Does child therapy work?

Does child therapy work?  The short answer is, “yes,” there is a solid catalogue of evidence that child therapy works and can help children with adjustment issues, anxiety, depression, family issues, and emotional regulation challenges.  Not all therapy is the same and some treatments are more effective than others.  What will work best for your child largely depends on the issues being treated and the age of your child.  Since children are not just “little adults,” specialized training and experience treating children is required to work with children and families.  

Evidence supports mental health therapy for children 

The effectiveness of therapy has been studied for decades.  However, adult therapy is not the same as child therapy.  The strategies that work for children may differ based on their developmental needs and life experiences.  Young children under the age of 10 require more play therapy interventions.  Play therapy can be “non-directive” in that the therapist works with the child’s themes of play to help them make sense of their experiences and emotions.  Play therapy can also be “directive” in that the therapist implements specific games and play activities with an objective related to your child’s presenting problem.  Given that young children communicate best through play, we recommend that children under 10 receive some form of play or art therapy incorporated into treatment.  You can read more about the effectiveness of play therapy here.  

CBT as a foundation for psychological change   

Many children respond best to treatment that incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) elements.  CBT has a long history of research in its effectiveness.   CBT provides children a basic understanding of emotions, emotional communication, differentiation between thoughts and feelings, coping and self-soothing strategies.  We have long been proponents of schools building elements of CBT into curriculum and we are more recently seeing some schools take on social-emotional education that incorporates CBT.    You can read more about the effectiveness of CBT with children here.  Any clinician working with children should be able to implement basic CBT principals into treatment, verifying that a child has a solid foundation of emotional identification and expression, as well as a toolbox of effective coping strategies. Treatments such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help treat trauma with CBT treatment strategies.  

Family and parent involvement   

Children don’t grow up in a vacuum and they certainly can’t grow physically or psychologically without the support of loving caretakers.  While there is significant evidence that child treatment can be effective, it’s important to note that all child treatment incorporates some element of parental / caretaker participation.    We strongly encourage parents to take an active role in understanding their child’s mental health needs and treatment.   This is the common denominator in success in treatment for most children.  Here is a little more information about the importance of parental / family involvement in treatment. 

How do I choose a therapist for my child?  

It can be tough to know how to choose a therapist for your child.  We recommend scheduling a 15 minute phone consultation with any provider that has been recommended.  Feel free to ask the therapist about treating children in your child’s age range and with their specific needs.  Be sure to ask how they will incorporate parents or caretakers into treatment and make sure you feel comfortable talking with the provider.  In your consultation, the therapist should be able to explain some of the strategies that might be helpful in treating your child’s needs.  For instance, the treatment strategies we use for a child with school avoidance will look very different from those we use for a child who has experienced a traumatic event.  You want to be sure your child’s therapist can articulate an individualized approach and not a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Can Skylands Wellness help my child? 

Our family-centered focused makes us a great fit for working with your child in child therapy.  We always incorporate parents in the treatment process because we consider you the expert on your child.  Call us today for a free 15 minute phone consultation. To learn more about Postpartum Therapy and how Skylands Wellness can help, click here.