Child & Adolescent Counselling

Child and adolescent counselling encompasses many issues including:

Format for Child & Adolescent Counselling

Although young people and adults attend counselling for comparable reasons there are very significant differences in how therapy can take place. If the client is aged under 14, I initially speak with the individuals whose charge the young person is now within (parent, grandparent, social care worker, or otherwise). This enables an opportunity for me to gather some background information and to supply a broad overview of the therapeutic process. Subsequent to this discussion I will always meet with the child or adolescent and the adult together, to agree the nature and structure of the therapy.

Compliant with the Children’s First 2011 legislation and IACP guidelines, there are a couple of exceptions or limitations to the confidentiality between counsellor and client. These will be outlined at the outset as well as acknowledging that the provision of an otherwise private, safe, and non-judgemental space for the young person. This means that future conversations with the adult will only occur by request or permission of the child or adolescent.

Furthermore my role is not to take sides, give advice, write court reports or evaluations, nor is it to provide diagnoses or prognoses. Sessions are a maximum of 50 minutes in duration with the work undertaken being reviewed by the client and myself after the first 6 sessions. The adult will be notified if a decision is made by the young person to re-contract for the continuation of the therapy at this point.

 

My Approach

Emotional pain may increase at the outset of counselling as the child or adolescent seeks to function without the protection of well-worn defence mechanisms. Counselling supports young people in exploring their feelings, expressing themselves and in making sense of their life experiences. I am trained in the Sequentially Planned Integrative Model Counselling for Children (SPICC) Model. The main traits of this approach are:

Integrating play or games into the therapy with young people can facilitate a corrective experience, permitting comprehension and absorption of that which was emotionally unavailable in earlier circumstances. For these reasons and in the interest of good practice I employ the use of various games, books, arts and crafts, breath work, music and materials as vehicles for the therapy. Beyond Play Therapy, other interventions that I harness when working with young people include Person Centred Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Gestalt Therapy, Behaviour Therapy, Reality Therapy, and Narrative Therapy.

I have completed further child/adolescent specific counselling and psychotherapy training with the IICP. Previously I was a participant upon the Mind Yourself Train the Trainer Programme developed by the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF). This is an evidence-based, brief CBT intervention, equipping 15-17 year olds with greater coping and problem-solving skills. My work with young people is further informed through my private clinic, counselling children and adolescents in a family resource centre, and via the delivery of informational and support group meetings in the Department of Psychiatry in University Hospital Waterford.

Seeking and accepting support is a strength and not a weakness so please feel free to contact me to take the next step.