Does your child have trouble dealing with their emotions? Is their behavior sometimes disruptive to your home life? Have they experienced sudden loss or trauma? As they grow, children and adolescents develop social skills and emotional intelligence. This awareness helps them to develop into healthy, happy, and successful individuals. But some children have trouble processing their emotions and this often leads to behavior that negatively impacts their school life, home life, and overall well-being.
In spite of the fact that children and teenagers often face challenges that can negatively affect their mental health, most mental health practices only cater to the needs of adults. At Mindful Counseling in Shreveport, Louisiana, we do things differently. Our team is committed to providing a safe, supportive space for young minds to navigate their emotions, build resilience, and thrive. If your child is struggling to navigate life’s challenges on their own, our specialized therapy for children and teens is the solution.
Therapy Tailored to the Needs of Young Minds
One size does not fit all when it comes to therapy for children and teens. Therapy offers children and adolescents a safe space to work through their thoughts and emotions. With the help of a specialized therapist, children can resolve problems, modify behaviors, and make positive and lasting changes. Our child and adolescent therapist may use the following modalities depending on what we are hoping to achieve through therapy:
- Play Therapy – Play therapy is a dynamic approach where children use toys and activities to communicate and express themselves.
- Social Anxiety Disorder Counseling – Social anxiety can be overwhelming, especially for teens. Our child and adolescent therapists can help them build confidence, develop social skills, and manage anxiety in various social situations.
- Family Counseling – Family dynamics play a crucial role in a child’s well-being. Our family counseling sessions aim to strengthen family bonds and improve communication to provide a supportive environment for emotional growth. Sessions can include the entire family, including children, siblings, parents, and grandparents, or just one or two individuals.
- Mindfulness-Based Therapy – Mindfulness techniques empower children and teens to stay present, manage stress, and enhance self-awareness.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is a goal-oriented therapeutic approach that involves identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. It equips the patient with practical coping skills for long-term success. Research has shown that CBT is highly effective at treating depression and anxiety as well as helping individuals, including children, deal with traumatic experiences.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – ACT helps children and adolescents process their inner emotions. ACT provides context and understanding to emotions that can seem overwhelming. This allows kids to work through emotions and move forward.
Each offers unique techniques to bring about positive outcomes. Sometimes a therapist may choose to use just one specific treatment, and other times he or she may find a combination of various treatments is the best approach. It all depends on what we are looking to accomplish through child & adolescent therapy.
Who is Therapy Right for?
At every age, children can be faced with life’s challenges. The following are some of the events and scenarios that can impact a child’s mental health and well-being:
- The death of a loved one
- Bullying
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Domestic violence
- Moving or attending a new school
- Divorce
- Social anxiety
- Depression
- ADHD
- Eating disorders
Therapy is not a quick fix to a child’s behavioral or emotional issues. It is instead a thoughtful and comprehensive process that provides children with insights and skills so that they may become masters of their thoughts and feelings. This, in essence, is how children develop into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
Get Started Today
If you’re seeking an effective approach to therapy for children and teens, Mindful Counseling is here for you. Give us a call or send us a message today to get started. We see patients virtually as well as in person at our office in Shreveport.
