Should I take my child to counseling?
Children sometimes deal with the same life challenges that adults face, including the effects of: moves, divorce, illness, crime, addiction, loss of friends, or the death of a loved one.
Children often respond in a variety of ways to these life challenges. A child may respond by appearing sad, frightened, anxious, or angry. A child often exhibits physical symptoms in response to emotional issues.
Challenges that often bring a family into counseling frequently are emotional or relational in nature. Many times parent/caregivers just need a little help understanding their child's developmental issues. Sometimes complicated family problems should be explored with a trained professional so that the child and his/her family may move toward a better future.
What should I expect from the first counseling session?
As family therapists, we view your role as a parent/caregiver as vital to your child's development and success. Ideally, we schedule a first session with the parent(s) or caregiver(s) in order for everyone to talk freely about the parents/caregivers concerns for their child.
Topics might include:
- Reasons you are seeking counseling for your child/family
- A short personal history and relevant details regarding your current situation
- What changes you would like to see and the future you might envision