A child who is suffering from stress, anxiety or behavioural issues can benefit from psychotherapy. It helps them learn to handle their emotions and deal with difficult situations in a more mature way.
Use a counselling directory to find the right therapist for your child therapy north Vancouver. You can search by counsellor speciality, location, insurance coverage and more.
Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT)
Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) is a type of family systems therapy designed to help families develop strong communication, trust and respect for one another. EFFT therapists work to build healthy relationships within the family and create a safe base from which children can leave in the future to establish individual, successful relationships outside of their familial environment.
EFFT works by incorporating the principles of attachment theory and family systems theory. EFFT therapists begin by working with parents to understand the way they interact with their child. They then track how the negative interaction patterns arise and identify the family pattern that is causing the problem.
EFFT therapists then encourage the parents to modify their parenting behaviour in the direction of increased accessibility and responsiveness. This is achieved through chair work interventions that facilitate emotional resolution of parental limiting beliefs and reconnection to healthy caregiving instincts. This results in the parents developing confidence to be their loved ones’ support system and a decrease in accommodation and enabling behaviours.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most well-studied forms of therapy and has shown to be effective for a number of conditions, including major depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol or drug use problems, and eating disorders. It rests on the premise that thoughts influence feelings and behaviours. Clinicians who practice CBT focus on identifying negative and distorted perceptions, evaluating them against reality, and using practical strategies to help people change these unhelpful thoughts.
Many young children are exposed to a variety of psychological stresses, from family breakdowns to bullying and academic pressure. These experiences can lead to behavioural and emotional difficulties that impact the whole family.
Whether your child is experiencing anxiety, depression or behavioural issues that impact family relationships and school performance, our counselling psychologists and counsellors are here to support them in North Vancouver. Please browse our counselling listings to find a suitable therapist for your needs. You can also contact us to book an appointment.
Adolescent Counselling
Adolescent Counselling offers a safe non-judgmental environment for teenagers to navigate this important transitional phase of life. It is often stereotyped as being a difficult and tumultuous time, but many adolescents successfully navigate these changes and move onto adulthood with healthy self-esteem, self-confidence, and respectful relationships.
It is important to seek counselling for your child if you notice a significant change in their emotional or behavioural responses. It may be a sign that they are struggling to cope with the pressures of school, family issues, bullying, depression, or other external factors.
Therapists and counsellors who offer adolescent counselling use various modalities of psychotherapy for teens to address their specific needs. They may also offer group counselling for adolescents, where they can interact with other young people who are experiencing similar mental health challenges. This helps them feel less alone and provides a therapeutic outlet for their emotions. These groups are usually facilitated by a clinical mental health counselor.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is for children what counselling/therapy is for adults – it is their natural way of processing inner and outer world experiences. It provides a safe therapeutic environment in which a child can express themselves, receive empathy and understanding from their therapist, and explore their life experience.
A therapist can gather much about a child’s emotional state and subconscious thoughts by watching them crash cars or set up furniture in their dollhouse, for example. The therapist can help them work through psychosocial difficulties and move towards developmentally appropriate growth.
Online therapy is ideal for children, as they can communicate with their therapist from the comfort of their own home or school. Many counsellors and psychologists offer virtual sessions, which are also covered by most health care plans. See the list of available practitioners below to find one that is a good fit for your family. ET Music Therapy also offers virtual sessions!