Child and adolescent psychotherapy in South London
Psychotherapy offers an opportunity to reflect on one’s internal world of feelings and thoughts within a therapeutic relationship.
It is a process of getting to know oneself and to make sense of some of the difficulties that can arise in one’s own mind and in relationships. It aims to make sense of the past but is particularly relevant for present and future relationships.
Psychotherapy is often a longer-term treatment as this affords the opportunity to work at depth, to effect lasting change rather than simply tackle symptoms. It is usually an individual treatment but for some children it is carried out with parent/s and child together.
Brief, time limited therapy can also be very useful and is a popular model. In this way of working the young person and/or their parents identify a particular goal and the focus of therapy is on working towards achieving this goal.
What is psychotherapy?
Research has shown that the benefits of psychotherapy can go on developing long after the treatment has ended.
Psychotherapy for younger children includes playing, drawing and using imagination to express oneself. For adolescents, young adults and parents the medium of expression is talking. Psychotherapy is a process, helping to understand how the past influences one's present and causes psychological symptoms and shapes current relationships. Reflecting on dreams and creating stories can be a rich source of expression and for making sense of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.
What psychotherapy can help with:
Low mood and depression
Anxiety
Post Natal Depression
Somatisation
Low self-esteem and low self-confidence
Gender Dysphoria
Deliberate self harm
Anger
Peer relationship difficulties
Family relationship difficulties
Attachment difficulties
Stress
Parenting difficulties
Bereavement and Loss
Issues around eating and food
Trauma – single episode and complex developmental trauma