psychology for children
Our psychologists are highly experienced and expertly trained in working with children and their parents. We focus on helping your child change and grow. Our psychologists for kids are caring, approachable and fun, so your child will feel comfortable getting the support they need.
We use therapies and strategies that are shown by research to be effective for this age group. But we also design assessment and treatment according to the needs of the child and family.
When should I seek help for My child?
It is increasingly common to access psychology for kids. Psychologists work on maximising a child’s wellbeing and helping them through difficult times. Here’s some suggestions for knowing when it is the right time to seek help:
- If you think something is interfering with your child’s friendships, learning, home life, behaviour or self-esteem.
- If you think your child is not developing social, life, academic or developmental skills as normally expected.
- If your child is frequently distressed, sad, angry, or anxious.
- If you are unsure how to help your child.
Speak to your child’s teacher, childcare educator, GP, and your friends and family to see what they think.
Remember earlier is often better! Many mental health issues develop early in life, and most learning and developmental issues can be picked up in preschool or primary school. Research shows that getting in early can stop issues becoming lifelong problems or at least minimise them. Treatment may be relatively brief and easy if issues are picked up early.
We Can Assist Preschool and Primary School Children With:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Phobias
- Generalised anxiety
- Separation anxiety
- Social anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Tic Disorders
- Trauma
- Parenting issues
- Parenting children with special needs
- Relationship, social and family issues
- Carers and families of children with mental or physical Illness
- Bullying
- Friendship Issues
- Coping with separation and divorce
- Adjustment to stressful life events and changes
- Behavioural problems
- School refusal
- Self-esteem
- Sleeping problems
- Self-harm
- Bereavement and loss
- Health-related issues and pain management
- Learning and development
- Specific Learning Disorders (e.g., Dysgraphia, Dyslexia etc)
- ADHD
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- NDIS Self-Managing or NDIS Plan-Managing clients
Benefits of seeing a psychologist
There are many advantages of your child seeing a psychologist.
- Child Psychologists can really help children develop lifelong skills for managing feelings, behaviour and coping through difficult times.
- Psychologists can also help improve self-esteem and resilience to difficult life events.
- Psychologists can provide extra care and support for your child through difficult times.
- Primary school psychologists, or psychologists experienced with this age group, can help identify and treat learning problems and developmental issues. This can be as simple as wondering if your child is ready for Prep, through to working out if they have a developmental disorder (like Autism) or have an intellectual disorder. Again, research and experience shows that early identification of issues and early intervention is incredibly helpful for maximising a child’s abilities in life and education.
- Psychologists for primary school-aged children can also link in with your child’s school to provide advocacy and support.
Raising young children can be full of fun. But it can also be tough and confusing. Your child’s psychologist can provide guidance about how to help your child, and how to do your best for them. Many parents also seek our help about how to look after themselves while parenting.
Not sure what to expect when you bring your child or teen to therapy? Download our Fact Sheet for some useful tips.
Make an appointment
Ready to make an appointment, or have any questions? Call us on 0468 637 413 and we can help.
