Treating Children & Youth
Children and youth can experience a number of mental health challenges. From birth, they are learning from the environment around them and their life experiences and genetic makeup can have a direct impact on their social and emotional development.
Families and caregivers may notice behavioural or emotional dysregulation that may seem to be distressing for the child. These may include compulsions, obsessions, anxieties, depression and anger outbursts that are consistently prevalent or are atypical in nature. Adverse Childhood Events (ACES), for example, traumatic events experienced at an early age, can also impact a child’s ability to organize thoughts and regulate emotions in a healthy and productive manner. Childhood is an important part of development and the psychotherapists at Roles & Associates work to implement both preventative and intervention strategies.
In therapy, kids learn by doing. With younger kids, this often means using creative methods, as well as involving the child's family.
Play-based therapies help children to express themselves at a developmental period when they don’t necessarily have the capacity to communicate as well verbally. Through play, the therapist can model different actions and words that children can use to help them manage difficult emotions and situations. For older children and teens, therapists share activities and ideas that focus on learning the skills they need. They talk through their feelings and solve problems.
Approaches to Therapy Treating Children & Youth
We use the following types of psychotherapy to help treat children and youth.
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a goal-oriented type of therapy that teaches the client how to first recognize and then change unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving. With the use of in-session practice and homework of skills to work on between sessions, this treatment is tailored to fit the client's goals and is a highly evidence-based collaborative psychotherapy.
Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive therapy that is very structured, where clients are taught skills in the four domains of mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. This works to support clients in changing their behaviours, thoughts, and process their feelings in healthier ways. This type of therapy is effective for individuals who want to improve their ability in regulating their emotions and was developed for people with borderline personality disorder and suicidal impulses. DBT requires consistent attendance and adherence to homework that is developed by both the client and therapist working together as a team.
Compassion focused therapy (CFT) is a type of psychotherapy that encourages individuals to be compassionate toward others as well as themselves. This type of therapy is primarily used for clients that struggle with self-criticism and self-contempt. CFT often includes exercises to practice mindfulness and appreciation. Sessions focus on examining the ways we talk to ourselves, where we might have first developed the particular tone and word choices used, and how we can make changes to how we speak to ourselves to increase self-compassion and appreciation.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an action-focused therapy approach where clients learn to accept their emotions and feelings rather than deny or avoid them. They also learn to accept their difficulties and needs as well as work on behavioural changes.