Greenwood Village, Colorado Family Counselor
You may have noticed for some time that your child hasn’t been behaving like his or her typical self. Perhaps your child has even been displaying major mood swings, constant anxiety, dramatic weight loss, and has experienced 
more stomach aches than ever before. Well, these could be a few signs that your child’s mental health may be at risk. Although you may have asked for a family member or friend’s advice, they may have told you that this is a normal phase kids go through. And as true as that may be sometimes, there’s also the likelihood that this isn’t a little phase that all children experience. Now, we don’t discourage speaking with people you trust, conducting your own research, or even taking a free “Does my child need counseling?” quiz online, but we also know how important it is to trust your parental instincts.
more stomach aches than ever before. Well, these could be a few signs that your child’s mental health may be at risk. Although you may have asked for a family member or friend’s advice, they may have told you that this is a normal phase kids go through. And as true as that may be sometimes, there’s also the likelihood that this isn’t a little phase that all children experience. Now, we don’t discourage speaking with people you trust, conducting your own research, or even taking a free “Does my child need counseling?” quiz online, but we also know how important it is to trust your parental instincts.That being so, if you have ever asked yourself, ‘Should my child see a therapist or psychologist?’, it may be a good idea to seek the advice of a child psychologist near you. If for nothing else, do it for your peace of mind. Our professionals child therapists at Mountain Vista Psychology are trained to determine whether it is actually a phase or something else.
Greenwood Village, Colorado Family Counseling Psychologist
Specializing in child counseling, we have child therapists and adolescent therapy providers on our staff that work with patients who suffer from, but not limited to:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Eating disorders
- Anxiety disorders
- Mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder
- Disruptive behaviors
- School and social issues
Rest assured that we will work with your child to determine any underlying causes of what is going on and determine the best steps moving forward. We may also investigate other possible causes for your child’s behavior, such as a history of medical conditions, trauma, family history of mental illness, and will need to know how long your child has been behaving this way, and possibly receive feedback from teachers’. We will work with your child and family to figure out what is going on so we can also determine the path forward so your child can move through this and thrive.
Greenwood Village, Colorado Child and Teen Counseling
Types of Child Therapy
Common treatment options for children who have mental health conditions include, but are not limited to:
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): This type of therapy helps improve a child’s moods, anxiety, and behavior by examining unhelpful patterns of thinking. During CBT, a child learns to recognize harmful thought patterns and the therapist then helps the child replace this thinking with thoughts that give way to more appropriate feelings and behaviors. In addition to addressing changes in thoughts, your therapist may help your child learn how to modify his behaviors to improve his mood. Research shows that CBT can be effective in treating depression and anxiety as well as children coping with traumatic experiences.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): This is used to treat older adolescents with chronic suicidal thoughts or who self-harm. DBT can be helpful in teaching emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. This therapy focuses on taking responsibility for one’s problems and helps the teen examine the way they deal with conflict and intense negative feelings.
- Family Therapy: This type of therapy focuses on helping the family function as a unit in more constructive ways by exploring patterns of communication and offering support.
- Play Therapy: For younger children, play is their best form of communication, which is why play therapy involves the use of blocks, dolls, puppets, and drawings to help the child identify and verbalize his or her feelings. The psychotherapist observes how the child uses the toys and identifies themes or patterns to better understand the child’s underlying issues. Through a combination of talk and play the child has an opportunity to more effectively understand and manage their feelings and behavior including anger management.
About Mountain Vista Psychology
Based in Englewood, CO, our wonderful family therapists at Mountain Vista Psychology provide invaluable support to your child. Our top-notch team is always available to offer support to parents by helping you alter how you interact with your child and teaching you how to best handle difficult behavior. We also encourage you to discover new ways to connect with your child and offer positive reinforcements. Just remember that we are with you every step of the way as we work together to help your child be a happy and healthy kid again. If you are concerned about your child’s mental health, call us at 720-583-9332 for a free consultation to find out what we can do for your child. After all, your child’s mental health is very important to us.