Child Counseling for Kids in Davidson, NC

Is your child struggling with anxiety, or having a tough time coping with a recent life change? Maybe some of the following things sound familiar to you:

• Your child frequently complains of headaches, stomach aches, or other pains when the doctor has found no medical reason for it

• Your child seems to “melt down” over small disappointments or changes in plans, and is quick to cry

• There’s been a recent big change in the family: a move, a divorce, a new family member, a death in the family, or a serious illness

• Your child is overly worried about things that seem too small to worry about, or may not make much sense to you

• You are hearing from school that your child is having a harder time focusing or getting along with other kids than they used to

• Transitions are hard for your child: it is difficult to switch easily between activities

• Going to bed and sleeping alone is very difficult for your child

If any of this strikes a chord, you may be wondering if child counseling would be a good option for your son or daughter. It’s a big decision to seek out additional help, and I want you help you make an informed decision. Below, I’ll answer a few common questions about what to expect in child counseling.

How do I know if my child needs therapy?

I find that parents usually have an excellent “gut sense” of when things are just not going right for their child. If a parent has become concerned enough about their child’s well-being that they are considering a counselor, in my experience, they’re usually right. Counseling can be a help to many children with problems both big and small, and there is no definitive “rule” for when to seek it out. If you are unsure whether your child would benefit from therapy, here are a few things to consider:

• Does this problem seem new or out of character for your child?

• Is your child having more difficulty in this area than other children her age?

• Is this problem interfering with school, friends, or getting along at home?

• Has the problem lasted for more than a few weeks?

If you’ve answered “yes” to one or more questions above, your child might benefit from therapy to help with their current problem.

What does a child counselor do? How does child counseling work?

A child counselor gives kids a way to work through their feelings and problems that is different than talking to a parent, teacher, or friend. A child counselor can offer a different point of view, because they are a neutral person not involved in the child’s life or social group. Sometimes, children find it is easier to vent their feelings to a therapist because they don’t have to worry about hurting a loved one’s feelings or burdening a friend or family member with their worries. Over time, a therapist can help children feel more safe sharing these feelings with the other important adults in their lives. 

One of the big ways that therapy benefits children is by helping them put their deepest worries and feelings into words. Sometimes, just saying the fear out loud to another person can make it feel less frightening. Suddenly, you aren’t alone with your fear! A therapist can also help children learn to think about their problems differently, and teach children coping skills they can use to manage big emotions in a healthier way. In most cases, child therapists also offer support to parents and families so that caregivers can help children practice the skills they learn in therapy at home.

A child counseling session often looks and feels like a friendly conversation. It is not a place where children go to be punished for bad behavior, or to be “fixed”. I often hear from children that they find therapy enjoyable and even fun. Many child therapists will incorporate play therapy or other ways of working on problems that don’t involve just sitting on a couch and talking, to help kids get the most out of their counseling.

If my child goes to therapy, does it mean something is wrong with him or her?

Absolutely not! It’s a myth that therapy is only for people who have a serious, long-term mental illness. Some people worry that if a child goes to therapy, it is a sign that something is very wrong, and they’ll need to remain in therapy for a long time. This could not be further from the truth! A small number of children suffer from serious mental health problems, just like adults do, but the majority of children in therapy are dealing with everyday life problems. Having a counselor to talk to about the difficulties of growing up can be helpful for nearly everyone at some point in life.

I find that, generally speaking, children are often able to move through therapy more quickly than adults do, because they are rapidly growing and developing new skills. While the stereotype for adults may be that people can spend years in therapy, this is often not true for children.

At any given time in North Carolina, about 12% of children are receiving mental health care. If your child is in a class of 25 kids, there’s a good chance a couple of her classmates receive therapy, too. Because mental health problems are invisible, it is easy for people suffering from anxiety and depression to feel like they’re alone with their symptoms. The truth is that many people struggle with—and heal from—anxiety, depression, and other emotional problems, and go on to live happy and healthy lives.

Effective Child Therapy

I believe that children deserve therapy that is as effective as therapy for adults. I want to make sure that the skills that I offer to children have been thoroughly studied and proven to work well. One of the ways I make sure my counseling is effective for the children I work with is by using cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT.

CBT is different than some other forms of therapy in that it is goal-oriented and focused on problem-solving. CBT can help children become more aware of their own thoughts, and how their thinking patterns might lead them to feel worse about situations than they really need to feel. CBT is one of the most researched forms of therapy out there, and it has been proven over and over to be one of the fastest, most effective forms of therapy for anxiety.

What about parental involvement in child counseling? What can I expect?

I always involve parents to some extent in therapy. I see myself as being on the same team as parents, working together to help their child. I do not want you to feel like you are sending your child into a mysterious room for an hour a week, with no idea about what’s happening inside!

Most of my sessions with children are individual sessions, and I do maintain confidentiality with my child clients. This means I will keep some of what your child tells me private, which is an important aspect of therapy that helps children feel safe sharing difficult feelings. However, I will always share information if I am concerned about safety or a potentially difficult situation. In addition to individual child sessions, I like to have periodic parent check-ins to hear about how things are going at home and fill parents in about the skills I am teaching in therapy sessions. Sometimes it can also be really helpful to have joint sessions with both parent and child together. Parents are always welcome to call, email, or schedule a time to come in and talk about their child’s progress and ways I can help.

Child Counseling in Davidson, North Carolina and the Charlotte Area

I offer child counseling in Davidson, North Carolina, convenient to the Lake Norman and Charlotte areas. I specialize in working with children who struggle with anxiety, as well as kids who have recently experienced a big life change or traumatic event. I’ve helped many children free themselves from difficult worries and fears using cognitive-behavioral therapy, a form of short-term counseling that has been proven to work more quickly and be more effective than many other kinds of therapy. I also incorporate play therapy and other forms of creative arts therapies into my work with kids, which helps to make therapy a fun and comfortable experience.

If you are interested in learning more about how I might be able to help, please don’t hesitate to email, call me to set up a 15-minute phone consultation, or fill out this form on my website.