What Can You Expect from a Child Psychologist?

Have you noticed any changes in your child’s behaviour? Perhaps they’re quieter than usual, or they appear stressed.

Depression and other mental health illnesses seem to be hitting individuals earlier on in life, and children are affected too.

Kids must deal with experiences including divorce, illness, death, crime, bullying, and more. Often, these factors can result in mental illness. If you’re worried about your little one, it may be worth visiting a child psychologist.

But maybe you’re apprehensive and aren’t sure what to expect. That’s where we come in to clear things up. Keep reading to learn exactly what to expect from a child psychologist.

What Does a Child Psychologist Do?

A psychologist for children is trained to help with all kinds of issues that kids face. They often assist children and teens who are facing tough experiences in their lives. These experiences include family issues, school problems, bullying, health worries, and more.

Child psychologists will help your child deal with feelings such as sadness, anger, stress, worry, low self-esteem, grief, and more.

They also help children suffering from conditions including depression, ADHD, OCD, anxiety, eating disorders, and more.

A child psychologist is a coach, friend, and advisor to kids with a deep and extensive knowledge of child development, personal relationships, and medical research.

It’s important to remember that a child psychologist is not a parent. That role is yours and is yours to stay. Involving a child psychologist helps to add to your relationship rather than replace it.

What Can You Expect from Treatment With a Child Psychologist?

As a concerned parent, of course, you’ll want to know what you can expect from treatment from a psychologist for kids and how long it should take.

There are various types of treatment, including open-ended talk therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy. The latter focuses on skill-building techniques that have been trialled and tested that have been shown to lead to results over a specific period.

However, it’s important to understand that kids make progress at different rates, and it’s impossible to make an accurate guess on how long treatment should take. How quickly your child or teen makes progress entirely depends on the complexity of the issues.

For example, a child with intense anxiety may have trouble participating in therapy, having to take medication to reach the point where he or she can benefit from therapy.

Considering Meeting a Child Psychologist?

When your little one is meeting a child psychologist, it can be an unnerving time as a parent. The best way you can support your child is by ensuring that you both meet a therapist that you feel comfortable with.

Take your child to all their appointments, and make sure they know they can speak to you about their issues and their meetings too. Spend time with your child, whether that involves exploring for the day, cooking together, reading together, or simply playing together.

Practice patience and warmth so your child knows that they are loved and that you’re in the situation together.

If you’re looking for a professional and friendly child psychologist, we’re here to help. Get in contact to see how we can help you and your child today.