For our children, life isn’t all fun and games. They face issues at school like bullying and fitting in with peers; they’re trying to figure out their role within their family; they’re exploring their interests and talents; and more.
During early childhood, many of the messages they get are from parents, but as children get older, their identity and self-esteem are shaped — for better or worse — by other kids, teachers, coaches, and popular culture.
This is a lot to navigate, which is why it’s a great idea for kids to have a mental health professional to speak with, so they can process their thoughts and feelings and deal with mental health challenges like anxiety and depression, which have skyrocketed over the past decade.
At In Touch Counseling, Janelle Adams, MA, LMFT, ATR, uses an enlightened, diverse therapeutic approach, always customizing it to the unique needs of each child.
Because of her insight into children’s development, Janelle understands that if your child is facing an issue or challenge, the aim isn’t necessarily to remove the problem, but to help them create a toolbox of sorts that they can refer to as they cope with and process challenges.
The end goal is to build resilience that can carry them throughout their adult lives as well.
Janelle works with your child or adolescent to:
Since we emphasize integrative, holistic care that’s centered around your child, they gain experience in self-regulation and problem-solving that nurtures their independence and helps them prepare to handle what comes their way, including the unexpected.
When we evaluate your child, we’re intent on creating a treatment plan that incorporates a variety of progressive, evidence-based therapies.
As we know, play comes very naturally to children, and communicating with their therapist through play can have very positive results. Often, children can express feelings through play that they may not be able to fully articulate verbally.
Play has been referred to as a child’s language, with toys often serving as their words.
The relationships that Janelle develops with your child during play therapy become strong, and kids can learn useful interactive skills, especially if they’re experiencing challenges with their social skills or emotions.
Play therapy has been shown to help children by allowing them to think about and solve their problems in ways they wouldn’t have been able to before.
Art therapy, like play therapy, allows your child to use their mind, body, and spirit to express things they may not have words for. This approach allows them to:
In addition to self-expression, art therapy helps children explore their feelings, build coping skills, and manage stress effectively.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a type of talk therapy that helps your child see how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are related. This therapy can also help kids find new ways of thinking about challenges by developing new patterns of thinking.
CBT is especially helpful for kids facing challenges with anxiety, trauma, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and more.
When a child’s nervous system is dysregulated, they may be prone to acting out, tantrums, and other behavioral challenges. Nervous system-informed care involves Janelle helping your child calm the emotional chaos that leads to behaviors that are challenging both at home and at school.
They learn to manage their emotions and behavior, even when they encounter something negative, such as a peer interaction, a transition, or a disappointment.
In a non-judgmental way, children learn to manage their emotions better, develop strategies to handle challenges, such as transitions between activities, and manage conflict.
Every child’s family has distinct dynamics and must work through conflict, and family therapy can help children with sorting out the relationships they have with their parents and siblings, as well as assisting them in managing issues parents may be dealing with, such as a substance misuse disorder, illness, or a mental health condition diagnosis of their own.
Family therapy is a safe place for every family member to express themselves and understand others’ perspectives.
We’re here to help your child navigate the challenges they face and learn healthy coping mechanisms through a variety of therapeutic approaches.
Contact our Camas office at 360-205-5236 to schedule an appointment for your child, or book one with us online.
