Study Child Counselling Techniques
Discover the key differences between counselling children and adults, and the differences between childhood mental health problems compared to those which affect adults.
This is a course for professionals who work with children, and is mainly aimed at counsellors, therapists, and other health professionals. It may offer value for people in related field too, such as teachers and social workers.
Psychological and Behavioural Problems of Childhood
In order to counsel children effectively a therapist needs to understand the types of problems that can affect children and how they might have evolved. Like disorders of adulthood, childhood disorders can, and usually do, have more than one cause. Also, like adults, these causes may be of genetic or environmental origin. With children though, we must also consider developmental causes since childhood is a time when children are continually developing: intellectually, socially, emotionally and, of course, physically.
Lesson Structure
There are 9 lessons in this course:
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Introduction to Types & Causes of Childhood Problems
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Assessment of Childhood Problems (including ethical/legal considerations)
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Counselling for Internalising Problems & Disorders I: Anxiety
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Counselling for Internalising Problems & Disorders II: Depression
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Counselling for Externalising Problems & Disorders III: Eating Disorders
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Counselling for Externalising Problems & Disorders IV: Conduct Disorders
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Counselling for Other Problems & Disorders
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Other Counselling Approaches
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Problem based learning
Sample Course Notes - Anxiety in Children
Children may not always show their anxiety in the same ways as adults. Other signs that a child is anxious are –
- Being clingy differently to other children (for example, many children are clingy before the age of three, but if they are older than three and still clingy, it can be a sign of anxiety. Or if they are more clingy than their siblings were/are etc).
- Not sleeping properly.
- Bad dreams.
- Finding it hard to concentrate at school.
- Angry outbursts.
- Irritability.
- Being out of control.
- Tense and fidgety.
- Frequent toilet visits.
- Wetting the bed.
- Constant worrying.
- Negative thoughts.
- Crying frequently.
- Frequent stomach aches.
- Frequently saying they feel ill.
- Teenagers with anxiety may also show other symptoms, such as drug use, alcohol use, clinical depression or risky behaviours.
- Older children may have problems with eating.
- They may have negative thoughts that go round and round in their head.
- Expressing thoughts of suicide (although this is not solely demonstrated by teenagers, younger children may also express suicidal thoughts. Any comments about suicide should be taken very seriously and help sought immediately).
The child may not recognise why they feel this way, so it is important for adults to observe children if they appear anxious.
Reasons to Study This Course
Children can exhibit a range of emotional and behavioural problems. Sometimes these relate to difficulties in their home or school life, and sometimes they may be due to a mental health problem. Whether their behaviour causes short term or long term distress to them or others around them, they need help from people who are trained to understand what is happening to them.
This course is suitable for those involved in -
- Youth work
- Child and adolescent counselling
- School counselling
- Child psychology
- Caring roles
- Foster Carers
- Parents
- Teachers
- Health care roles
- Anyone working with children
Any questions?
Our tutors are more than happy to help and advise you with any questions regarding the course. Please contact us if you have any questions at all.
