Counseling for Children
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(619) 877-2560
I’m looking for a child therapist in San Diego. Can you help?
At San Diego Christian Counseling, counseling for kids can help your child process complex emotions, struggles, and experiences. Whether your child is facing a difficult life transition, overwhelming feelings, or a condition such as ADHD, eating disorder, or self-injury, the child therapists at San Diego Christian Counseling provide skilled therapeutic treatment in a welcoming, safe environment.
Take a look at our counselor directory to find a counselor who will be the right match for you and your child. All of the child counselors at San Diego Christian Counseling offer skilled support from a biblically knowledgeable and compassionate perspective.
How do I know if my child needs counseling?
Maybe your child is in crisis and you have no doubt that they need counseling now. But what if it’s more of a gray area? Is your child struggling with anxiety, or grief over a seemingly minor loss? Do they seem easily distractible and hyperactive, but haven’t been diagnosed with ADHD or a behavioral disorder? How do you know if counseling will be worthwhile?
You might worry that you’re exaggerating your child’s problems and that they’ll be able to make it through this rough spot without professional help.
However, it’s important to realize that kids, like adults, can suffer from serious mental health issues that might not be readily apparent:
Children are susceptible to the same emotional health issues and mood disorders that plague adults. As many as one in five children and adolescents may have an identifiable mental disorder that requires treatment. At least 1 in 10 has a serious emotional disturbance. – Dennis Thompson Jr., Everyday Health
If you suspect your child needs professional support from a child behavioral therapist, don’t hesitate to contact San Diego Christian Counseling.
Whether it’s anxiety counseling, grief counseling, or counseling through a transition such as a cross-country move, health issues, or other concern, taking the step to care for your child’s emotional and mental well being is worth it. And you’ll have the peace of mind that your child has access to helpful resources.
Does counseling for kids really work?
The short answer is, yes! As discussed above, children can suffer from mental health issues and mood disorders. And like adults, the process of counseling can greatly assist kids in finding and maintaining emotional health.
Counseling for kids often takes a different approach based on their level of cognitive development, but it’s no less effective than therapy for adults. Whether offering play therapy, family therapy, or behavioral therapy, the counselors at San Diego Christian Counseling come alongside your family to offer support and guidance.
Practically speaking, counseling for kids provides invaluable assistance in assessing risk factors, testing for problems, and monitoring progress (American Psychological Association). And as a parent or guardian, we believe you’ll experience a sense of relief as you’re supported and equipped to help your child thrive.
What does a child behavioral therapist do?
A child therapist is trained to help children transform negative thoughts and behaviors into positive ones. Child behavioral therapists can address a number of different mental disorders, mood disorders, and behavior problems. The counselors at San Diego Christian Counseling use a variety of therapeutic techniques to facilitate emotional well being. They provide anxiety counseling, grief counseling, ADHD counseling, and more.
Since children have not completed their cognitive, emotional, or physical development, counseling for kids must take a specialized approach, and child behavioral therapists are equipped to meet the unique needs of children at each stage of development.
What are the symptoms of anxiety in children that I should watch for in my own child?
It can be hard to assess a child’s internal struggles, especially if they are on the quieter side or if they’re younger. Addressing anxiety in children is so important for their emotional well being, and anxiety counseling can make a huge difference for them.
What are some ways to tell if your child is struggling with anxiety? Here are a few:
- Heightened/unusual level of concern about themselves or their family
- Experiencing nightmares or other sleep disruptions
- Having panic attacks
- Declining performance at school
- Having frequent headaches or stomach pain
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Struggling in or avoiding social situations
It’s important to take note of consistent behavior changes in children that are outside of their normal range of behavior. Anxiety counseling can help uncover what’s behind the behavior changes and help children manage their situation and emotions.
Do you offer anxiety counseling for children?
Yes, we do! Please browse our counselor directory to find a counselor, and contact us to set up your initial risk-free appointment.
According to the Child Mind Institute, anxiety counseling for children can help your child manage her struggle so that it doesn’t negatively impact her development. Don’t wait to seek insight and help from one of the skilled and experienced child counselors at San Diego Christian Counseling.
My child has experienced a loss. Will grief counseling help?
