Do My Children Need A Child Therapist?

Are you and your partner struggling in your relationship? Do you and your child seem to fight constantly? Perhaps your child constantly seems to get into trouble at school. Any of these things may be signs that your child could benefit from meeting with a child therapist.A family counseling expert or child therapist can help you and your child better understand what they are going through and overcome their challenges. Ahead, we’ll explain what a child therapist does, what circumstances may warrant time with a child therapist, and what resources are available.

Aside from that, be aware that your child can also benefit from a developmental psychologist if there are no child therapist around. 

What is a child therapist?

Child counseling is recommended for youth who are going through difficult life situations. A child therapist is specially trained to work with children and better understand the problems they are experiencing and the situations in which they find themselves. If the child is going through the divorce of parents, for example, or experiencing troubling symptoms of a mental health condition like ADHD or depression, scheduling time with a child therapist can be highly beneficial.

Does your child need therapy?

Children are extremely perceptive, which means that they likely know more about what's going on in your family than you think they do. If you and your partner are fighting, even if it's not around them, the chances are that your child knows something is awry. Even if they don't seem to be reacting to it, this is something that can affect them in the long term, and it's a good reason to seek out professional help. 

Family therapy may be a good idea, especially if you're having troubles in your relationship or if you've ended the relationship entirely. It can help you learn to be good co-parents and help your child come to terms with the changes in their life.

If your child seems very withdrawn or seems to avoid things that they once enjoyed, this could indicate a potential problem. If your child seems angry or sad or if their their emotions seem to jump around, that could also be a sign of something. Fights with friends that seem uncharacteristic, spending a lot of time alone, and anything that's out of the ordinary can all reveal that your child is having trouble managing life. The following are additional reasons you might consider setting up a meeting between your child and a child therapist:

• Self-esteem issues
• Lack of social skills
• Experience with trauma
• Death of a loved one
• Learning issues
• Medical complications (like chronic pain)
• Disordered eating
• Gender dysphoria

Talk with your child about their thoughts and feelings, especially if things are changing within the family. If they can open up to you, it is a great start, but that doesn't mean that they may not need therapy. The important thing is making sure that you explain to them why you want them to go to therapy and how it is going to help them.

Online child therapy for parents

There are many scenarios where online therapy is an excellent option for seeking help for child-related concerns. Perhaps you would like to attend therapy on behalf of your child, especially if they are extremely young or would have difficulty participating in an in-person therapy session, for whatever reason. 

With online therapy, parents do not need to go to a physical location because they can get online wherever they have a secure internet connection, like at home or at work. This can make it easier for parents to make it to all of their sessions without having to rearrange their schedules. Additionally, two parents can attend therapy together from separate locations; this aspect may be beneficial for divorced people who are co-parenting or frequently traveling parents who seek support for their child and wish to work together.

MyTherapist is one place where you can find a variety of great mental health professionals who are licensed and ready to help you help your child to overcome a range of different mental health conditions, traumas, and other challenges. There are techniques that you can learn as parents in therapy before you apply them with your child. One study, for example, analyzed the effectiveness of internet-based parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT) over a six month period, and results showed a higher level of “excellent” responders who sustained their improvements over that time frame.

Takeaway

Child therapists can give parents support in teaching their children how to express themselves, advocate for their own needs, and engage in healthy coping mechanisms. Try not to feel guilty for whatever difficult emotions your child may be feeling and know that enlisting the help of a child therapist may be the best thing you can do in your situation. When you’re ready to add invaluable member to your parenting support network, you can reach out to MyTherapist for advice.