a child psychotherapist is to talk to your child's doctor. They are likely to know some good therapists, and if the doctor is a good fit for your child, then the psychotherapist they recommend will more than likely be fitting too.

Talk To Your Insurance Provider

See if the insurance you use for your child's healthcare provides counseling services. If they do, you can get your child the help they need at low or no cost.

Look To Online Therapy

Sometimes, you can find a great therapist for your child through online resources. Most children are very comfortable using electronic devices. For these children, online therapy may be a great option. It may make scheduling easier, and your child may find the distance a screen offers to be more comfortable than sitting down with someone in person.

Takeaway

If your child is going through some problems, and it seems like more than just a phase, it may be worth it to find a therapist that can help them. Don't assume that these problems will heal on their own. While some children do grow out of their issues; others will have problems that can develop into something worse as they grow older—and these problems can also carry over into adulthood.

Parents sometimes need support as they go through the process of finding help for their child. Just as with children, online therapy may be a good solution for getting the help and support you need as you work through a difficult time.

BetterHelp is on online platform offering access to licensed therapists trained to help people with a wide range of issues. Once matched with a therapist, you can meet via text, telephone, or video chat. A BetterHelp therapist can help you process the complex issues you may experience when you're dealing with a child who has issues of their own.

When your mental health is taken care of, you can better take care of your child.