Why would a young child need to see a psychologist? I get asked this question a lot. Therapy with a young child and their parents is nothing like what we think of as “traditional” talk therapy. What I do is a very different model guided by the principles of prevention, early intervention, and family systems theory. The overall goal is to address early warning signs, “pink flags,” early on, so that they do not turn into larger problems or “red flags.”
Young children undergo tremendous physical and emotional growth in the early years. They go from helpless creatures to walking, talking people with lots of opinions. It is amazing to observe but it can also be hard for parents to know what to do at each stage. Just when you think you have a routine set, they go and change something else on you! Parents often struggle with getting your child to sleep through the night, potty training or when trying to establish healthy eating habits. I often hear parents saying that they wish their child came with an instruction manual! I don’t have a manual but I can bring you a library of different strategies to try based on the latest research, and coach you as you work to address these issues.
Young children may also see a psychologist, like myself, if they are having trouble making friends and playing cooperatively, if they seem to have tantrums very frequently that go on for long periods of time, if they are aggressive when upset or if they are quite a bit more active than what is typical for their age. I can observe your child with an experienced set of eyes, determine if your child’s behavior is “normal” and age-appropriate or a cause for concern, and if so, create a plan to address any concerns.
Children are more sensitive to their environment than we used to believe. If you are going through a stressful time at home or at work, they may experience the same emotions. Yet, they often do not have the ability to verbalize or understand those feelings. As a result, you may notice changes in their eating and sleeping habits, irritability or an increase in crying, or an increase in defiance behavior. I can help you and your child by explaining changes in ways that they will understand, giving your child a safe space to explore and express their feelings, and provide tools to help your whole family cope with a stressful time.
The goals, process and duration of therapy are very different for young children (see Therapy tab for more information). Often, we may meet for a couple of sessions, to offer you some information and follow up to make sure things went smoothly. Parenting young children is not easy, so if you have questions or would like some additional support, give me a call!
