Hope & Courage

Spring 2009

"How To Corner”: Suggestions for Finding the Right Therapist for Your Child/Youth

How can parents find a qualified clinician who has experience working with children/youth? Education and experience are important; it is also important to find a clinician that your child feels comfortable talking to.

Check with your child’s pediatrician/general practitioner for a referral; some doctors have working relationships with mental health specialists such as child psychologists or clinical social workers. It may also be helpful to talk to friends, colleagues or other family members that may be able to recommend someone.

Here are a few factors you may want to consider when searching for the right therapist for your child:

1. Is the therapist licensed to practice in your state; you can check to see if the license is displayed in the office.

2. Does your health insurance cover therapy for your child? How many visits does the insurance cover by your plan? Will there be a co-pay?

3. What type of experience does the therapist have working with children/youth?

4. Is the therapist available by phone during an emergency?

5. What types of therapy does the therapist specialize in?
6. What therapy will improve my child’s mental illness?
7. When will I expect to see changes in my child’s behaviors?

Different Types of Therapy
There are many types of therapy. Therapist should choose the strategies that are appropriate for a particular problem and for the individual child and family. Most therapist spend a portion of their time with the parents alone, with the child alone and then with the family together.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-This type of therapy is often helpful with children/youth who are depressed, anxious, or having problems coping with stress.

CBT restructures negative thinking into more positive, effective ways of thinking. CBT can include work on stress management strategies, relaxation training, practicing coping skills, and other forms of treatment.

Psychoanalytical therapy-which is less commonly used with younger children but can be used with older children and teens who may benefit from more in-depth analysis of their problems. This is the quintessential “talk therapy” and does not focus on short-term problem solving in the same way as CBT and behavioral therapies.

In some cases, children benefit from individual therapy, one-on-one work with the therapist on issues they need guidance on such as depression, social difficulties, or worry. In other cases the right option to consider is group therapy, where children meet in groups of 6-12 to solve problems and learn new skills (such as social skills and anger management skills).

Family therapy-can be helpful in many cases, such as when family members aren’t getting along; experiencing disagreements and often arguing, or when a child/teen is having behavior problems. Family therapy involves counseling sessions with some or all family members, which help to improve communication skills, problem solving techniques and can also, help parents to regain their role as the authority figure.

Recognizing the problems of your child/youth; and choosing to seek help early on, will help your child/youth as well as the entire family to move through tough times toward happier, healthier times ahead.