In the past, the way that people spoke about therapy and counseling was like it is a last resort, rather than something people can do proactively to better their mental health. That has thankfully been changing, especially for adults, who are now understanding that therapy can be a very effective form of self-care.
Still, when it comes to children, many of these same beliefs persist. Many people see the idea of sending their child to therapy as a reflection of a problem with their parenting, or a sign that something is wrong their child. But we need to change that.
Therapy for Children is Also Proactive
So much of who we are as we get older comes from the experiences we have in our youth – experiences which are shaped by a child’s social skills, their anxieties, their ability to focus and learn, and on and on.
When a child is struggling with something, like anxiety, many parents take a “wait and see” approach to determine if the child seems like they’ll grow out of it, or to determine if the issue is a significant challenge to their quality of life.
Some kids will not grow out of it. Some will. However, even those that *will* grow out of their issues (due to a number of different factors) will still have experiences along the way that will shape them.
Instead of viewing therapy as something reserved for those children in desperate need of help – those in middle of a significant crisis – we should start seeing it as a proactive way to help children develop skills that will help them in other ways in life:
- Teaching them how to cope with stress.
- Teaching them how to develop social skills.
- Teaching them how to respond to conflict.
It’s a way to teach them how to be a part of the family, how to address school related issues, and more. A child doesn’t even need to be struggling to benefit from that, but if they are struggling at all, then it becomes especially valuable. It’s not something that should be seen only for those that need intervention, but also for those parents that also need a little bit more support putting their children on the path to a better life.
Therapy is for anyone that needs it and anyone that wants it. Reach out to Long Island Counseling Services today if you would like help for your child, you, or your entire family.