Psychotherapy

What is Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy?

It is normal for children and adolescents to experience a range of emotions, including feeling sad and angry at times. However, some children might need some support in managing difficult feelings. Children and adolescents may behave in a way that feels concerning to those around them; they may withdraw, lose motivation, exhibit challenging behaviour or appear constantly sad or angry. Sometimes parents may struggle to understand why their child is experiencing these difficulties.

Child and adolescent psychotherapists are trained to carefully observe what a child or adolescent might be communicating through their behaviour. The therapeutic relationship develops over time and can help children and adolescents make sense of their experiences. I try to understand, alongside the child or adolescent, the meaning of their behaviour, which may need time and exploration to uncover. The main aim is to create a space where things can be explored so that experiences can gradually begin to make more sense. As a result they are able to express their feelings in less worrying ways, they can experience more freedom and awareness and their relationships improve.

How do I work?

I work closely with parents throughout the process. The first step would be a meeting with parents to understand what concerns they have for their child. I would then offer an initial 3 sessions for the child or adolescent, this is an opportunity for exploration and assessment. Sessions last 50 minutes and take place at the same time each week. We would then arrange another parent meeting to decide whether ongoing therapy would be helpful for your child. If another course of action is required I can help you with decision making and appropriate referrals.

I offer both short term and longer term work. Sometimes children and young people need support for a short period of time, to address a crisis or explore a particular issue, other times they need open ended psychotherapy.