Child Counseling Techniques (List)

This blog provides you information about child counseling techniques. The blog explains in detail the concept of child therapy and its uses.

There is much more to discover in this blog so let’s not delay further and move on to the very first heading of this blog.

What is Child Counseling?

Child counseling (also called child therapy) is similar to adult therapy and counseling: it provides a safe environment and empathetic ear while providing support to alter ideas, emotions, and behaviors. 

Unlike adult clients, children’s clients provide emotional and analytical assistance in their meetings.

You should concentrate on dispute resolution, knowing their own thoughts and emotions, and dreaming about new approaches to their everyday problems. 

The only major difference between adult counseling and child counseling is the focus on ensuring that children realize what’s happening on and how they’re not alone.

Child therapy may be done for one infant, one infant, one parent or one parent, or even more than one family.

This is also provided by a psychologist or therapist who specializes in dealing with children and who may provide parents and/or guardians with perspectives that may not be readily obvious. 

Different types of counseling, such as the one mentioned above, are used to help an individual in coping with his emotions and stresses by knowing his past.

But there is one type of counselling, called as the genetic counseling which looks into the medical history of a patient, trying to investigate his psychological and medical condition.

Issues Addressed in Child Counseling

Therapist and client(s) can cover a broad range of issues, including:

• Divorce or separation of persons; Death of one who is loved 
• Trauma 
• Intimidating 
• Sexual abuses 
• Emotional abuses 
• Physical abuses 
• Relocation of family or children 
• Substance violence or dependency in the family 
• Mental illness, such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (TherapyTribe, 2018). 

Effective counseling should be current and forward-thinking (meaning there will be no looking back or digging up the past) and will possibly use non-verbal methods such as play, sports, painting, etc

Child Therapy Techniques

A child counselor devices treatment plans and objectives for children, in order for them to follow those goals during or after their counseling sessions for an effective outcome.

The following are some child counseling techniques used for child therapy:

Therapeutic Games

Chosen games and sports help a child learn about self-management techniques. For example, a counselor can burst a child’s bubble.

When the child is having fun with the bubbles, the counselor explains how to blow bigger bubbles by taking deep breaths and blowing slowly.

The psychologist then describes how “Bubble Breaths” will help to alleviate anxiety. Strategy games — such as checkers and battleships — help children learn how to control impulses by learning about consequences.

Brain games, such as card playing, help children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder expand their mental capacity and boost memory, according to “Fun and Games: Help ADHD Children Learn Through Play,” published by attitude.

Art Therapy

For medical testing, counselors may give the child an task, such as copying, completion of a picture or directions for drawing a particular object, such as an animal or a child’s family.

At other times, the free choice of visual art and subject matter offers a child the ability to freely communicate inner feelings. Counselors perceive the art of a child by taking a look at themes and asking the child to discuss his project.

An unstructured strategy to art therapy will help a psychologist understand what affects the child and how the child deals with these problems internally, says Judith Aron Rubin in her book “Child Art Therapy.”

Family Therapy

Family relationship patterns and dynamics are essential to problem-solving.

Via plays, children and families connect more creatively and imaginatively than through conventional talk therapy, Liana Lowenstein and Trudy Post Sprunk claim in their report, “Creative Family Therapy Strategies: Play and Art-Based Practices for Evaluating and Treating Families.”

Strategies such as family sculpture help families appreciate the child’s perspective. Through this technique, a child creates a living sculpture by putting family members in a room in whatever position — sitting, standing, kneeling, or some other position — that best shows how family members communicate with each other.

After explaining the sculpture, the counselor encourages the child to position family members where he would like them to be.

Talk Therapy

Talk therapy is important to children who have undergone trauma, such as physical abuse , sexual abuse, or the losing a loved one. Using narrative counseling, the psychologist helps the child to explain the stressful incident and then to reflect on the child’s reaction to the incident.

Angel Yuen, a school social worker, and a private therapist calls this the “second story.” By asking about the actions of the child, the counselor helps the child discover its strengths.

With this strength-based approach, “the child believes like they can be powerful in their own lives, where they can be actors of their own narrative,” says Yuen

What are some counseling techniques?

Some common and effective counseling techniques include behavioral theory, cognitive theory, integrative theory, and humanistic theory.

What are the 9 core Counselling skills?

The nine core counseling skills include attending, silence, focusing, clarifying, and the use of questions, reflecting, and paraphrasing, immediacy, summarising, and rapport building.

How do you explain Counselling to a child?

Counseling can be explained to children in the following ways:

1. Choose a suitable time to interact with them, to make sure they are not in crisis. 
2. Take seriously the concerns, experiences, and emotions of your child. 
3. Seek to be calm, honest, and accessible. 
4. Discuss how common the problems they are experiencing can be. 
5. Explain that a psychiatrist has the function of offering assistance and help.

What is the best therapy for children?

There are various good therapies for children. Some of the best therapies for children include dialectical behavioral therapy, family therapy, emotion-focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, play therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and interpersonal therapy.

What are the 3 types of counseling?

The three types of counseling include event counseling, professional growth counseling, and performance counseling.

What are the six stages of the counseling process?

The six stages of the counseling process are as follows:

• Pre-contemplation
• Contemplation
• Preparation 
• Action
• Maintenance
• After-care

This page explained in detail the concept, purpose, and importance of child counseling techniques.

If you have any questions or queries regarding this blog, let us know through your comments. We will be glad to assist you.

References 

Child Therapy: 19 Counseling Techniques & Worksheets for Kids by Courtney E. Ackerman (2020)

Counseling Techniques With Children – Our Everyday Life

Amazon.com 

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