Child Psychology
A child is resilient and innately knows how to reach a state of equilibrium. When faced with external stressors, a child may find maladaptive ways of getting his or her needs met. When working with children, it is key to understand the child’s needs and discover ways to address them.
The Approach
The child’s age affects the choice of method used in the therapeutic process. Play therapy, drawing, story telling, role-play, sound therapy, brain gym® and talk therapy are some of the many different approaches available. Since children often react to a family dynamic, involving parents and occasionally siblings and extended family may also be necessary. Implicating the family support network is important to ensure continuity of therapy at home, since it can otherwise be responsible for enabling the maladaptive behaviour to persist. Engaging both the child and the family in a cooperative process optimizes the chances for success.
The Goal
- Understand your child’s needs and discover ways to meet those needs directly.
- Promote your child’s overall well-being.
- Provide a forum for your child to express his or her needs and feelings.
- Empower your child to improve his or her self-confidence.
- Assess and improve your child’s overall health (physical, cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual).
- Alter your child’s maladaptive behaviour and replace it with a healthier adaptive response.
- Elicit the family’s support in the process.
The Process
Once the needs of your child are evaluated, we determine how to best meet those needs directly. We then seek to extinguish the maladaptive behaviour and replace it with a healthier alternative behaviour, all the while seeking to empower your child.
Specialties
- Behaviour Problems
- Anxiety Problems
- Social Problems
- Adjustment to Life Situations
- Eating Disorders
- Chronic / Recurrent Health Problems
- Academic Testing
