When children see psychologists as their play sisters or older brothers, they bond quickly. Because experts who know their job well reach the child through play. They know how to communicate with children. The child psychologist tries to understand the child through play rather than talking to him. Since the thing that children love and know best is play, they cooperate easily.
Some mothers think that the child should only be talked to. In the preschool period, the language of children is play. Everything is solved with play. “My child cannot create games or does not like games!” you may think. Remember that this is what your child is already there for. One of the things you need to know is; Psychologists do not have a magic wand. Don't expect the problem to be resolved immediately. Be patient. This process can be solved in cooperation with parents, school and psychologist.
You should prepare your child appropriately before going to the child psychologist. Otherwise, the psychologist may have difficulty breaking the child's resistance.
What should you say when going to the psychologist?
You may need to see a child psychologist for some reasons during the preschool period. Parents may be undecided about what explanation to give to their children before going to a psychologist. It is healthier to give a different explanation to children aged 3-4 and a different explanation to children aged 5-6.
You can tell him that you went to his little one's playground, that there was a sister who was very curious about him, that she wanted to get to know him, and that she was waiting to play games. You can explain to your child that you will wait outside while playing and that you will go home together when the game is over. Maybe he/she may want you along at the first meeting. Then, at the first meeting, you can tell him that you will go in with him for a while and then he will wait outside. You can encourage him to come and look at you when he is curious, and then go back to the playroom.
Children aged 5-6 begin to be aware of the problems they are experiencing. Children of this age, who begin to make their own decisions, may say they do not want to go and show resistance. This age group should be told about the existing problem and that they can solve it with games. It can be said that he will only play games with his older sister wherever he goes. H It should also be noted that he will choose the games he will play in the game.
It is very important for him to establish a bond with the psychologist in the early days. You should not expect the bond between you and the psychologist to develop from the first day. It is best to wait for your child to trust the psychologist. When he experiences that he is just playing games and leaves with positive emotions, he will be eager to go again. In fact, since he has no concept of time, he will start asking if he can go every day.
How can you support the therapy process?
What you need to do at home after your child starts the therapy process is extremely important. One should not think, "My child is going to therapy anyway, he will get better." Without the support of the family, no therapy will be effective in the long term. Imagine you have an anxious child. When there is an anxious person in the family, the child therapist has difficulty getting results no matter how hard he works. They get triggered around anxious parents.
Supporting your children during the therapy process will speed up the process. In this process, do not expect instant changes. Many factors such as the method used by the child therapist, the child's problem, and the structure of the family will affect the course of the therapy.
As a result of the findings of the child therapist, it may be suggested that it would be healthy for the family to receive therapy. It is important for your child's healthy development to work on your unresolved issues. Getting support while your child receives therapy will accelerate and strengthen his recovery.
Your child's problems may change periodically…
Some families may think that their children will not have problems again after going through the therapy process. As children grow, the problems they experience may vary. They are affected by changes within the family.
Children may not be able to cope with some problems from time to time. Differences begin to be seen in their behavior in the family or at school. During this process, it is important to treat bleeding wounds. Some methods act as a band-aid. When a surgeon's operation is needed rather than a Band-Aid, experts step in. Try to stop the bleeding by solving the problem at its root. they shine.
It may not be healthy to take children to a psychologist every time they have a problem. Observation and follow-up are very important in this process. Is this problem normal for his age? Do you observe differences in your child's behavior? Has this behavior continued for a long time? Is he having trouble coping? You can make observations by asking questions such as:
What should you pay attention to when choosing a psychologist?
When you decide to go to a psychologist, first consult with those around you. Look for psychologists that others have been satisfied with and seen results from. You can ask for a reference from your child's teacher or psychologist at school. Do not trust the comments on the internet. Many of them may be unrealistic. You may not find generally positive advice from psychologists who are very good in their field on the internet. While doing psychologist research; You can research his education thoroughly. Pay attention to whether your child's problem matches the field of expertise of the psychologist you will go to. Take a good look at whether the psychologist can establish a bond with your child, whether he is interested, and whether he understands the situation. You are looking for someone who can support your child. But before you go, see if you like it. Because it is not healthy to change too many psychologists.
The most important detail about children's problems; Is the problem really with the child? You must decide this carefully. If there is a lot of conflict within the family and one of the spouses is having psychological problems and harming others, first try to ensure that this person goes to a specialist. If there is a problem between spouses, they should turn to family therapy instead of dealing with the child. Today, many problems can be solved by family therapists.
The child always requires care. It should not be taken to a specialist unnecessarily, nor should one avoid taking it to a specialist when necessary.
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