As a therapist, I have had the pleasure of working with many kids, teens, and their families. If this is your first time seeking therapy or mentorship services for your child, then you may be wondering what to expect. Look no further. I will give you an inside look into what this may look like.
During the first session, I will introduce myself to you and your child. I will spend time with both of you together and with the child on their own. I will focus on gathering background information about the child and the family system. I will focus on both what isn’t working and what is.
During the next sessions, I will meet individually with the child, then toward the end, bring you in. You may wonder what I do with your child when you aren’t around. Basically, I ask for their assessment of progress, examine for areas of challenge, and address these things. Then, I move on to teaching coping skills and providing psych education. Next, I may engage your child in a game or activity. Sometimes, I may even combine steps two and three by teaching through play. Lastly, I will bring you into the room. During this time, I will get your assessment of progress, summarize skills discussed, and provide homework for the client to work on.
Personally, I like to use kids’ strengths and interests to direct therapy. This means that if a child enjoys drawing or coloring, then I may allow them to draw/color as we talk. If the child likes games, I may teach more through games. If a child isn’t a good writer, I may go over a worksheet verbally with them. Basically, I have skills and information prepared, but I allow the child to help direct how I teach skills and information to them.
In conclusion, I believe in skills teaching, psychoeducation providing, and individual directed therapy when working with children and teens. I also believe the client and their family provide a vital role in the success of therapy.
