Therapy for Children & Young People
Growing up is not always easy.
Children and young people face change as they learn who they are, how they fit in and how to deal with strong feelings. School, friendships, family life and the need to belong can all bring pressure.
Most children go through difficult times and find their way through them. But sometimes a struggle lasts, gets worse or starts to affect daily life.
You may notice that your child has become more worried, angry or withdrawn. They may struggle at school, lose confidence, have trouble with friends or seem unlike themselves.
At times, a child cannot explain what is wrong.
Therapy can help us begin to understand.
When feelings are hard to put into words
Children do not always tell us how they feel through words.
They may show it through their behaviour, play, drawings, anger, silence or the way they relate to other people.
A child who seems angry may also be scared or hurt. A young person who pushes people away may be trying to protect themselves. A sudden change in behaviour may be telling us that something needs our attention.
Rather than asking only:
"How do we stop this behaviour?"
I am also interested in asking:
"What might this child be trying to tell us?"
That question can lead us towards a much better view of what is going on.
What I can help with
Children and young people may come to therapy for many reasons, including:
anxiety and worry
low mood
low confidence
anger and strong feelings
problems at school
friendship problems
bullying
family conflict
parents separating or divorcing
grief and loss
trauma or painful past events
questions about identity and belonging
feeling alone or left out
changes in behaviour
finding it hard to talk about feelings
There does not need to be one clear problem.
Sometimes parents simply know that their child is struggling and are not sure why.
We can start there.
What happens in therapy?
Therapy with a child may look different from therapy with an adult.
Talking can be part of the work, but it is not the only way children express themselves. Depending on their age, we may use play, drawing, stories, images or other forms of creative work.
Older children and teens may want to talk more directly about what is happening in their lives.
We build trust over time and find the ways of working that suit them.
My aim is to help the child understand their feelings, make sense of what is happening and find new ways to deal with things that feel hard.
Working with parents and carers
Parents know their children in ways no therapist can.
You can tell me about your child's early years, family life, key events and the changes you have noticed. This helps me build a fuller picture of what may be happening.
At the same time, children and young people need some privacy for therapy to work.
Before we begin, I will explain how this works and what information will remain private. If I become worried about a child's safety, I will take the steps needed to protect them.
The child's needs stay at the heart of the work.
My approach
My work with children and young people draws on my training as an integrative psychotherapist and my MA studies in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.
I think about the whole child, not just the problem that brought them to therapy.
Their age matters. So do their early years, family life, school, friendships and the world around them.
Most of all, I want to understand the child behind the behaviour.
What are they feeling?
What have they been through?
What do they need?
What are they finding hard to say?
When we become curious about these questions, behaviour that first seemed confusing can begin to make more sense.
Starting therapy
The first step is usually a meeting with a parent or carer. We can talk about what has been happening, what you have noticed and what you are most worried about. I will ask about your child's life and early years, and you can ask me questions about how I work.
We can then decide whether therapy with me seems right for your child and think about how best to introduce the idea to them. A child does not need to arrive knowing what to say.
Sometimes the first task is simply helping them feel that there is an adult who wants to understand.
