School has been in session for just over a month, and it’s like summer did a 180. Summer break is full of carefree lazy days, swimming, playing with friends, and not having a care in the world. Literally overnight, summer ended, and kids are now faced with new classes, new friends, homework, sports, and day after day of busy schedules from sun up to sun down. If your child is showing signs of stress or anxiety, a child counselor in Huntsville, AL may be exactly what they need.
How Much is Too Much?
Everyday stressors are normal, but if your child is experiencing an overload of stressful situations, they may need some help learning how to cope. Let’s look at some signs and symptoms that could indicate that your child is, as they say, “stressed out”.
- Physical complaints of headaches or stomach aches.
- Changes in appetite.
- Trouble concentrating.
- Wetting the bed.
- Difficulty sleeping at night or having nightmares.
- Constant negative thoughts or excessive worrying.
- Unusual changes in behavior like aggressiveness, moodiness, tantrums, or frequent crying.
- Not wanting to go to school.
Coping Strategies
Now that we’ve identified things to watch for, let’s take a look at some ways to help your child. Sometimes something as simple as distraction can help in the moment. The strategy of redirection takes focus off of the issue and replaces thoughts with something enjoyable or at least tolerable. If you have time, soothing music or activities like reading or drawing can be helpful. When time is short, grounding exercises such as counting your breaths, counting colors, naming a few things you see, hear, feel, touch, and taste are a great way to calm the mind. Need a few more? Click here. When symptoms are more severe and unable to be relieved by self-methods, a child counselor can help.
Next Steps
If you are looking for a child counselor in Huntsville, AL, Albertville / Boaz, AL or Jacksonville, AL, Garrett Counseling can help. We have experienced child counselors with available appointments to help your child learn coping strategies to thrive during this school year. Call (256) 239-5662 or reach us by clicking here.