Adjustment Issues
Adjustment Issues in Children
Are you worried about how your child is dealing with a recent change in his or her life? Has your family been through a death of a loved one or divorce and you fear your child isn’t handling it well? Maybe your family moved or your child moved schools recently. Really, any change can have a huge impact on the life of anyone, especially children. Everyone handles change differently. Some children will experience some anxiety, some worry, and some stress or some sadness. It is normal for your child to have some anxiety, stress or sadness. However, if your child is having a hard time coping with his emotions and has become depressed or anxious, exhibiting hostility, picking fights, or refusing to go to school, among many possible responses, he may need help coping. When normal activities of everyday life overwhelm your child and take away his or her joy, even to the point of not being able to function, then we have a bigger problem.
If you are up against issues of adjustment to change with your child, you are not alone. Adjustment issues are the third most common mental health issue and affect 10 percent of children at some time in their growing up years. It will be important to determine the right path forward for your child. Our job is to help you determine what is causing the most disruption and the best treatment mode for the fastest results.
It can be so hard to find the right help for your child. Who can you trust with one of the most precious people in your life? At Core Values Counseling we want to personalize your child’s experience. We have compassionate and well-trained counselors along with Neurofeedback therapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy that can help your family begin this journey successfully. We usually use several modes of therapy to bring equilibrium back to your child’s life and the life of your family.
We use a Neurofeedback program called Brainpaint. Neurofeedback is a scientifically proven way to improve how we feel and function in the world by enhancing how our brain operates. Neurofeedback is especially helpful in working with children because their brain is being developed. It can help your child’s brain heal and recover from the impact the disruptive event has had on his or her life. Clients have noticed significant decreases in anxiety, alleviating feelings of depression, sleeping better, fewer nightmares, and increased the ability to cope with life’s challenges. This type of therapy works well when done in conjunction play therapy, family therapy, and other therapies.
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is no longer offered through Core Values Counseling. EAP is a new model for the treatment of anxiety, depression or disruptive behavior associated with Adjustment disorders and has been found in recent research studies to help people overcome these trying times by interactions with horses on the ground (vs. riding). Horses have mirror neurons which they use to mirror the emotions of the people working with them. At Core Values Counseling we encourage families to come to Helping Hands outside of Newberg where they offer this unique form of therapy in conjunction with other therapies to address a variety of issues with children in many different ways rather than only the traditional talk therapy and medications.
When your child is struggling it can be so painful. All you want to do is find some relief for your child and from the havoc, the transition has put your family through. We understand and we will need your help in helping your child. Children need everyone in their family working together, so we will be doing a combination of family therapy and play/talk therapy. The more approaches we use with children the more support you will all feel. We also understand there are no easy or quick solutions. It takes time for change to happen, and we are here to partner with you and your child as you move forward.
Counseling is both scary and intimidating. Making the investment of time and money, along with adding something else to your family’s busy schedule can be difficult. Your child and your family are worth the investment! Your child’s future and his or her healing are worth every minute and every penny. We will give your child and your family tools that will last a lifetime of dealing with the many inevitable transitions that you will face in the future.
With the variety of tools and resources we have at Core Values Counseling, from warm, safe and compassionate therapists, to Neurofeedback, to Equine Assisted Therapy, we can personalize your child’s counseling experience and tailor the therapy to what works best for his or her healing. Incorporating Neurofeedback will help your child’s brain reset and heal from this time of adjustment, while play therapy and family therapy will help you and your child understand triggers, manage responses to triggers, understand why he has reacted to this adjustment period in this way and build a toolkit for dealing with adjustments in the future. We also have resources and referrals if medication or physical therapy would be helpful. We will work with your pediatrician to ensure all the health care professionals are working together to benefit your child best.
We are here for you. You can read the profiles of our therapists here. You are welcome to contact us here to ask questions or set-up an appointment, we will get back to you within 24 hours. Taking the first step toward healthy change is courageous and powerful.