CHILD (under 12 years old)
An area of specialization among our therapists is assisting children in developing a positive self-concept, including their view of themselves and their capacity to connect and relate effectively with others in their environment.
Child-caregiver interactions in early childhood and the environment established by parents have a long-lasting impact on children’s self development, the quality of children's relationships with others, and overall psychological well-being. When these interactions meet children’s developmental needs, positive mental health outcomes are more likely in the short-term and down the road. Sometimes parents are unable to respond to developmental milestones, which then affects self-development and relationship capacities.
Children emotionally react to unexpected separations, loss, and difficult life experiences. They will require sensitive and attuned interactions with caregivers to support them in identifying, labelling, and expressing their feelings and emotions, and in identifying what needs underlie these reactions. Healthy emotional and social development require that parents are accessible, attuned, flexible, and appropriate in their responses to their children’s developmental needs. A failure in this regard runs the risk of impairing children’s emotional and social development.
Children need safety, nurturance, affirmation, structure, and guidance to gain a positive sense of self, of others, and of the world around them.
Children emotionally react to unexpected separations, loss, and difficult life experiences. They will require sensitive and attuned interactions with caregivers to support them in identifying, labelling, and expressing their feelings and emotions, and in identifying what needs underlie these reactions. Healthy emotional and social development require that parents are accessible, attuned, flexible, and appropriate in their responses to their children’s developmental needs. A failure in this regard runs the risk of impairing children’s emotional and social development.
Although the parent-child relationship is fundamental to a child’s psychological well-being, children may also be profoundly impacted by their broader contexts. These include the impact of marital distress and adjustment to divorce, identity issues related to being adopted, integrating into blended families, and the influence of school, including peer social interactions, bullying, and academic aptitude. A range of difficulties can emerge in each of these contexts and, depending on how prepared parents are to assist their children in meeting these challenges, their responses will either exacerbate the situation or buffer their child against long lasting vulnerabilities.
The following symptoms suggest that your child may require therapy:
- Highly disengaged and avoidant, or highly disruptive and excessively defiant
- Inappropriate emotional responses and/or difficulty with being soothed
- Excessive fear and unwillingness to explore his or her environment
- Clinginess and a lack of age-appropriate autonomy
- Excessive difficulty in making transitions
- Overly aggressive expressions, inappropriate behaviours, or violent outbursts
- Flat emotions, or overwhelming sadness, hurt, or anger
- Inability to play or relate to siblings, peers
- Problems with concentration and/or attention to tasks
- Difficulty in meeting developmental milestones and adjusting to new circumstances
An area of specialization among our therapists is assisting children to develop a positive self-concept, including their view of themselves and their capacity to connect and relate effectively with others in their environment.
CFIR therapists use different therapeutic strategies to address psychological issues with children. A therapist will often work with both the child and parents. Parental involvement is critical to every child’s treatment and will be relied upon to provide information regarding the child and feedback on the effectiveness of the interventions as they are developed and implemented. If a child has two parents, our therapists ideally work with both to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to address their child’s needs. Facilitating more secure caregiver-child interactions is at the core of therapy. Often couple therapy is also required in order to assist couples to become more emotionally accessible and responsive to each other’s needs and to create a mutually supportive dynamic. Parents are viewed as models of relationships as children grow up.
Although some parents may feel that seeking such assistance is an indication of parental failure, CFIR therapists believe that doing so is actually an indication of good parenting, much like bringing your child to a physician when feeling at a loss of how you can effectively meet the medical needs of your child.
CFIR therapists use different therapeutic strategies to address psychological issues with children. A therapist will often work with both the child and parents. Parental involvement is critical to every child’s treatment and will be relied upon to provide information regarding the child and feedback on the effectiveness of the interventions as they are developed and implemented. If a child has two parents, our therapists ideally work with both to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary skills to address their child’s needs. Facilitating more secure caregiver-child interactions is at the core of therapy. Often couple therapy is also required in order to assist couples to become more emotionally accessible and responsive to each other’s needs and to create a mutually supportive dynamic. Parents are viewed as models of relationships as children grow up.