A Lake Worth Child Therapist Discusses the Options
Trying to decide when you should turn to child therapy for your child? Well, let’s talk about the options. Children can benefit as young as 4 years old when engaging in individual play therapy. Before that, (anywhere from birth - 4 years), they can still benefit, but with the caretaker fully involved in the sessions.
Ages 0-6 children may have experienced a joint parent/ child trauma. To reach the highest level of success, the parent and child both attend sessions; this will improve any friction in the relationship. In my child therapy practice in Lake Worth, the parent is seen first individually to learn and support the child, once they feel like they have achieved a good foundation and education on child development and behavior, the child enters sessions with the caregiver to build a healthier attachment.
As a child therapist in the Wellington - Lake Worth area, I've noticed that sometimes children experience their own individual trauma or they have symptoms stemming from a breach in a caregiver relationship- divorce, separation, DCF removal, sickness, and even a death in the family. This would call for a mix of attachment support with their primary caregiver(s) and individual play therapy.
Once a child is about 4 years old (developmentally) they can begin individual therapy which consists of hands on experiential strategies such as those from play, art, and sand tray therapies. This would be the best form of treatment for children who are exhibiting symptoms that are affecting daily activities such as, difficulties transitioning between activities, adjusting to pick up or drop off from school, irregular sleeping patterns or behaviors, regression of already achieved milestones, excessive crying/ tantrums, and what some may label as being “bad”. “Bad” children don’t exist—their challenging behaviors do. These behaviors are a result of some underlying reason; typically to achieve or avoid something. Therapy allows the child an outlet to process the underlying function as well as support caregivers throughout this challenging time.
Once a child has reached a higher level of development, and depending on their temperament and a few other factors, individual therapy with more of a “talking” aspect may provide the needed support. But there is no official age which would require a certain intervention, everyone is different.
At our child therapy office in Lake Worth, the first session with your therapist consists of getting to know the areas of concerns, but also many other factors which contribute to human behavior and emotions. This is when the patient and/or caregiver, and the therapist create a plan for individualized treatment together.
I guess the answer to my question is— it depends. If you have a slight feeling your child is suffering in some way emotionally, reach out, schedule a session with our child therapist, and we can decide together if therapy is the right fit for you and your family.
Brittany Rice stating is rostered on a national list as certified in the intervention CPP.
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