Why Would My Child Need Therapy?

We often get asked the question, “why would a child need therapy?” The answer is multifaceted and individual to each child and family, but there are common struggles. Therapy can help children master skills they may be lacking. Many skills, such as problem solving, conflict resolution and frustration tolerance used to be taught in preschool or kindergarten but are now overlooked in favor of academic curriculum, and these are skills that some children learn more easily than others. As a result, some children need to be taught these skills because they don’t develop them instinctively. 

Many children also have difficulty with the transition to from preschool to elementary school. As academic and behavioral demands have increased in elementary schools, more and more students are having difficulty. Due to the young age of kindergarten and first grade students, some are not developmentally ready to sit for long periods of time quietly and focus on individual tasks. Their bodies, which are growing and developing, want to move, explore, and socialize with their peers so they may have trouble following classroom rules, which cam result in negative behavior reports and phone calls to confused parents.  

There are other circumstances which explain why a child might benefit from therapy. These include changes in the home environment such as divorce, a move, a parent’s new job demands, or a medical diagnosis for a child or family member that may put stress on the family as a whole.  At other times, parents may need guidance regarding their child’s behavior or emotions. It is not uncommon for parents to feel comfortable raising their oldest child but then have questions about their younger children because they have different temperaments. It can be really confusing when what worked with your eldest child isn’t working with younger ones. Therapy can provide support and guidance for parents, as therapists can be partners in finding what works for you and your child, and your family.