Childhood and adolescence are critical periods in an individual’s life, marked by rapid growth and development. These early life experiences have a direct impact on who we become as adults, psychologically, socially, and physically. Associates in Neuropsychology & Wellness recognize the importance of a successful transition from childhood to adulthood and will work diligently with your child to help facilitate that process. The therapeutic interventions we use with children are all evidence-based. Meaning they are treatment practices that have been shown to be effective through careful research.
Adolescents
Engaging adolescents in therapy can be tricky. Many young clients come to treatment at the initiative of others, which naturally sets the stage for resistance. Unfortunately, research suggests that over 50% of teens quit therapy prematurely. While the precise reasons for this are not entirely clear, we do know that the quality of the adolescent-therapist relationship plays a key role in the success of therapy. Our therapists take the time to build an alliance with their teenage clients that is rooted in support, genuine interest, and mutual respect. It is only through trust that the adolescent will persevere with therapy long enough to reap the lasting benefits, which will help guide them successfully into adulthood.
The therapists at Associates in Neuropsychology & Wellness are trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is considered the “gold standard” in psychotherapeutic interventions for adolescents. CBT is a structured, goal-oriented therapy that focuses on changing maladaptive patterns of thoughts and behaviors to reduce negative emotions, solve problems, and enhance functioning. This is accomplished through developing specific skills and strategies to help patients evaluate their thinking more realistically and to replace distorted beliefs with more accurate thoughts and functional behaviors.
Children
For children typically below the age of 12, the primary means of expressive and receptive communication is through play. Their capacity for abstract thought is not yet fully developed, rendering more traditional forms of therapy used with adults and adolescents ineffective. As such, Play Therapy is recognized as the developmentally appropriate intervention for children, allowing them to utilize their natural medium of expression. This evidence-based form of therapeutic play allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions that they might not otherwise be able to convey through words.
Associates in Neuropsychology & Wellness offers Play Therapy conducted by therapists with specialized training and certification. With a 225-square-foot playroom designed to accommodate this therapeutic process, we can provide ample space for your child to play out their internal experiences while developing coping, problem-solving, and resilience-related skills. Research supports the effectiveness of play therapy for a wide variety of childhood social, emotional, behavioral, and learning problems, including anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity, autism spectrum, oppositional defiant and conduct disorders, anger management, crisis and trauma, grief and loss, divorce and family dissolution, academic and social developmental, and physical and learning disabilities. If deemed therapeutically appropriate, parents may be asked to join the process. Efficacy studies have shown the greatest treatment effects are gained when parents are actively involved in the child’s treatment.
For additional information regarding play therapy, its benefits, and research, visit the Parents Corner on the Association for Play Therapy website at www.a4pt.org, and https://www.a4pt.org/page/ResearchReferences.
