It is not uncommon for children and teenagers to experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties at different times throughout their lives. However, sometimes these difficulties can have a significant impact on the child and the family’s life and start to affect the child’s day-to-day functioning. Parenting is also a hugely challenging job and, at times, parents might feel stuck as to how to best manage their child’s difficulties. We can offer support for a wide range of psychological difficulties affecting children, young people and their families, including…
Children & Teenagers
- Anxiety e.g. generalised worry, panic attacks, phobias, separation anxiety, health anxiety, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphia
- Depression, sadness and low mood
- Low self-esteem and lack of confidence
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress e.g. prolonged distress as a result of experiencing or witnessing something traumatic, such as a road accident or an assault. A child may also be struggling as a result of experiences of abuse or witnessing abuse, such as domestic violence.
- Challenging behaviour / behavioural difficulties
- Concerns about a child’s development
- Difficulties in early childhood such as poor sleep, feeding/eating difficulties, temper tantrums
- Bereavement and loss, including parental separation and divorce
- Difficulties with friendships and other relationships
- Bullying
- School based difficulties, including attention and concentration difficulties, social communication difficulties, school refusal and school/exam stress, difficulties managing transitions
- Attachment based difficulties
- Difficulties related to anger and other interpersonal emotional difficulties
- The impact of physical disability and medical conditions, including the young person facing serious illness or chronic health difficulties themselves or experiencing distress associated with a family member or friend with a physical health problem.
- Concerns linked to Social Communication Disorder, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s Syndrome and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Although we are experienced in working with a wide range of mental health difficulties, some difficulties require more intensive or crisis services. Should that be the case we would facilitate your referral to that service
Parents
- Consultation and support around parenting, including managing your child’s emotional and behavioural difficulties
- Parental stress and anxiety
- Supporting parents who have children with social communication and attention difficulties
- Support in thinking about the impact of a parent’s mental health difficulties (e.g. depression, post-natal depression, anxiety, OCD) on a child and working to reduce these. This may lead to a piece of family work.
Families
- Improving communication and interactions between family members.
- Working on strengthening and improving relationships between siblings or between a child and parent/s.
Assessment Methods
We offer comprehensive psychological assessment to help decide what may be the best treatment option for your child and family. This can include:
- Individual and family based interviews
- Use of standardised tools and questionnaire measures
- Use of psychometric / cognitive assessments as required
- School and home observation
- School and health services liaison
- Collaborative feedback of assessment
Psychological Interventions and Approaches
We use a range of evidence-based psychological interventions and approaches, including:
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
- Behavioural approaches
- Evidence based positive parenting approaches including Webster Stratton, parent-child game
- Systemic approaches (working with the family and wider system around the child)
- Mindfulness, Acceptance and Self-Compassion based approaches
- Attachment based approaches
- School based interventions, including therapeutic groups; teaching/training on mental health issues and approaches; mindfulness groups (Paws B curriculum).
