According to a 2007 report, around one in every five children in the U.S. faces mental disorders. Avoiding a mental health issue can be harmful to a person’s health. You know when you are going through a rough patch in your life, and you can talk about it with your close friends.
However, children do not understand what is unusual and cannot talk about it as freely as adults. It’s the parent’s job to provide a healthy environment for their children.
One must encourage your children to talk about their day in school when they get home. If your child is having trouble in school, they may hint at it in their conversations. The first step to helping your child is listening. Pay attention to their daily routine, and if you think that the problems may involve a deeper issue, you must contact a psychologist.
Psychological therapy is helpful for both adults and children. It is necessary to talk about mental health and resolve all the issues with the help of a professional. Here are a few therapies that may help your child.
Art Therapy
If the school has become a place of anxiety and negative feelings, you have to make sure that you help your child out of it. The output of all the negative emotions must be safe. You have to provide your child the opportunity to reflect productively. Art therapy is an applied psychological theory that builds a psychotherapeutic relationship with art and helps the person emote.
Art therapy for children may be a favorable option if your child is artistic. You have to give it a try. If it works for your child, you may get them more sessions per their requirement.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps to reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression with the help of psycho-social involvement. Therapists explain to your child how their thoughts affect their behavior. The co-relation of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors helps your child manage them better with the help of a trained professional.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps patients acquire a more adaptive behavior. Various scheduled activities are there to help the patient. This structured approach includes identifying damaging thoughts, indulging in new skills, setting hopeful goals for self, and problem-solving skills.
Play Therapy
Play therapy, as it sounds, is also effective for children. Since children do not understand emotions and their reactions, the therapist uses games and visual analogies to help them understand their feelings and how they work.
A few known techniques in play therapy are balloons of anger, the mad game, beat the clock, relaxation training, worry can, and more. An article published in 2002 titled “Fifteen Effective Play Therapy Techniques.” contains fifteen techniques that help the therapist connect with the child.
Consult a psychologist. You may schedule a few sessions if they think play therapy will help your child.
Animal Therapy
Animals have a very calming and playful aura. Being around animals can help you connect with your fun and puckish side. The therapeutic effects of being around animals are proven, and these therapies have helped people with various mental health disorders to commit to life.
People who like pets can gain positive and therapeutic effects from animal therapy. Children have a special connection with pets. If you bring a dog home, your kid will treat it like a friend and instantly feel better about their day. Pets like cats, dogs, goats, and horses are part of a therapeutic experience that promises results.
Nature Therapy
Nature mends souls. Nature Therapy is beneficial for the whole family. Many times, families go on vacations to connect strongly. Sometimes the frustration and anger in a child can be due to the routine they are following.
Taking the whole family on an adventurous trip may offer your child an experience away from routine. Repeating the same tasks every day can bore and mentally tire a person. Therefore, escaping the cycle and letting it go once in a while can be very healthy for children.
Group Therapy
Sometimes kids struggle because they think they are the only ones going through all the trouble. Children need to understand that they are not the only ones who have issues in school. They may feel better about themselves if they sit and talk to other children who face similar challenges.
Meeting someone, you can relate to can be refreshing, even for adults. You can talk to the parents about the challenges that they face.
