Child psychotherapy offers a child an important space, where play, art, conversation and the therapeutic relationship itself are all used to understand their feelings and experiences. Children often express their underlying concerns through play or creative activities. Child psychotherapists look at this communication in a different way, noticing themes and patterns in order to build up an idea of the child’s inner conflicts, which are very often unspoken.
We also build up a picture of the child’s behaviour at home, at school or in other settings, to think about what they may be communicating through the way they interact with others.
Working at a pace set by the child allows us to listen carefully to the child’s thoughts or feelings, however they might be expressed. Emotions and behaviour can be complex, and we can all find ourselves reacting in ways which take us by surprise! Children are often coping with the complexities of development, peer relationships, schooling and home life, sometimes without knowing how to name, express or even notice their emotional reactions to it all. If events have occurred which have been challenging for the family, children can struggle to make sense of things, often expressing themselves through behaviour, rather than being able to speak about how they feel. Child therapy endeavours to understand the child from all perspectives in order to process the past, cope with the present, and build a strong foundation for the future.
