Child and Young Adolescent Therapy

14 Years and Younger

Each session will follow a format collaboratively decided upon by myself, parents, and the child. However, after intake, child therapy sessions will typically involve the following format:

Start (Updates/Session Plan)

One-on-one time with the parent to discuss updates and confirm focus areas for the session

Middle (Intervention/Check-in)

One-on-one time with the child

or

Dual time with the parent and child if planned strategies/education for the session requires a parent, or the child would like their parent present.

End (Summary/Homework)

Dual time with the parent and child at the end of the session to summarise content and plan any homework between sessions.

Breaks

All children and adolescents will be offered breaks throughout the appointment. Depending on the age, abilities, mood of your child and established rapport, your child may require more or less breaks.

Generally, each child/adolescent is offered one break without a therapeutic focus at the end of the session, and one with a therapeutic focus halfway through the session.

Breaks can include games, drawing, or discussing a topic of interest to them.

Session Format

Are games used in sessions?

Absolutely!

As mentioned above games can be used to ensure that your child has a break during the session. However, games are frequently used as a therapeutic tool. Some of the reasons why games are used beyond providing breaks are to:

  • Facilitate communication - children and adolescents are often more willing to discuss their emotions when they are preoccupied with a game

  • Build rapport

  • Teach therapeutic, social, communication and executive functioning skills

  • Create a safe space

  • Gamify learning

Games

Important Consideration

  • Description text goAll children can benefit from therapeutic support.

    However, as is the case for any therapeutic journey, change exists primarily outside of the psychology room.

    Psychology sessions account for 1 hour in 336 if you are seeing your psychologist once per fortnight.

    As such, child therapy requires parents to be heavily involved in making sure therapeutic strategies/interventions are practiced or integrated between sessions.

    For families that do not have the time or space to provide this, therapy can still provide a safe space for your child to check-in and debrief. However, larger changes to emotional reasoning and regulation can be more limited.

    If you are looking for significant changes in mood or behaviour, it is worth considering how much time you can offer to therapeutic exercises during the week outside of sessions, as this will be one of the largest contributors to change across sessions.es here

    • Bring a notepad to record important points.

    • Write down important moments that occur between sessions.

    • Encourage your child, if they are able, to write or type down things that they might want to discuss at the next appointment.

    • For children taking medication to help with concentration, ensure that this has been taken with enough time before sessions.

    • Keep your child informed of when they will be attending appointments.

    • Avoid pressuring your child to discuss certain topics.

    • Consider reducing demands on therapy days, as talking to another adult outside of the home about big emotions can be exhausting.

    • Don’t be afraid to ask questions!

  • Confidential in sessions is important not only for adults but also for children and adolescents. As such if a child requests that I do not disclose information to their parents I will honour this request provided that it does not interfere with their safety or the safety of another person.

    Maintaining these boundaries is important for your child as it will help your child to feel safe to express their true thoughts and feelings in session; something that is necessary for effective therapy.

    However, whilst I may not be able to talk about the specifics at times, I will always inform parents of the therapy process and ways in which the family can continue supporting the child at home.

    Please be assured though that if I believe that there are any risks to the safety of your child or another person, that this will be disclosed.