The approach of Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy involves thinking in depth about children and adolescents in the context of their relationships in families and at school. Effective psychotherapy provides an insight into what is causing sets of symptoms and behaviours that are making a child feel unhappy, unsafe, and anxious or stuck in their development. The main equipment might be said to be the observational skills and the mind of the psychotherapist and his capacity to deploy these in a sensitive way in order to try to understand the communications and half -communications that a child or adolescent may convey through words, play, gesture, attitude, action etc. The Psychotherapist’s attempt to make sense of these communications to the child/ adolescent offers containment and opportunities to work through issues and for development to be freed up. An important aspect of the work is consistency of time and place which provides for a containing environment that allows the most powerful feelings to arise and be worked with over time. This work can often help children and adolescents stabilise and grow.

 

For younger children and those who have verbal communication difficulties toys, drawing materials, or other equipment that can help a particular child communicate are provided. Technique is adapted and ways of working are recast when working with children and young people with learning disability and autism where interpretive language is not the main currency of communication.

 

For teenagers having someone like a psychotherapist outside of their families, peers and teachers; someone who doesn’t count in their everyday life can prove helpful in helping them sort out difficulties. Such difficulties often get in the way of the young person being able to engage in learning, peer and family relationships and their own overall development. Teenagers often present either through anger, acting out behaviours, self-harm or a more depressed, withdrawn and cut off state. At this crucial stage of development it is important to be able to differentiate typical adolescent difficulties from the onset of more enduring and stuck states that may impact negatively on their overall development.

 

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist also offer work with parents. This can take a variety of forms and is usually aimed at supporting parents and understanding some of the family dynamics that help and/or hinder a child/young person’s presenting issues or development.

 

Child & Adolescent Psychotherapists are trained in the National Health Service and regulated by the Association of Child & Adolescent Psychotherapists (ACP). This full time clinical training lasts between 6 to 8 years before qualification and comprises observational studies of infants and children, child development research, personality development, theory and the development of clinical skills through case work with children, adolescents, parents and families under the supervision of senior consultants.

 

We work across the age range; Parent –infant work, under- 5’s, adolescents and young adults Referrals can be for any number of concerns that can be explored with the Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist in an Initial Consultation session for parents. If it seems that a psychotherapy intervention would be useful the child/adolescent would be offered an assessments session for the child/adolescent to find out whether this way of working helps them. Following assessment we can offer one-to-one psychotherapy on a time-limited or open-ended basis. If a child/young person is undergoing psychotherapy parents will be offered regular meetings to review progress.

 

To find out more visit the website of the Association of Child Psychotherapists. Here you will find leaflets on the work of Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist in different context and a guide for parents. www.childpsychotherapy.org.uk

 

Another useful resource is the Understanding Childhood series of free download leaflets written by Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist on subjects such as Bereavement, Divorce and Separation, Your Overactive Child, Supporting Teenagers, Key Stages in Your Child’s Emotional Development, Free Factsheets “Won’t They Just Grow Out Of It”. www.understandingchildhood.net

 

Please contact the Natural Health Centre, Kings Norton on 0121 459 3535 to arrange an appointment with the Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist.