Child therapy: what is it and what are its benefits

Child therapy or child psychotherapy is a type of therapeutic intervention whose main purpose is to enhance the emotional and social well-being of the child, and it differs from adult therapy not so much in the objective of the interventions but in the way of carrying out the relationship and the therapeutic process.

The psychological problems They must also be taken into account at an early age, since an effective treatment at these ages will positively condition the future of a child and her well-being and can prevent future problems in the Adults.

What is child therapy

This form of therapy is based on a set of techniques and methods used to help children who have problems with your emotions or behaviors, and one of the many elements that differentiates it from adult therapy is what uses play as a key element in therapy. In addition, it involves the family (and sometimes the school and / or other institutions and professionals) in the therapeutic process, so the therapeutic relationship and the alliance is multiple.

Child therapy is very experiential and experiential. Child therapists use activities and games to interact and communicate with children. However, language and verbal communication in this type of therapy is also important, as in adult therapy, but it is necessary to adapt it to the developmental stage in which each child is situated, both at the level of understanding and expression of language and the characteristics of their cognition and thought. For this reason, a child therapist must have in-depth knowledge of developmental development, characteristics of each area (social, cognitive, emotional, etc.) at each moment of the child's life kids.

These professionals are experts in helping children develop and build healthy self esteem, improve communication, social skills, stimulate development and improve their emotional and relational intelligence. In short, child therapists need adequate and specialized training and experience to interact with children using adapted techniques, as well as to train parents in psychological techniques that help influence the behavior and emotions of their children.

Features of play-based therapy

Psychological and emotional problems that affect children, as in adults, can have a impact their life in different ways, for example their school performance, or it may lead to problems with conduct.

The benefits of child psychological intervention are multiple, and many of them are achieved with techniques such as play-based therapy, in which the therapist creates a protected and structured environment (the therapist acts as a guide) with games and toys, to be able to observe the child's behavior and inquire into her internal events such as thoughts, sensations and emotions.

Thanks to play-based therapy, the child finds a way of expression that facilitates the communication of their problems, concerns, emotions and thoughts without The need to directly verbalize the problem as an adult would (sometimes the child is not even aware of the "problem") and without feeling threatened or interrogated.

Child therapists use this therapeutic method in different situations, among which are:

• Separations, divorces and family difficulties
• Grieving process
• Childhood trauma
• Bullying and bullying
• Situations of physical and emotional neglect
• Cultural changes
• Behavior disorders and learning disorders
• Emotional and behavioral difficulties

The benefits of child therapy

Thanks to child therapy, the little ones develop social and relational skills, improve self-esteem, learn to face problems, release tension and, in addition, have the opportunity to practice tools to improve their emotional well-being and daily life.

Therapeutic play is an ideal way for the child to express and control her emotions, and encourages expression of your concerns, as it gives you confidence to express your personality and show yourself as it is. In this space the child finds a connection with his own feelings and improves his emotional self-awareness. The game offers the advantage of representing real life situations but maintaining the emotional distance that the child does not have in your day-to-day, allowing you to explore and work on possible solutions without feeling the pressure of life's consequences everyday.

In addition, parents, who are essential figures in the infantile therapeutic process, also learn to analyze the situations in which children present difficulties and learn how to intervene in them in a loving, warm and age appropriate way, helping them to lead a more adaptive, healthy and happy.

When to take my child to the psychologist

Being a father is, without a doubt, one of the best experiences in life; however, it can also be a very stressful and difficult situation when a child has difficulties emotional or psychological, since parents always want the best for their children and for their development healthy. But, How to know when it is necessary to take a child to the psychologist?

There are a number of signs that may indicate that it is time to take a child to child therapy. They are as follows:

• Behavioral problems: excessive anger and rage, intense or frequent uncontrolled tantrums, extreme disobedience, aggressiveness, etc.
• Trouble falling asleep, nightmares
• Attention, reading, or language problems (for example, speech delays)
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity
• Poor school performance
• Sadness, disinterest, low mood, excessive sleepiness
• Changes in appetite
• Shyness, withdrawal, and relationship problems
• Lack of appropriate emotional responses
• Problems with toilet training
• Intense and irrational fear
• Repetitive and obsessive behaviors

Where to go to overcome these problems? Instituto Mensalus: specialists in child therapy

From child therapy, these problems can be addressed with a treatment aimed at solving the behavior disorders of the little ones.

If you are a father or mother and you are concerned about the well-being of your child, you can contact a child psychologist from any part of the world. most of psychology clinics in Spain have a multidisciplinary team composed of psychologists, educational psychologists, speech therapists, etc., highly specialized in treating different problems that affect children and young people: separations, ADHD, emotional and affective difficulties, adaptive problems, disorders and learning difficulties, behavioral disorders, sleep disturbances, grieving processes, addiction to new technologies, among others.

These difficult situations can overcome any parent, but this center can offer you solutions to improve both your happiness and that of your child.

• If you need a trustworthy clinic and want more information about clinics or centers to go to, consult our directory of psychologists.

Bibliographic references:

• Bjorklund, David F; Blasi, Carlos Hernández; Ellis, Bruce J (2015-10-26). "Evolutionary Developmental Psychology". In David M. Buss (ed.). The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology. Volume 2.
• Myers, D. (2008). Exploring Psychology. Worth Publishers.
• West-Eberhard, Mary Jane (2003). Developmental plasticity and evolution. Oxford University Press.
• Yamagata-Lynch, L.C (2010). Activity Systems Analysis Methods: Understanding Complex Learning Environments. New York, NY: Springer Science.