What is a Child Psychologist?
A child psychologist is a psychologist with specific training or experience in providing psychological treatment for children and adolescents. They are uniquely in helping children develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially as they become adolescents and adults.
Historically, children were often viewed as smaller versions of adults. Today, psychologists recognise that psychology with children is unique and complex. It has now become a specialised area of psychology. At Mindstate Psychology, we have psychologists with specific experience, supervision, or training to work with particularly with children and adolescents. This allows us to provide the best therapeutic approach for your child.
It can be a big decision to seek psychological help for your child or adolescent. At Mindstate Psychology, we understand how precious your child is – and we are committed to providing them with the tools to manage emotions, navigate friends, set boundaries, develop healthy self-esteem, and become amazing adults.
How do I know if my child needs to see a psychologist?
As a parent, it can be difficult to know what behaviour partis just of “growing up”, or whether it’s a sign of an underlying problem whichneeds professional help. While there are some common signs to look out for, thebiggest sign is a prolonged and atypical change to your child or adolescent’sbehaviour – something a parent is uniquely positioned to discover.
Some of the common signs that your child or teen may need alittle extra support include:
- Poor confidence or self-esteem issues
- Prolonged periods of atypical behaviours (actingout, being rude or aggressive, being shy, anxious, clingy, or tearful)
- Trauma or abuse
- Anxiety
- Depression or suicidal thoughts
- Bullying
- Attention problems (including ADHD)
- Sleep difficulties or inability to put themselves to sleep without significant assistance from a parent
- Emotional regulation
- Executive functioning delays
- Grief and loss due to family bereavement, separation, or divorce.
- Eating disorders
- Substance use
What is the treatment process for a child or adolescent?
While there are some common themes and treatment approaches, everyone is unique, and we are committed to providing a treatment plan tailored to your child. To create an effective treatment plan, we begin with a comprehensive assessment. This simply means your psychologist will spend some time talking with you and your child to understand the concerns and worries – and get to know everyone! From this point, the psychologist will recommend an evidence informed therapy approach to best support your child and begin the therapeutic journey.
Beginning therapy for a child or adolescent is the same as an adult – you can find out everything you need to get started here.
