Therapy for Kids

It is heartbreaking to see your child struggle with their emotions.  You often hear them say things that you never thought would come out of their mouth. 

Words that are full of pain, disappointment with themselves and worries that no child their age should have.

It’s surprising to you that they can so easily become unglued when their big emotions hit. You watch helplessly as they break down into tears over seemingly insignificant things, melting down into an emotional mess.

If you’re being honest with yourself, you recognize that they do respond more dramatically than other kids. But you’re so busy just trying to cope with the day-to-day stress of parenting them that you haven’t reached out for help.

But when teachers, babysitters, and other adults started to make comments about your child’s intense emotional reactions, you knew you needed to seek help.

You have heard that kids can have anxiety and behavioural problems, and you wonder if this is what is going for your child. 

All you know for sure is that you are exhausted from their repeated emotional meltdowns and embarrassed by the out of control behaviour.  You’re looking to learn to cope with their feelings in a way that is less draining for both of you.

Maybe it seems like things have been this difficult forever, or perhaps your child or your family has been through a traumatic event or a difficult family change, like a divorce or a big move recently. Either way, we know how to help you learn to navigate this tough situation more effectively.

Therapy for Kids can help children with big emotions learn to cope well with challenging life situations.

It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or disorder, but only 1 out of 5 children who need mental health services receives them. When kids don’t get the help they need at the right time, it can make it more difficult for them to experience success at school, with friendships or family relationships. Research that has been done in the area of youth mental health shows that getting help early on can make a big difference.

How do I know if my kid needs help?

As their parent, you have an important role to play in noticing what is going on.

Here are a few things you can look for; 

• Having bigger reactions or feelings that would be expected for a situation
• Seeming very unhappy, worried, guilty, fearful, irritable, sad, or angry
• Changes in school performance
• Being more negative about themselves
• Showing less interest in or withdrawing from sports, games or other activities that they normally enjoys
• Seeming quieter than usual, less energetic or wanting to be alone often
• Falling back to less mature behaviours
• Trouble getting along with friends
• Headaches, stomach aches, or general aches and pains
• Changes in sleeping or eating
• New nervous habits such as nail biting, hair twisting or thumb-sucking

If you want to learn more about our approach to working with kids and their parents you can read this article.

If you’re looking for trauma therapy for children/teens.