As adults, it can be difficult for us to remember just how tough it was to be a young person, but just like adults, children and adolescents can struggle with anxiety, depression, poorly managed stress, and other concerns that make day-to-day life a challenge. Sometimes, children and adolescents don’t have the words to tell us that they’re struggling or tools to effectively cope. Instead, we see things like changes in personality, acting out, challenges in school, and engaging in other difficult or destructive behaviors. If your child is struggling personally or academically, we hope you’ll consider entrusting the knowledgeable professionals at Mind, Body, and Soul to help provide the necessary support and resources to help your child thrive in the classroom, socially, and at home. You can learn a little more about the services we provide on this page or by getting in touch with our Collingswood, NJ therapy team.

Why Would Children or Adolescents need to Visit with a Therapist?

As children and adolescents develop, they are learning about the world, themselves, and their emotions. Like adults, children and adolescents sometimes have complicated feelings that need to be processed and need to develop tools in order to be resilient and navigate life. If your child or teen are having a tough time, therapy may be a good option. Specifically, our team of therapists often help children and adolescents who struggle with:

• Common mood disorders like depression, anxiety, and poor stress or anger
  management
• Social functioning, including difficulty making friends, talking with others or setting healthy boundaries
• Behavioral concerns like poor academic performance, changes in sleep or diet, use of alcohol or drugs, and other risky or potentially dangerous activities
• The loss of a loved one, including helping young children who are struggling to understand death as well as older children who have difficulty with grief and sadness
• A difficult life transition like a move to a new town or parental separation or divorce
• Navigating relationships with peers, family, or significant others

Will Therapy Really Help?

For many young people, therapy can be an extremely helpful resource to guide them in developing skills to navigate any current struggles they’re working through, build a greater sense of self-awareness and empathy, and develop strategies for managing relationships and difficult situations that will benefit them throughout their lives. From generally increasing resilience and coping ability, to developing communication skills and study techniques for improved concentration, there are numerous ways that therapy can benefit young people. One of the simplest ways therapy helps children and adolescents is by providing a safe and comfortable space to talk about concerns they may be embarrassed or scared to speak about with anyone else.

Is Play Therapy Really Beneficial? Isn’t it Just Playing?

Play therapy, as the name suggests, will look an awful lot like your child is “just” coloring, playing a game, or having fun with the dolls and other toys in our office. It’s important to remember that, for a child, play is a safe, accessible way of engaging with their world. Young children need a way to feel comfortable working with a therapist, and play therapy gives us a structured, evidence-based therapy solution that allows children to use the familiar communication and learning methods inherent in play to interact with their therapist. Additionally, play itself has healing properties that help children work through difficult emotions or situations.

How do I Choose a Clinician?

In order to successfully achieve their counseling goals, your child or adolescent needs to find a clinician who can provide a safe, supportive environment where they feel confident sharing their thoughts and feelings.

It’s not always easy to talk about some of the tough subjects that arise during counseling sessions, and we intentionally create a space where children and adolescents can feel welcome and comfortable. At Mind, Body, and Soul, we have a team of knowledgeable clinicians who share a commitment to helping people, but they each have unique training and professional experience. Take a look at our About Us page. You’ll find more information about each of our clinicians. If you feel that one of our counselors may be a good fit for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on the phone, via email at [email protected], or use our convenient online contact form. We look forward to hearing from you soon.