A Counselor is a Counselor right? I mean you go to college to get a degree in Mental Health Counseling or Counseling Psychology. The short answer is no, not all Counselors are created equal. There are many specialized focuses a Counselor can have, including Pediatric. Pediatric Counseling is very specialized for many reasons. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are not just limited to adults. However, how they present in children can vary greatly, especially based on a child’s age. Children also respond to counseling differently than adults, so they shouldn’t be treated the same.
Child pediatric counselors see children with a range of issues. Some have experienced severe trauma as a victim of abuse or a witness to violence. Some are dealing with feelings about a separation or divorce. Others are grieving a death or other loss. Many more struggle to be accepted by peers. Then there are some who are acting out for reasons not even those closest to them understand. Child counselors assess children’s needs and set treatment goals for them individually. They need to take into account a child’s stage of development when planning. For example, a young child with OCD might need a behavior chart and stickers or another concrete earnings system. Pediatric Counselors are also less likely to misdiagnose children, they work with them every day, they know the signs of different illnesses and compulsions that show at different ages. Adults may present different symptoms for anxiety than a 5-year-old, and a 15-year-old may present with yet again other symptoms.
We have made the clinical decision to serve children and teens exclusively and that means the sooner the better for working towards positive mental health. Serving ages primarily 5-21 is our specialty and priority. Each of our board licensed mental health therapists are trained and experienced in pediatric mental health and parenting. They obtain ongoing education and professional development with a concentration in those areas which are current and having the most impact on children and families. In other words, our counselors are highly skilled pediatric health care professionals and can assist families with navigating through a largely adult perspective mental health care world.
At CPC, we also collaborate with others outside of our office to ensure the children are receiving all of the help and assistance they need. We work closely with parents, school counselors, teachers, and administrators to create plans and support their goals and keep them in the loop with how the child is progressing with their therapy plan. At CPC, we only have full time staff members that allows us to be able to have these partnerships, other counseling offices may not have this ability or expertise if they do not specialize in Pediatric Counseling.
Pediatric Counselors use different methods, we work with children on their level. A counseling session can be done at our office while in the courtyard throwing the football around, or sitting on an oversized bean bag chair, or painting/drawing or coloring. We provide experiences, not lectures. Children learn and respond more to play therapy, this involves hands on, visual stimulations. We also find that while many teens may be resistant to counseling, we are able to connect with them on their level and they end up looking forward to coming back to speak with us. At CPC, we realize that teens are not ready to see “adult treatment” we speak to them on a grown-up level but put it into phrasing that keeps it on their development level. We find that by providing children and teens with a safe, welcoming environment and not an office environment that may be clinical or sterile, they respond to their sessions more. They open up and they are more receptive, they get to practice what they have learned in our office, before they are thrown into real life experiences.
At CPC, we also understand that children and teens speak a different language than adults do, because we focus on, and work so closely with them. We also are exposed to their secret words and know the latest social media trends and apps that are out there. We are immersed in the culture of adolescents, we see and hear things every day that a typical adult/parent would not. This again, gives us the advantage to work with them on their level and gain their trust. Plus, we have goldfish for them to snack on in the office, so that is instant bonding right there! When you are looking for a counselor for your child or teen, give us a call to schedule an assessment. Don’t hesitate to call other counselors as well, it is good to understand the differences between offices and find the right fit for your child and your family.