If your child has experienced a significant loss such as the death of an immediate family member, please seek compassionate Christian counseling to help them process their experience and move forward in a healthy way.
Grief counseling can help your child manage their grief without being pressured to talk about it if they’re not ready.
If your child has experienced a more minor loss, you can adopt a “wait and see” approach before making a decision on counseling. Here are some of the signs that your child may not be managing their emotions well and could benefit from grief counseling for kids (Barr-Harris Children’s Grief Center):
- Chronic, stress-related health problems
- Denial
- Lack of interest in formerly enjoyable activities
- Lack of progress or improvement in negative emotions and behaviors
Processing grief in a safe environment can help your child in the process of acceptance and moving forward while cherishing memories of their lost loved one (Barr-Harris).
I’m looking for ADHD treatment without medication. What do you recommend?
If you’re looking for ADHD therapy or treatment for ADHD in children, but you want to address the issue without immediate resort to medication, feel free to reach out to a counselor at San Diego Christian Counseling. Early treatment for ADHD in children can yield very positive outcomes for the whole family.
If your child struggles with finishing tasks, sitting still, or controlling impulsive reactions, it’s worthwhile to consider whether ADHD might be a possibility. Whether your child has been assessed yet or not, a counselor at San Diego Christian Counseling can make an evaluation and work with you to create a treatment plan. If you would like ADHD treatment without medication, your counselor can provide options for you to work through as a support team for your child.
Types of therapy that might be used include behavioral interventions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and neurofeedback. Additionally, you can learn strategies to help manage ADHD symptoms at home, including structure, boundaries, organizational symptoms, self-care, and more.
Don’t hesitate to seek counseling if you suspect your child might struggle with ADHD. Call for your risk-free initial assessment at San Diego Christian Counseling today.
What treatment options are available to address eating disorders in children?
Eating disorders are the most life-threatening mental illness, and treatment is imperative. At San Diego Christian Counseling, your child’s counselor will work with his or her medical team to provide support and intervention to address the struggles of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or other eating disorders.
Christian counseling for eating disorders in children might include cognitive behavioral therapy, anxiety counseling, and behavior modification techniques.
My child struggles with self-injury. What should I do?
Self-injury in teens can be especially frightening for parents and caregivers, and might be a red flag for other mental health issues. Risk factors for self-injury include external influences, difficulty expressing emotions, stressful family events, negative body image, or inadequate coping skills.
If you suspect that your teen might be self-harming but you’re not sure, here are some signs to watch out for:
- Blood stains on clothing, sheets, etc.
- Missing items that could be used for cutting
- Wearing lots of wristbands, bracelets, or long sleeves in warm weather
- Spending lots of time alone
- Secretive behavior
- And of course, unexplained marks or scars
If your child is engaging in self-harm, what can you do to help?
- Seek to understand without judgment
- Offer listening and support
- Provide resources to help your teen feel safe and heard
Most importantly, you can contact a professional Christian counselor to help your teen manage their difficult emotions, identify triggers for self-harm, and develop positive coping mechanisms to replace self-injury.
My child has significant anger issues. What can I do to manage the anger effectively?
If your child struggles with anger issues, child counseling can help you help them, while also learning a more effective parenting style. It’s important to be both consistent and authoritative; permissive or authoritarian parenting can frustrate children and lead to anger issues.
In Christian counseling, you can learn the process for setting expectations and following through in an environment of love. These include:
- Creating an expectation for the child’s behavior
- Discussing consequences for failing to meet that expectation
- Following through with consequences in an empathetic way
- Providing the opportunity for the child to try again
A child behavioral therapist can help you create new habits of leading and responding as you seek to manage your child’s behavior. At the same time, he or she can help your child learn to manage their emotions and respond more productively to feeling frustrated or out of control.
Contact a Professional Christian Counselor for Children in San Diego Today
If your child is struggling with one of the above-mentioned issues or another mental, emotional, or behavioral struggle, please don’t hesitate to reach out for support from one of the trained children’s counseling professionals at San Diego Christian Counseling. Contact us for a risk-free initial appointment today.
Get connected with a Christian Counselor
Please contact our reception team at
(619) 877-2560