Children’s mental health is one of the most important factors in a healthy developing mind. Their ability to learn healthy social skills and cope with stressful situations helps them reach developmental and emotional milestones, critical to a healthy and happy rest of their life.
The CDC describe mental disorders as “serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, which cause distress and problems getting through the day”.
Mental health does not necessarily mean removing or solving a mental disorder, but teaching children healthy coping strategies and a good understanding of who they are and what their mental disorders mean for them.
Common Warning Signs of Mental Disorders in Children
According to Mayo Clinic, the most common signs of mental illness include:
- Persistent sadness that lasts two weeks or more
- Withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions
- Hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself
- Talking about death or suicide
- Outbursts or extreme irritability
- Out-of-control behavior that can be harmful
- Drastic changes in mood, behavior or personality
- Changes in eating habits
- Loss of weight
- Difficulty sleeping
- Frequent headaches or stomachaches
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in academic performance
- Avoiding or missing school
Therapeutic Modalities Utilized During Sessions with Children and Adolescents:
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Solution Focused Therapy
- Mindfulness
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is used to ground, stabilize, and allows the child/adolescent to reprocess negative beliefs.
- Play therapy is often incorporated into therapy. It offers a vital opportunity for children to process and express what they may not be able to communicate in words. Art, sand tray, puppets, toys, game boards, role play, crafts, and storytelling, along with previously mentioned therapeutic modalities, can help children and adolescents address and overcome anxiety, trauma, anger, peer and/or family conflict, grief, difficulties with adjustment, sexual abuse and other aspects related to behavioral, emotional and social challenges.
In addition, parents have the opportunity to learn about the stages of development and may participate during the session/s to help build mutual understanding and establish healthy patterns of communication.
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