Child Therapy

Does Your Child Seem Troubled But You’re Not Sure How To Help?

Does your child have anxieties and fears related to school or other social environments? Do they get irrationally upset when plans change unexpectedly or experience separation anxiety when they are not with you? Are you concerned by their struggle to keep up academically, socially, or emotionally?

Parenting can be incredibly rewarding, but is not without its difficulties. Seeing your child sad, anxious, or in pain can be difficult to cope with, especially when their distress appears to originate from within. Perhaps you have received concerning reports from their teachers or friend’s parents about your child’s behavior, confirming your worries that something is amiss.

It’s Not Always Clear What Is Causing Your Child’s Distress

You may have noticed that your child gets overly anxious or overwhelmed by day-to-day occurrences, like projects at school, participating in sports, or social situations. Or maybe they have become unmotivated and withdrawn, spending more time alone isolated from their friends. Although an upsetting life event may have prompted their change in mood, in other instances you may be uncertain why they’re struggling.

While you hate to see your child suffering, you may not know where to turn. More than anything, you want to help your child cope with life’s stressors so they can live with more joy, resilience, and peace. 

Fortunately, the therapists at Rocky Mountain Counseling have the flexibility to meet your child‘s and family’s needs while honoring that you are the ultimate expert. By approaching therapy with a collaborative and relational lens, we can pinpoint your child’s needs and make thoughtful recommendations based on our training and experience.

Have any questions? Send us a message!

Therapy Can Help Your Child Foster Self-Love, Strength, And Resilience

Although you know your child can thrive, it’s important that they know it, too. Many children could benefit from therapy, where they can learn the necessary skills to manage stress, reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety, and develop techniques for positive self-talk. With a collaborative, client-centered approach to counseling, your therapist will assess your child, formulating an individualized plan that addresses their specific needs. 

At Rocky Mountain Counseling, we strive to be accessible and never overly clinical. Our team is comprised of talented therapists who pride themselves on connecting and building trusting relationships with the families we work with. We will apply our expertise while also showing up authentically.

What To Expect From Child Therapy

Your counselor will help your child identify how they think, feel, and act by employing two foundational pillars throughout therapy. The first pillar is cultivating a strong therapeutic relationship with your child based on trust. Without this foundation, child counseling will be ineffective. 

The second pillar is empowering your child to develop and hone more effective coping skills. Because challenges emerge in different contexts, the strategies offered will be customized to specific situations and settings—such as home, school, social, and community—and experimented with until we find the ones that work best. Parent involvement within sessions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and mutually determined by what will most benefit your child. 

How We Utilize Play And Experiential Therapy For Children

The approach we take will always be guided by what works best for your child, such as child-centered play therapy, therapy involving parent support and training, or experiential therapy. If your child wants to draw, go for a walk, or play a game during sessions, these activities will help foster therapeutic conversation and develop trust. Taking the “therapy” out of therapy helps kids feel more comfortable and allows them to work through their struggles more naturally and easily. 

Because play is how children communicate and process their emotions, we honor that and incorporate it into counseling. In addition to having a dedicated play therapist and playroom, all of our clinicians are trained in the play therapy philosophy and can implement elements of it throughout sessions. We meet them where they are and allow them to express their thoughts and feelings comfortably and creatively, whether through toys, sand trays, art, or journaling. 

Because we spend the time necessary getting to know your child and building a relationship responsive to their needs, therapy can affect positive change in their life as well as improve your family dynamic. By developing a comfort level with asking for help and coping skills to manage stressful situations, child therapy offers your child the tools they need to thrive.