Children Therapy

19/01/2020 by Michelle Whelan Kennedy Children Therapy 0 comments

Counselling Therapy for Children and Adolescents

“Everyone has inside of him/her a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish! And what your potential is ! ”

– Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Galway Community Counselling offers therapy to children from five to seventeen to years of age. It is now recognised that there is a growing need for children in therapy. Loss and bereavement come in many forms through separation, divorce, sickness, death or similar life transitions that leave them unable to cope and feeling overwhelmed. When this type of life change takes place in the family, it has a profound effect on all the members of the family.

Often they do not have the language to name what they are experiencing. A safe space to express themselves without any judgement is hugely important – a place to voice how they are experiencing the world, naming their feelings, putting a shape on something they have not been able to describe going on inside them.

It is largely recognized that peer groups work best to support children and adolescents when they are struggling to cope with change – there are a number of really good resources such as Rainbows and Seasons for Growth that give children key coping mechanisms as well as learning ways to express themselves.

Since it is necessary for emotional healing to take place after a significant loss the purpose of the support groups is to provide those grieving an opportunity to share their feelings in an accepting environment, supported by trained, caring, and compassionate adults.

However, some children and adolescents can get really stuck when trying to cope and this is when one to one counselling is recommended.

“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul.”

– Friedrich Froebel (founder of the concept of kindergarten)

How is works?

Depending on the age, an appropriate arrangement will be made with the Therapist. Consent is required by the parent/guardian or social care worker. Usually younger children attend fortnightly for approximately 40-50 minutes. Older children may attend weekly for an hour. We ask that the parent/guardian or social care worker remain in the waiting area during the session, should the child want their presence during the session.

The therapy is one to one where art, toys, mixed media and talking are used as therapeutic tools to engage with the child/young person and work with the issues that is holding them back in their lives.

Our vision at Galway Community Counselling is that the grief experienced by children and young people, following a significant loss in their lives, is recognised and that they are offered the understanding and support necessary to foster emotional well-being.