“Of course it’s happening inside your head...but why on earth should that mean it’s not real?”
Growing Up...
As we move from being infants and toddlers into childhood and then adolescence, our understanding of the world and our place in it is expanding through new relationships with peers, teachers and let's not forget, social media. For many reasons, children and young people can hit road blocks in life. Many can be resolved with the support and guidance of family, but from time to time, another perspective is required.
wHEn can therapy be useful?
Often, I speak with parents and/or carers who have been feeling alone in attempting to resolve their child's concerns. Engaging your child in therapy can provide both you and your child with new understandings and ways forward.
Therapy can assist young people when they experience concerns, including:
Problems with peers, including establishing or maintaining friendships.
Bullying or being a bully.
Withdrawing and lacking enjoyment in life, or feeling depressed.
Worrying, anxious, struggling to separate from parents/carers.
Becoming controlling or obsessional about certain aspects of life.
Experiencing unexplained physical illness that may be more related to stress.
Difficulties with concentration, getting into trouble at school and general behavioural concerns.
Significant loss or frightening experiences in their lives.
MY APPROACH
I would initially meet with the young person and then with parents/carers. This enables me to understand the history of the concerns and the current impact the concerns have on everyone in the family. Following this, it can sometimes be useful for me to meet with you as a family to consider how you would like to proceed.
To ensure that trust is maintained between myself and the young person, I do not offer concurrent therapy to parents/carers.
I often find though, that parents/carers greatly benefit from having their own therapy, especially when the concerns with their child have been very difficult. In these instances, I would support parents/carers in accessing therapy by providing the names of experienced colleagues.
Please contact me if you have questions or would like to organise a session.