Are you thinking about therapy for your child? Or, maybe you are wondering if therapy is right for your child. Therapy can help children with a variety of concerns including behavioral problems, anxiety, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and more! At Garrett Counseling, our counselors are trained to work with children and teens through age 18.
It can be hard to decide if therapy would benefit your child. A few signs that counseling might be beneficial include:
- Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, anger, or anxiety
- Changes in behavior including a drop in grades, no longer enjoying their favorite activities, or a change in how much they eat or sleep
- Difficulty concentrating, sitting still, or making decisions
- Dangerous behavior such as violent outbursts, harming themselves or others, setting fires, or thoughts of suicide
Our counselors typically use a combination of evidence-based techniques that include behavior modification therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and play therapy.
- Behavior Modification Therapy is a practice that focuses on encouraging wanted behaviors and discouraging unwanted behaviors. The counselor will work to understand what in the child’s environment may be affecting behavior.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy seeks to help children understand their feelings and how their thoughts affect how they feel. The counselor will help the child learn what types of thoughts are not helpful and then learn how to change those thoughts.
- Play Therapy uses the child’s language, play, to communicate. The therapist will observe the child as they play to learn about the child and what difficulties they may be facing. Then the therapist will use play to address those difficulties and help the child learn to cope and solve problems.
Our services can coordinate with school systems and community agencies and services, including the Department of Human Resources.
The counselors at Garrett Counseling have extensive experience working with children, and our goal is to provide your child with quality, compassionate mental health care. If you are interested in more information about our services or if you would like to schedule an appointment for your child, call our office at (256) 239-5662 or complete our online form.