Seeing a child struggling can be a difficult thing especially when you are unsure what help they may need or where to turn. This can make things feel even harder. Mental health can be a scary and misunderstood term, but at the core it’s all about how our thoughts and feelings impact on what we do and vice versa. Just as sometimes our physical body can not work as well as it could so too can our mind. Avon Psychology Service is aimed at supporting children and families to understand the difficulties they are facing, what can help, and how they can go on to reach their potential.
Some difficulties we can be born with (such as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, etc.) whilst others come about through the things we experience or events in our life as we grow up (such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acquired Brain Injuries, depression etc). And often it is a combination of both. Whatever the cause, there is almost always a therapy or approach that will help you overcome your difficulties, or provide you with skills and methods to manage the impact.
A psychologist may suggest working with you in a variety of ways including individual therapy (see what do you do), which may be with a child individually or with parents/carers. Alternatively they may suggest training and support to those around the child such as wider family, school, and services.
Coming to see a Psychologist is not labelling a child or family or an admission that anybody has failed, as many people fear; rather it is recognising that someone may have the skills to help understand and make change happen. It’s like getting the map out so you can find the right road to follow.