Psychology for My Child

TOPIC:

cartoon picture of a person with several thought bubbles coming from their brain. it is in a black circle with the word 'psychology' underneath.

Psychology for my child.

WHY:

Psychology is a broad topic, and there are different psychologists who work in different areas. When working with children, psychologists usually are involved in the following ways:

Supporting young people with mental health concerns

Assisting young people to develop strategies to manage challenging behaviour

Assessing children for behaviour, mental health, and cognitive functioning

Working with parents, teachers and other professionals to holistically support the child

Providing training to stakeholdersHOW:Psychologists work in a variety of ways. For example, individual therapy, group therapy, parent support, school support, and assessing and report writing. Therapy usually involves an initial session to talk about the current concerns and get a background history of the child, then between 6-12 sessions. Sometimes it may be more or less than this.

Who:

The main areas of psychology that work with children are:

  • Clinical Psychology – Clinical psychologists support children or young people who may be experiencing psychologically-based distress or dysfunction that is impacting on their home life, schooling, social interaction or access to the community. They also promote well-being and personal development.
  • Educational Psychology – Educational psychologists help children or young people who are experiencing problems that hinder their successful learning and participation in school and other activities. These problems can include a range of emotional and social problems or learning difficulties.

KEY TIPS:

  • Effective psychology input requires engagement from not only the child, but from the parents (and schools) as well.
  • Psychologists aren’t scary! Although they might talk about things that are difficult to talk about, they try to make sessions as relaxed and safe as possible.
  • Psychologists understand that parents can often feel anxious, frustrated or overwhelmed with what is happening with their child. This is why psychologists may also do some work with parents to support them in supporting their child.

FURTHER INFORMATION

To find a Psychologist in your area, talk to your GP or visits the Australian Psychology Society here.

Take a look at our best Psychology resources and sites here.