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Just like adults, children encounter pressure and problems, sometimes within and sometimes outside of anyone’s control; from academics to friendships and family, there can be infinite problems children can suffer from. Unlike adults, they often must rely on others to help them overcome difficulty, and thus, it is always beneficial to seek help in form of therapy. Counseling is a great way for children and teens to build and develop skills that will help them throughout their entire life. Therapy is most effective if it fits the needs of the specific child and family. In therapy, children talk and learn how to work out their problems. Going to therapy helps them cope with problems in a better fashion, communicate and perform better.
As a parent, sometimes it can be tough to determine if your child’s behavior is a normal part of growing up or it’s a sign of worry. Some moodiness, anxiety, tension can be a part of a child’s life, but, if there are bigger issues that disrupt the child’s and the caregiver’s daily life, it’s time to seek the help of a professional!
Related: Child Counselling: Types, Benefits, Importance, Challenges
Why Child Counselling Is So Important?
Counseling is not only for adults but it is equally important to take a child to the counselor if s/he is going through tough times of stress and distress. The therapy helps young children as well as teenagers to cope with various psychological and emotional traumas which are affecting their mental health and wellbeing. A child counselor helps them come out of the situation in case of any stressful event or situation. Child counselors aim to bring the child out of the state of stress or trauma. They try to treat every possible issue so that nothing is left untreated and the child gets back to his normal life.
Children have fragile minds which can easily get affected by some of the other reasons. Parents need to observe the changes in the child’s behavior. Parents can try to talk to their child about the issues s/he is facing. But sometimes, kids fear to open up to their parents which is why child counseling is required. Child psychologists have their ways to connect with the child and find their weak points. Child therapists know the right way to diagnose the problem and resolve it.
Benefits of Child Counselling:
Experiencing growth and change is a tough part of any child’s life. In childhood and adolescence, emotions can run high and small changes in routine or family life can make a big impact on a child’s mental health. Child counseling aims to help children and teenagers work through these emotions and stressful times so that they can develop into adults that can manage daily life independently. Through therapy, children are taught healthy coping mechanisms that will see them through the rest of their lives, giving them a safe outlet to speak about their experiences and frustrations.
Here are a few benefits of undergoing child counselling:
1. Expressing Yourself Well
Children usually lack in expressing themselves well verbally and emotionally. They tend to hide their thoughts and emotions because of guilt, inability to handle personal issues, low self-confidence, or peer pressure. That’s why some children experience many emotional troubles such as nightmares, overeating, and tend to express their anger by destroying toys, killing animals, or setting fires. Child therapy should be implemented in such cases which helps the child to express themselves in a better way. Instead of keeping everything in mind, therapy helps them talk and express their feelings more assertively.
2. Makes a Child A Happier Child:
Expressing yourself well always makes a person happy. Similarly, children who can express themselves well are happier than those who don’t. By ruling out the source of your child’s negative behavior and objectively addressing concerns and issues without force or pressure, the child feels more comfortable talking about his/her feelings. As a result, your child feels more comfortable and happier talking to parents/friends/counselors/caregivers/relatives about issues and problems in the home or school. Remember, an emotionally stable child will always be a happier child.
3. Increases Child’s Self–Esteem And Self–Acceptance:
In therapy, a child becomes better at communicating with others which helps them boost their confidence and self-esteem. Children learn to express themselves healthily and learn to talk about their feelings more clearly. A child’s self-esteem is important for the child’s future development as well. It can help improve confidence and self-esteem by having positive thoughts. Self–acceptance is the first step for betterment. Therapy helps the child to accept themselves as they are which creates room for improvement in the future.
4. Helps The Child To Build A Safe Network Of People
Children at a young age can identify and seek out safe spaces and people. As a child, it is important to have a safe space, people, environment to talk about problems or stressors in life. Many children are uncomfortable talking with their parents about the same. Thus, therapy helps them create a safe space and network of people and express comfortably as well as explore feelings.
5. Eliminates Problems Without Any Force Or Pressure
Often, it becomes difficult for parents to figure out what’s exactly the reason behind the child’s behavioral change, tantrums, or poor school performance. The child might be scared to talk to the parents or don’t want to be a cause of frustration and disappointment. Feelings of shame, loneliness, hopelessness and unresolved personal issues or problems may result in psychological issues. Before it’s too late, it’s important to eliminate these problems through therapy.
5. Strengthens Parent-Child Relationship
Child counseling is beneficial for both the child and the parent. Both, the child and the parents learn more positive ways to communicate and to deal with problems more efficiently. If parents are more open to communication then the child will trust the parent more and will share whatever comes to their mind without any hesitation. It also increases healthy family and friendship interactions by improving communication styles and reducing conflict. Kids can learn how to express themselves to their parents with their thoughts and feelings and be able to say what they need, which helps parents understand and know how to help which results in a stronger parent-child relationship.
6. It leads to healthy social and emotional development
The therapist works with the child to figure out the root causes of the child’s emotional or behavioral upsets. They can also help the parents learn how to interact with the child in ways that support long-term, healthy social and emotional development.
7. Builds Resilience in a Child
In a counseling session, parents along with the help of a counselor can create strategies for strengthening the attachment between parents and child. Developing these approaches will set the stage for later interactions. It can also help children develop increased resiliency and the social and emotional wellbeing that they’ll carry with them throughout life.
8. Children Become Better Problem Solvers
In counseling, kids learn new sets of skills to develop and have a ‘toolbox’ of coping skills to apply to life situations and problems. They also develop real problem-solving skills to apply to life situations where they can effectively deal with problems with good solutions
9. Counseling Teaches Kids New Ways To Think
Counselling teaches new ways of thinking which leads to positive attitudes and improved decision-making about their behavior. They also know how to work through and positively change thoughts and behaviors so they can create a happier life or more positive situation.
10. Helps Children Prioritize Their Mental Health
Just like physical health, children become used to prioritizing their mental health from a very young age. Instead of creating a stigma about seeking therapy in the future, they’ll encourage others as well to seek therapy. This habit will help them and others in the long run.
11. Cultivate Empathy And Respect For Others
Empathy is something that can’t be taught but needs to be learned. Seeking therapy helps a child to respect others and cultivate empathy. It helps people to put themselves in others’ shoes and think from their point of view. It helps children in the long run.
As the societal stigma surrounding therapy is shifting, so too should our perception of child therapy. By advocating for the children and their mental health, we should prepare them for a brighter, stronger future, where they are capable of dealing with difficulty in much healthier ways than generations before them. Children, teenagers, and families can be faced with various challenges and can experience a range of issues and problems. It is inspiring to see kids be resilient and families get better by making positive changes and resolving issues. Counseling and therapy can help.
So, if you think counseling can help your child progress and develop through life, contact us now to get the appropriate help. Our child counselors have helped many children gain confidence and overcome difficulty. We can help you too.
To seek help, Book an appointment online today.
