Depression

Childhood should be the happiest time in life!

So it’s hard to understand why your child seems so irritable and down all the time.

They used to enjoy sports, art, and other hobbies, but now they want nothing to do with them.

They sleep too much… or hardly at all.

Their energy is low.

They don’t seem to care much about their grades anymore.

They were once smiley and fun-loving, but now, they seem distant.

They lock themselves in their room or tune out their surroundings while staring at their phone.

They’re not talkative with you like they once were.

Their bubbly personality has been replaced with someone who is constantly annoyed with anything and everything.

Sometimes, it feels like you don’t even know them anymore.

You can’t pinpoint anything they might be sad about, yet they seem to have lost their vibrance for life.

Many children experience childhood depression.

There are various possible causes of childhood depression.

The stress of today’s world can weigh heavy on kids.

Stressful events in a child’s life, such as parental divorce, the death or illness of a loved one, or significant changes in a child’s life (frequently moving or changing schools), can all impact a child’s mood and ability to cope with feelings of sadness.

Experiences such as bullying and academic troubles can lead to poor self-esteem and low confidence, making depression worse.

Many children’s social interactions occur behind the scenes on the Internet… and let’s be honest, it’s tough to monitor exactly what and who children are engaging with online. But some of what your child experiences online can lead to increased feelings of depression and sadness and feed into your child’s negative self-talk and perception of themselves.

Depression can cause children to feel isolated within their own world of negative thought patterns.

Children with depression often don’t want to talk about their feelings or problems with support persons, thinking they have to tackle their battles on their own.

When experiencing depression, children’s thoughts are clouded. They can’t decipher actual reality from their own negative perception of themselves and their world.

At the start of treatment, I’ve heard many clients say, “What’s the point of telling my parents? It’s not like they can actually do anything to help me.”

Because children often struggle to communicate their feelings and struggles, it can be tough for parents to decipher exactly what is going on.

But it’s not too late to turn things around!

In therapy, your child will begin processing their feelings with me in a safe space.

When a child keeps their feelings bottled up, these feelings can begin to build and negatively impact their daily thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Talking about these feelings will provide your child an outlet to release them and increase your child’s ability to regulate their own emotions.

Many parents have told me that after their child’s therapy sessions, “It’s like a weight has been lifted off the child’s shoulders, and they’re just so much lighter!”.

Your child will develop healthy coping strategies such as mindfulness, meditation, and grounding to manage negative experiences and emotions. These skills will be taught to your child in their language and through fun, engaging activities such as “The A-Z Mindful Animals Game.”

As your child develops healthy coping skills, they will begin to work toward developing ways to manage and change their negative feelings. They will learn to identify their feelings.

With the “feelings thermometer,” your child will identify the top negative emotions they struggle with and map out ways to change these emotions throughout their daily lives.

Your child will also learn to change and cope with their negative thoughts. They’ll begin to understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

For example, if your child thinks to themself, “Everyone at school hates me,” feelings of sadness and worthlessness will begin to form from this thought, then behaviors of avoidance and self-isolation will follow.

We want your child’s thoughts to reflect the great kid they are!

With my help, they will begin to notice when their thoughts become clouded, distorted, or unhelpful. They’ll learn to change these thoughts through activities such as “thought-stopping,” “reality testing,” and “Mind Monsters,” with the understanding that their feelings and behaviors will follow. They’ll soon begin to control and choose positive and helpful thoughts.

We’ll also address your child’s distorted or negative core beliefs about themself.

Your child’s beliefs about themselves often drive their perception.

Numerous children I have worked with stated that before therapy, their deep-rooted beliefs about themselves were “I am… ugly, boring, dumb, unlikeable, etc.”

These beliefs drove these children’s daily decisions, interactions, and thoughts in dysfunctional ways.

I will help your child identify and change these beliefs to create a positive self-perception and increase self-esteem and confidence.

Here’s how you’ll be involved…

As your child develops these skills, you will be invited into sessions to allow your child to teach you their skills and practice with you.

Your child may want to play a game with you that demonstrates their skills.

They may even choose to show off their new skills with a presentation.

Whichever way they choose, you will quickly learn these skills to help your child implement them outside of therapy.

I will also work with you throughout the treatment process to obtain updates on their mood and any concerning behaviors you notice outside of sessions.

Together, we will address any additional needs your child has, such as safety, behavior, or supervision planning.

Let me help…

Depression can feel like a huge weight on your child’s shoulders, and you feel responsible for removing it. It may be heavy, but you’re not alone. Let me join your team to support your child and your family so that you all experience your child’s freedom from depression.

Together, we can ensure that childhood is the happiest part of your child’s life!

Call today for your free 15-minute consultation. Let’s talk about it: (901) 209-9454.