Child counseling is a specific type of therapy that works with young children, teens, and adolescents. They can work with single issues or multiple issues that a child may be dealing with. Child counseling can provide aid for children who have experienced trauma or other issues of dysfunction.

Many of the issues that children face will mimic the issues that adults face. Some of the most common issues are anxiety, depression, and grief. Child counseling works to break down the issues that children are dealing with by breaking down the issues into manageable parts. This allows the children to understand their problems better and gives them the tools to deal with them.

When your child changes how they are behaving, it can make you wonder what is happening with them. Sometimes these changes can be tied to a traumatic event, other times they are not. These changes need to be paid attention to. They can help you determine if you should seek counseling.

There are six common signs that your child may need help from a specialist.

– Defiant behaviors are a common sign that something needs to be addressed. If you find that your child is more prone to argue, become defensive, or complain over the smallest of issues, these can be an indication that your child needs help. These can be happening at home or school.

– A shift in usual interests and habits can also be a sign. Most of the time, these will show up as changes in eating or sleeping habits or personal interests. If these changes persist for more than two weeks, seeing a child specialist may be beneficial.

– If your child starts to worry excessively, or becomes abnormally sad these are indicators that your child may be dealing with something that could require help. Worrying and sadness are a normal part of life, especially when children go through life changes and transitions. It is when these feelings become excessive that there can be cause for concern.

– Regressions are common, especially when a sibling is born. This can also happen if divorce or other major life changes happen. The most common regressions are: frequent temper tantrums, bedwetting, separation anxiety, excessive anxiety or fearfulness, and “baby talk”.

– Social isolation is when your child withdraws from much of the social part of life. They want to spend inordinate amounts of time alone. Being alone is a fairly normal part of life, from time to time; when it starts to have a negative impact on relationships, then it is time to be concerned. This is even more true if your child does not normally have issues with shyness or introversion.

– If your child starts to talk about harming themselves, it should be taken seriously. Getting help right away is the best choice of action. Sometimes, however, the indicators of self-harm may be more subtle. These can be expressed in a number of ways, such as hitting one’s self, digging nails into their own skin, and banging their head on something are other kinds of signs. Getting the help of a child specialist is certainly needed if your child is self-harming or is threatening to.

If your child is showing signs that things are not right, or they are behaving in a way that has not been their norm, child counseling can help. A child specialist can often see things that you may not be seeing. They can identify behaviors and responses that give a good indication of what issue or issues your child is dealing with. They can help your child address these issues by breaking them down into pieces that your child can understand and address. Getting your child to a place where they are happier and more comfortable with their life can make all the difference.

If you have denied that therapy can benefit your child, getting your child to accept that help is important. As you present this idea to your child, stay calm and present it in a loving way. Help them understand that therapy isn’t some kind of punishment. Just let your child know that the plan is to make things better.

If your child is a preschooler, keep it simple. Let them know they’re going to the therapist’s office to play.

If they are aged 5 to 10, they are probably aware of your concern, so start with a conversation. Talk about working together to solve their problems. Let them know that you already know the child specialist and that you like them and think that your child will too.

Tweens and teens will probably know what therapy is. They need to be in a place where they accept that the problem they are facing needs to be solved, or at least addressed. If they do not feel that this is something that needs to be addressed, they will feel like they are being forced into therapy and the visits may not be very helpful. The caring and compassionate child counseling specialist in Ann Arbor MI is here to help your child get through their difficult times. Call or book an appointment online. We serve patients anywhere in Michigan. Licensed in Ann Arbor MI, Pittsfield Charter TWP MI, Ypsilanti MI, Saline MI, Dexter MI, Scio TWP MI, and surrounding areas.