Helping Parents to Help Children
While most of the treatment we do with children involves parents (either to a greater or lesser degree), there are times at which the treatment almost exclusively involves the parents. This is sometimes the case for very young children (under 5) or in situations in which a child or teen has refused to participate in treatment. Additionally, children who have very minimal symptoms may be helped by parents who are trained to act as their "coach." Parents can be effectively educated to help their child with a number of mental health symptoms without ever bringing their child to therapy.
If your child is experiencing minimal symptoms or if you aren't sure if your child's problem behaviors require therapy, please consider meeting with one of our therapists to explore treatment options before booking your child for a first session. Remember that starting a child in therapy can be a very significant experience for some kids. When a child hears that they are going to be starting therapy, they may inappropriately believe that they are "damaged" or that they are creating "problems" for their parents that other kids don't. These can be very powerful messages for some children and so unless your child is being referred for moderate to severe issues, our providers may recommend that parents come in and meet with the therapist alone before bringing a child in for treatment. Another option is for parents to book an appointment to discuss their child's case with our clinical director, Dr. Katy Manetta, prior to booking an intake appointment. Dr. Manetta frequently consults with parents and referring providers to help explore appropriate treatment options prior to children starting therapy.
As a parent, it is often hard to know what to do when our kids are having a problem. And the books, opinions, lectures and advice all seem to all say something different! The good news is that when all of the details and specifics of the parenting manuals and "expert" opinions are put aside, certain general principles emerge that help us to understand which parenting strategies are likely to work best with kids. At Belmont Psych, we have several therapists who are uniquely skilled in providing parents the tools they need to reduce their children's negative behaviors, increase their child's ability to cope with frustration and to help their kids adapt to change.
At the end of the day, the goal of Parenting Skills Training is to help you help your children be happier and better adjusted. And this won't just help your children..It's going to make your whole family a happier place! If you would like to hear more about some of the basic parenting interventions that are recommended by our clinicians, please visit our blog for articles and more information.
Therapy Is More Than A Conversation
Some critics of psychotherapy have likened the role of the therapist to a friend who is paid to sit and chit chat with clients about their lives or just listen while people complain. And while some therapists do perhaps provide little more than emotional support, the role of the Cognitive Behavior Therapist is different. CBT involves providing a great deal of education, helping clients to remember and use that education, teaching concrete skills, and tracking progress to confirm that patients are benefitting. It is our hope that by reviewing the information provided on this website, that anyone who is interested in our services, or in any therapist's services for that matter, is able to appreciate the difference it makes to work with well-trained Cognitive Behavior Therapists.
Please call us at 562-799-6700 or email us at [email protected] to schedule an appointment today.
While most of the treatment we do with children involves parents (either to a greater or lesser degree), there are times at which the treatment almost exclusively involves the parents. This is sometimes the case for very young children (under 5) or in situations in which a child or teen has refused to participate in treatment. Additionally, children who have very minimal symptoms may be helped by parents who are trained to act as their "coach." Parents can be effectively educated to help their child with a number of mental health symptoms without ever bringing their child to therapy.
If your child is experiencing minimal symptoms or if you aren't sure if your child's problem behaviors require therapy, please consider meeting with one of our therapists to explore treatment options before booking your child for a first session. Remember that starting a child in therapy can be a very significant experience for some kids. When a child hears that they are going to be starting therapy, they may inappropriately believe that they are "damaged" or that they are creating "problems" for their parents that other kids don't. These can be very powerful messages for some children and so unless your child is being referred for moderate to severe issues, our providers may recommend that parents come in and meet with the therapist alone before bringing a child in for treatment. Another option is for parents to book an appointment to discuss their child's case with our clinical director, Dr. Katy Manetta, prior to booking an intake appointment. Dr. Manetta frequently consults with parents and referring providers to help explore appropriate treatment options prior to children starting therapy.
As a parent, it is often hard to know what to do when our kids are having a problem. And the books, opinions, lectures and advice all seem to all say something different! The good news is that when all of the details and specifics of the parenting manuals and "expert" opinions are put aside, certain general principles emerge that help us to understand which parenting strategies are likely to work best with kids. At Belmont Psych, we have several therapists who are uniquely skilled in providing parents the tools they need to reduce their children's negative behaviors, increase their child's ability to cope with frustration and to help their kids adapt to change.
At the end of the day, the goal of Parenting Skills Training is to help you help your children be happier and better adjusted. And this won't just help your children..It's going to make your whole family a happier place! If you would like to hear more about some of the basic parenting interventions that are recommended by our clinicians, please visit our blog for articles and more information.
Therapy Is More Than A Conversation
Some critics of psychotherapy have likened the role of the therapist to a friend who is paid to sit and chit chat with clients about their lives or just listen while people complain. And while some therapists do perhaps provide little more than emotional support, the role of the Cognitive Behavior Therapist is different. CBT involves providing a great deal of education, helping clients to remember and use that education, teaching concrete skills, and tracking progress to confirm that patients are benefitting. It is our hope that by reviewing the information provided on this website, that anyone who is interested in our services, or in any therapist's services for that matter, is able to appreciate the difference it makes to work with well-trained Cognitive Behavior Therapists.
Please call us at 562-799-6700 or email us at [email protected] to schedule an appointment today.
