As A Parent, Are You Concerned About Your Child’s Emotional Response?
Does your child have difficulty regulating big feelings?
Are you having a hard time managing their behaviours?
Could your child benefit from the support of a therapist who can help them explore emotions and make better choices?
If your child struggles to appropriately express sadness, frustration, or fear, it’s probably casting a ripple effect into every area of life. Perhaps they’re not able to focus in school because they are so overwhelmed. Or maybe your entire household has to bear the brunt of their big feelings, resulting in stress and conflict among the entire family.
Depending on your child’s age, mental health symptoms may go beyond emotional outbursts. If they are younger, they might struggle with separation anxiety, sleep issues, and excessive crying. If they’re older, they may have developed self-esteem issues related to their confidence and ability to “fit in.”
No matter your child’s age or their symptoms, it’s important to seek professional help—especially when you feel like you’re running out of patience and ideas for how to intervene as their parent. In therapy at Sweet Spot Family Counselling, your child can learn life-changing strategies for managing stress, handling adversity, and tapping into their strengths. Working together, our therapists will help your child feel in control.
Mental Health Struggles Are Common Among Children
It’s estimated that around one in five Canadians will develop a mental health condition by age 25. [1] The same issues that impact a big portion of adults—including anxiety, depression, and trauma-related symptoms—also affect children, with many developing symptoms by the time they reach adolescence.
A variety of factors can lead to mental health conditions in children. Whenever a significant shift or change happens in their environment—which may involve a move, divorce, or death in the family—it has the potential to trigger symptoms in children and cause them to feel out of control. Not to mention, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on the lives of our children, as they have had to adjust to social distancing, changes in their routine, and unprecedented safety protocols.
Our therapists understand that as a parent, you’ve done everything you can to help your child thrive. But sometimes, the professional perspective of a therapist is necessary to support both your child and you. With the right clinician, your child can feel empowered to explore and express their emotions in an appropriate way.
At Sweet Spot Family Counselling, We Specialize In Therapy For Children
Counselling is a meaningful opportunity for your child to develop a unique, individualized relationship with a therapist who can teach them essential life skills. By practicing these skills in the safe space of therapy, your child has the chance to apply strategies in real-time and receive feedback from a professional.
We work with children ages 6 to 12 in therapy. While parents are vital to the counselling process, therapy is client-led, meaning that beyond the intake process, sessions will only include your child and their therapist. This will give your child’s clinician an opportunity to create a neutral space and promote collaboration in the process.
The Methods We Use
We use a variety of age-appropriate creative exercises and behavioural approaches to facilitate strong emotion regulation skills. With elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), your child’s therapist will guide them in building a coping skill set that will help them manage anxious and depressive thoughts.
By incorporating elements of play, including games and problem-solving activities, your child will be able to improve executive functioning. Furthermore, their mental health will be normalized so they can manage challenges and express their emotions in productive ways. Because a safe space is established in therapy, children learn skills to have tough conversations that will last them for life.
None of our children come with an instruction manual—it’s okay if your child needs outside help navigating their struggles. Our practice is here to support both of you in feeling more capable and empowered so that joy, laughter, and harmony can return to your home life.
Still Unsure If Therapy Is Right For Your Child?
Can you actually help my child?
Though we cannot guarantee results, we are confident that our trained, experienced clinicians can make a meaningful difference in your child’s life. We pride ourselves on being a team of well-educated and compassionate mental health professionals who are trained in child-specific counselling approaches. And we have a proven track record for helping our clients improve and manage symptoms.
Like any good recipe, it takes precise measurements and ingredients to make it all come together. In therapy, this translates to a strong client-therapist fit alongside the support of parents to reinforce skills outside of the counselling space. Working together, we can help your child meet their treatment goals.
How long will my child need to be in therapy?
There is no set timeline for therapy, and there are several factors that will determine how long the process takes. Generally speaking, counselling requires a relatively substantial time commitment to ensure that a strong therapeutic relationship is established. That said, our team will work with you to establish a productive frequency of sessions for accomplishing their goals.
Are parents involved in the therapeutic process?
The right kind of parental support makes a huge difference in the counselling process. This starts with a thorough intake session that includes parents and provides an extensive overview of family history and presenting concerns. We certainly want to understand what your perspective is on your child’s symptoms.
Beyond the intake session, all sessions are limited to the therapist and client, though we will keep you updated on your child’s progress throughout the process.
Therapy Can Improve Your Child’s Life
At Sweet Spot Family Counselling, we are pleased to have multiple therapists on staff who are specially trained to work with children ages 6 to 12. For more information about how we can help or to schedule your first appointment, contact us.
[1] https://madeinca.ca/mental-health-statistics-canada/