As children grow and mature, they face new situations and experiences. They encounter conflict as they establish their personal identity and form relationships with others. Kids commonly experience pressure when dealing with school stress such as homework or peer pressure. At home, they may encounter problems with parents or siblings. In facing these experiences, it is common for a child to have emotional ups and downs and feelings of sadness, anger and fear.

These responses to life’s pressures are normally short-lived and don’t have a significant and lasting effect on a child’s life. However, sometimes life events can be too severe for a child such as the death of parent or a family member, a divorce, abuse, trauma or a major illness. These can cause stress and pressure that could lead to more serious emotional and behavioral problems.

In many cases, parents may have difficulty helping their kids. In these instances, professional assistance and child therapy might be necessary. Some of the signs that a child may need the help of a psychologist or therapist are the following:

 Behavioral problems such as eating disorders, rage, and bedwetting

 Developmental delay in speech or toilet training

 Social isolation

 Very aggressive behavior

 Signs of substance abusepo

 Traumatic events such as sexual or physical abuse

Parents of younger and below school age kids who are significantly delayed in achieving developmental milestones such as walking, speech and toilet training may benefit from consulting a clinical psychologist. Child therapy may also be needed if there are signs of autism and other developmental disorders.

Child therapy includes many types of techniques and methods. Therapists and child psychologists choose the most appropriate strategies designed for a specific problem or an individual child and family. The therapy involves sessions with the parents, the child and with the entire family together. Some of the common strategies used in child therapy are the following:

 Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT – this type of therapy is best used for kids who are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. This type of therapy aims to restructure negative thoughts into positive thinking. Procedures used in CBT include relaxation exercises, stress management, practicing of coping skills and many other forms of treatment.

 Psychoanalytic Therapy – this is the typical ‘talk therapy’. Although it is rarely used with children, it can be used in dealing with older kids who will benefit from a deeper analysis of their problems.

 Family therapy – In many cases, this type of therapy can be very helpful especially when there are conflicts in the family or when a child is exhibiting behavioral problems.

Child therapy provides children with the opportunity to identify, talk about and understand their problems and develop the coping skills. It also helps parent in meeting the needs of their child. A timely and appropriate child therapy can stop problems from becoming worse and inflicting serious, long-lasting difficulties on the child.