Psychotherapy with children

Introduction

In this essay I will explore what psychotherapy with children is? It will cover what psychotherapy is in the simplest term, the therapy options available and the treatments that will help child specifically. A better understanding of what psychotherapy is necessary before you can fully understand what psychotherapy with children really is.

What is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy is a therapy type that is primarily used to help child of many ages and adolescents who are having problems with their person, emotions, behaviour, social issues, communication difficulties and relationships. Depending on the type of treatment used by the psychotherapist, it helps to restore the person’s ability to normally function, interact and be around others.

Many therapies exist which lead to the resolving of the problems for the child or the adolescent.

The therapy options available

There are many therapies available a psychotherapist can use to treat child or adolescents; there are several options to choose from. There is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Family Therapy, Group Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Play Theory and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. It is up to the psychotherapist to choose which one is most suitable for a given person.

Three Psychotherapy types for children

Of the several different types of psychotherapies available, three are better suited to treating children.

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or CBT is a type of therapy that helps children or adolescents identify harmful thoughts and to correct them resulting in thinking and behaving more positively.

This kind of treatment has the higher success rate when both treatment and medication (antidepressants) are used.

Family Therapy is a type of therapy use to help families and their possible children. It helps to bring a dialogue between the family members by facilitating a safe and friendly environment. This is where each person can express how they feel. (Psychiatry, August 2013).

This therapy helps family’s to work together to prevent any future issues from arising.

Child Play Therapy is a type of therapy specifically to help children. It involves child being let to play with toys or other objects and helps the therapist to get through to the child to work through and overcome their problems (play time for child produces in them a relaxed state).

Children inherently have trouble connecting feelings with their appreciate emotions which is where play theory helps to bridge that issue.

Conclusion

Psychotherapy with children is very important as it restores the child’s ability to function properly and to have fewer issues in the future. Out of all the options a psychotherapist can use to treat a child, Play therapy is the best option. Though other therapies could work with children, the play therapy is the best option a psychotherapist can use to help a child.