Individual Counselling - Children & Adolescents

Children and adolescents experiencing psychological difficulties or life stress can be helped using a variety of methods, depending on their age and the nature of the problem.

For preadolescent children, an initial consultation with parents is normally scheduled to allow parents and therapist to speak honestly about their concerns for the child. Following this consultation, a formulation is developed regarding the child's current difficulties, strengths, and needs. Adolescents usually attend the first session with their parent(s), and are encouraged to be involved in the therapeutic goal setting process.

Parent support and training is often an effective way to assist very young children and acknowledges parents' expertise with regard to their children. Interventions with children may include play therapy, narrative therapy, art therapy or structured programs aimed at promoting resilience and skill building.

For older children, ongoing parent involvement is also often helpful in consolidating new skills and in managing difficult emotions. For older children and adolescents, interventions may be based on individual counselling or structured programs designed to help children develop skills for managing their thoughts, feelings and behaviour effectively. After the initial session, older children and adolescents may choose to attend psychological counselling without their parents, and this will be discussed at the first session.

For further information about this services, please contact us.