GeneralHow to Find the Best Therapy for Your Child

Mental health struggles are never easy, no matter what your age, but for young children and teens it can sometimes be more challenging to comprehend what they are going through. During these formative years, experiences with peers, academics, and more can have lasting emotional impact and shape the adults these children become, so it is important to make sure that mental health is made a priority from the early years. If you are a parent who has noticed that your child is struggling with their mental health, you may want to try and find them some professional therapy for more support in helping them to navigate these challenges. Here are a few suggestions that you might find useful in helping you to find the right therapy for your child.

Speak to Your Family GP

A good place to start if you are having these concerns for your child is speaking to your family’s GP. Mental health can be very complex, and you might not be able to know precisely what issues your child is facing at this stage. Voicing your concerns to your GP can be helpful as they may be able to signpost you to other mental health services that can provide an assessment of your child and, hopefully, a more accurate diagnosis of what mental health difficulties they might be having.

Does the School Have Any Mental Health Support?

You may also want to speak to the school your child attends to find out if they have any mental health support services in places, such as a student counselor, or access to groups that could be therapeutic for your child. It’s also a good opportunity to raise your concern with your child’s teachers so that together you can come up with a plan on how to have your child supported more effectively in the classroom.

Look at Different Therapists in Your Area

Taking your child to see a therapist can be very beneficial and provide them with a safe space to talk freely to an impartial person. Search the term find a child psychologist near me to see local mental health services that focus on children and adolescents. If there are limited services in your local area, you can always consider using online therapy services which can allow your child to have their sessions in private at home.

Ask for Recommendations

Your GP might be able to give you recommendations for child mental health services but think about asking other parents or trusted friends who might have gone through something similar if they can point you in the right direction as well. Online reviews can also be used to get a better idea of what to expect from a therapist and if they will be the right fit for your child. It’s also worth noting that if your child doesn’t appear to be connecting with their therapist, they can always change to talk to someone else that they feel more comfortable with and this is key to therapy success.

If you’re a parent who believes your child could benefit from some therapy and other mental health support, use these tips to help you find the right therapy for them.