When to Get Counselling for Your Child

Counselling is not just for adults. Children, too, can develop emotional and behavioural problems that require professional psychological treatment. Unfortunately, many children who could benefit from the help of a mental health professional do not receive it. The earlier that children who need help receive child counselling in Edmonton, the better their outcomes are likely to be. The registered psychologists at Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd. recommend that you seek counselling for your child in the following situations.

Worrisome Changes in Behavior

One of the top signs that you should consider child counselling in Edmonton is sudden changes in your child's behaviour. This can range from withdrawal and a reluctance to talk to explosive outbursts that disrupt your child's home life and get them in trouble at school. Alternatively, changes in the way your child eats and in their relationship to food may signify the beginnings of an eating disorder. Another sign is sleep patterns, some children have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. Counselling is also of crucial importance if you know or suspect that your child is self-harming.

Sadness and Anxiousness

Temporary, day-to-day changes in mood typically aren't a cause for concern. However, a child struggling with long periods of sadness or anxiety should receive child counselling in Edmonton. The longer that a child lives with anxiety or with early symptoms of depression, the more these thoughts and feelings can become ingrained and the more likely they are to have an impact on your child later on in life. Childhood anxiety, for example, can turn into patterns of avoidance during adolescence.

Sudden Disinterest in Usual Hobbies

A child's interests are always changing and growing, and it's no surprise when they drop one interest in favour of another. However, if your child seems to have lost interest in a hobby very suddenly and for no apparent reason, then it may be a cause for concern. A loss of interest in usual hobbies is a common symptom of depression and can also be a sign that your child is too anxious and mentally preoccupied to enjoy activities they used to like.

Unexplained Physical Symptoms

In children, just as in adults, mental health issues can often manifest as sudden and unexplained physical symptoms such as stomach aches and headaches. If your child has been checked out by a physician who cannot seem to find a discernable physical cause, then child counselling in Edmonton may be able to determine whether your child's symptoms are being caused by stressful thoughts, emotions, or experiences.

Child Counselling Services in Edmonton

If you feel that your child could benefit from seeing a registered psychologist, then you can turn to Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd. We provide child counselling in Edmonton for children who are dealing with trauma or experiencing emotional and behavioural problems. Our caring counsellors have created a comfortable environment where your child will feel safe, helping them open up about their thoughts and feelings.

For more information on child counselling in Edmonton, don't hesitate to contact Gary J. Meiers, Ph.D., Jo Ann Hammond-Meiers, Ph.D. and Associates Ltd. today.