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Most parents can and should attempt to help their child cope with problems
before consulting a therapist. However, as with all areas of life, there are
some situations where outside help is warranted. The average parent is not
reluctant to consult a physician for their child's medical needs. I believe the
informed parent also recognizes when their child may need or benefit from
psycho-therapeutic treatment and understands that such intervention is not in
any way a sign of parental failure.
How does a parent know when it is time to seek professional assistance for
their child? In my practice, I look at a number of factors in determining the
appropriateness of treatment. First, I evaluate if the observed emotional
distress is disrupting daily functioning, threatens to overwhelm the child or
interferes with the achievement of age-appropriate developmental milestones. For
example, parental divorce is an emotionally upsetting experience that children
react to in a variety of ways. If a child's reaction includes uncharacteristic
school failure, fear of sleeping alone or heightened anxiety when separating
from a parent, it indicates that normal functioning has become disrupted, and
referral would be indicated.
Children may also benefit from psycho-therapeutic treatment when the problems
they face are complicated and beyond the range of normal daily experience. For
example, children who suffer from serious or life-threatening medical problems
often derive benefit from the assistance provided by a knowledgeable therapist.
The therapist focuses on helping these children develop coping skills to deal
with their unique situation and advises parents regarding how best to support
their child.
I consider parental involvement to
be a crucial component of every child's treatment. From the first session,
parents are relied upon for information concerning their child's development,
behavior, relationships, and habits and they are closely consulted regarding the
goals of treatment. I view parents as my partners in the treatment process and
rely upon them to provide critical feedback regarding the effectiveness of my
interventions as they are developed and implemented.
In addition to
individual and family services for your child or teen, I also offer group
therapy services aimed toward adolescent/teen girls (ages 14-18). Read
about our program
here and give me a call if you would like information about this offering. |
