A Therapeutic Space for Children and Teens
Before explaining how treatment works for children and teens, it is important to note that not all children and teens are good candidates for individual psychotherapy. Sometimes parent training makes much more sense than child psychotherapy. But, for those children and teens who are good candidates for individual psychotherapy, this approach can have positive and lasting effects.
Child psychotherapy begins with the creation of a space where self-expression of the child can occur. The space included the physical space, with comfortable lighting and textures and child friendly toys (e.g., Legos, brain games, etc), and the interpersonal space between therapist and child, to include ease of communication. Parents, children, and teens repeatedly tell me that my forthright communication style and down-to-earth demeanor makes it easy for children and teens to feel at ease in my office.
In my experience, when there is good therapist-patient fit, children and teens express themselves through both verbal and non-verbal means. What is expressed? Some children want to share light or heavy emotions in therapy. Some dare to dream – they share their aspirations and hopes. Some want to talk about class and friends. Some children express hopelessness. They may require the psychotherapist to hold hope - someone to envision a hopeful future for them.
Child or teen comfort and verbal and nonverbal communication is necessary in treatment, but it is critical that consumers know that such comfort and communication is NOT typically adequate for the development of treatment gains.
For treatment to be effective, evidence-based therapeutic methods are carried out. Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), one such treatment, includes inviting the patient to gradually exposure themselves to stress & tension. The patient courageously moves forward adaptively, and refrains from avoidance during such naturally difficult states. Think about the child who might be overwhelmed by boredom, by certain foods, or by social situations. The treatment includes gradually and mindfully moving towards what was previously avoided. It is my experience that ERP strengthens children’s capacity to go through life with increased courage and resilience and much more tolerance of affective and physiological states.
ERP was originally geared at addressing various fears, phobias, and anxieties, but it can be incorporated into treatment for depression, addiction, and more. ERP is the gold standard for anxiety and traumatic stress, and patients and their families often report gains from this form of treatment. It is very pragmatic. I observe that it tends to increase frustration tolerance and courage in children who might be otherwise avoidant or perhaps timid. Stimuli used in ERP might be as simple as the smell, taste, and texture of broccoli or more complex such as an interoceptive exposure for panic.
As you can imagine, therapy for children and teens differ on a case by case basis. Any any given day, a therapy session might include a child or teen drawing about a stressful or traumatic event; eating broccoli while sharing their thoughts and feelings; talking about school stress; tolerating boredom; discussing a behavioral experiment to be performed at home; discussing sleep schedules; playing a board game to build rapport or to grow cognitive flexibility; and much more.
Each treatment plan is unique. What we do in treatment differs on a case-by-case basis, and depends on the personality and psychotherapy needs of each child or teen. While treating your child, I hope to engage with you and your child in way that allows you to capitalize on my skill set and training in order to address psychological issues that have developed in your child.
Child psychotherapy begins with the creation of a space where self-expression of the child can occur. The space included the physical space, with comfortable lighting and textures and child friendly toys (e.g., Legos, brain games, etc), and the interpersonal space between therapist and child, to include ease of communication. Parents, children, and teens repeatedly tell me that my forthright communication style and down-to-earth demeanor makes it easy for children and teens to feel at ease in my office.
In my experience, when there is good therapist-patient fit, children and teens express themselves through both verbal and non-verbal means. What is expressed? Some children want to share light or heavy emotions in therapy. Some dare to dream – they share their aspirations and hopes. Some want to talk about class and friends. Some children express hopelessness. They may require the psychotherapist to hold hope - someone to envision a hopeful future for them.
Child or teen comfort and verbal and nonverbal communication is necessary in treatment, but it is critical that consumers know that such comfort and communication is NOT typically adequate for the development of treatment gains.
For treatment to be effective, evidence-based therapeutic methods are carried out. Exposure with Response Prevention (ERP), one such treatment, includes inviting the patient to gradually exposure themselves to stress & tension. The patient courageously moves forward adaptively, and refrains from avoidance during such naturally difficult states. Think about the child who might be overwhelmed by boredom, by certain foods, or by social situations. The treatment includes gradually and mindfully moving towards what was previously avoided. It is my experience that ERP strengthens children’s capacity to go through life with increased courage and resilience and much more tolerance of affective and physiological states.
ERP was originally geared at addressing various fears, phobias, and anxieties, but it can be incorporated into treatment for depression, addiction, and more. ERP is the gold standard for anxiety and traumatic stress, and patients and their families often report gains from this form of treatment. It is very pragmatic. I observe that it tends to increase frustration tolerance and courage in children who might be otherwise avoidant or perhaps timid. Stimuli used in ERP might be as simple as the smell, taste, and texture of broccoli or more complex such as an interoceptive exposure for panic.
As you can imagine, therapy for children and teens differ on a case by case basis. Any any given day, a therapy session might include a child or teen drawing about a stressful or traumatic event; eating broccoli while sharing their thoughts and feelings; talking about school stress; tolerating boredom; discussing a behavioral experiment to be performed at home; discussing sleep schedules; playing a board game to build rapport or to grow cognitive flexibility; and much more.
Each treatment plan is unique. What we do in treatment differs on a case-by-case basis, and depends on the personality and psychotherapy needs of each child or teen. While treating your child, I hope to engage with you and your child in way that allows you to capitalize on my skill set and training in order to address psychological issues that have developed in your child.