Maegan Beck MSW, LCSW

It is normal for children to experience fears that come and go throughout their lives. Anxiety can become an issue when your child is exhibiting avoidance of certain activities and experience extreme distress regarding their fears. Some of the first steps in addressing a child's anxiety is acknowledging it, educating oneself about anxiety, and finding a mental health professional that can help identifying the right care plan for the child.

Occasionally being sad or feeling hopeless is a part of every child’s life. When children feel persistent sadness and hopelessness, it is possible that they are struggling with depression. Some symptoms of depression in children include feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time, loss of interest in activities, showing changes in eating patterns, showing changes in sleep patterns, and showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior.

As children get older, they can begin to compare themselves to their peers, which can impact their self-esteem. Some children come to realize that their efforts are not as good as those of their peers and begin to feel inferior. By helping children refocus their attention on activities they enjoy doing, empowering them to try new things such as sports or clubs, and providing them with praise for their effort rather than results or perfection, can help them recognize their individual worth.

Play therapy is a way of helping children express their feelings and cope with their problems. Sometimes children have a hard time talking about what is bothering them, so they use toys instead of words. Play therapy is like counseling for children, but with toys. By participating in play therapy, children can express their thoughts and feelings through their play and therapists can help them learn new skills and ways of dealing with situations.

CBT for kids has practical everyday applications. This therapy can help your child understand the negativity of their thought patterns and learn how to replace them with more positive ones. Discovering new ways of looking at things helps a child learn how to respond differently and improve rather than worsen stressful situations.

Art therapy is type of therapy that uses creative activities to improve your child’s wellbeing. It can include painting, sculpting, drawing, and other creative outlets. Art therapy helps children to process the things that have happened to them and express their negative feelings and emotions. It also helps reduce stress and anxiety and improve a child’s mental, emotion, and physical well-being.