What is a Child and Family Therapist and What Do They Do?

What do you do when you're constantly fighting with your child and feel like you've tried everything? What do you do if you are worried about your child and don't know how to help them?

Someone in your life might recommend you take them to therapy to help resolve some of these issues. But what does that mean? What is a child and family therapist? What do they do? And will it help?

What is a Child and Family Therapist?

Child and family therapists are all very different. However, all child and family therapists work specifically with children and their caregivers. They have specialized training to work with children and often help with issues such as behavioral outbursts, trauma, poor social skills, and family conflict.

What Do Child and Family Therapists Do?

What a child and family therapist does depends on how the therapist approaches the work and why you are seeking therapy in the first place. They have different specialties, work with different populations, and approach the work differently. Some therapists use interventions backed by science and others use interventions that are more difficult to test in a study. Many therapists use a combination of interventions to most effectively help their clients reach their therapeutic goals.

Common Issues a Therapist Can Help With

Let's take a look at some of the common reasons a child might engage in therapy:

• Behavioral outbursts

• Major life transitions

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Family conflict

• Trauma/Stressful Events

Will Therapy Help?

Many people say therapy is most helpful when they feel connected with their therapist. This means you and your child should feel comfortable and understood. As a parent, you should also be open to trying different things to support your child. I mean, you've tried everything you can think of, so trying something new wouldn't hurt, right?

If you and your child do not feel connected with your therapist, it's ok to find a different one. Therapists expect this to happen sometimes and know that a good fit is critical to a positive therapeutic relationship. If a therapist offers a free consultation, use it to get to know the therapist. 

Finally, trust that you and your child continue to evolve throughout your lives and that these challenges are just for now.

See my upcoming posts to explore common issues and what you can expect from an individual or family therapy session with me. Until then, trust yourself and keep evolving.