Get to Know You Therapy Worksheets for Kids

Positive Kid Therapy Changes Lives. Paradigm by Pixaby.

Child therapy is not always easy for parents to hash out.

With the stigma of mental wellness, nobody wants their child to "need therapy," which is unfortunate because therapy can alter lives.

Whether kids have traumatic issues or are struggling with the brave and simple act of being human, qualified professionals can aid kids deal with actually difficult subjects.

It makes sense that parents and guardians need professional person insight, especially for tender subjects or developmentally advisable issues of growing up. Many people consider child therapy for huge topics similar corruption, fail, and trauma, but information technology tin can have an equally weighted focus on positive growth and strengths.

Therapy sessions can focus on working towards an optimistic future, developing positive coping methods, as well as boosting self-esteem, self-confidence, and other positive states and traits in children.

Whether the kid is participating in play therapy, behavioral therapy, or expressive therapy, it can provide them with opportunities to survive afterwards trauma and somewhen, thrive.

Earlier yous go on, we idea yous might like to download our three Positive CBT Exercises for free. These scientific discipline-based exercises will provide you lot with detailed insight into Positive CBT and give you the tools to apply it in your therapy or coaching.

What is Child Therapy?

Child therapy (as well chosen child counseling) is similar to therapy and counseling for adults: it offers a safe space and an empathetic ear while providing tools to bring nigh change in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Just like adult clients, child clients receive emotional and goal support in their sessions. They can focus on resolving conflict, agreement their own thoughts and feelings, and on thinking of new solutions to their daily problems.

The only big divergence between developed therapy and child therapy is the emphasis on making sure children understand what is happening, and how they are non solitary.

Kid therapy tin be practiced with one kid, a child, and a parent or parents, or even with more than i family. It is ofttimes administered by a counselor or therapist who specializes in working with children, and who can offer the parents and/or guardians insights that may not be immediately credible.

The therapist and customer(s) can cover a broad diversity of issues that include:

• Divorce or separation;
• Death of a loved ane;
• Trauma;
• Bullying;
• Sexual corruption;
• Emotional abuse;
• Concrete abuse;
• Family or child relocation;
• Substance abuse or addiction in the family unit;
• Mental affliction, like depression, feet, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (TherapyTribe, 2018).

Good therapy will be present and forward-oriented (pregnant there will exist niggling looking back or digging up the past) and will probable utilize non-exact modalities like play, games, fine art, etc.

In addition, the therapy sessions may focus on five important goals on top of whatever situation-specific goals:

1. Building the child's self-esteem.
2. Helping to improve the child's communication skills.
3. Stimulating healthy, normal development.
4. Building an appropriate emotional repertoire.
5. Improving the child's emotional vocabulary (Walker, 2014).

To summarize, child therapy is quite similar to therapy for adults in terms of the purpose, goals, and problems it can address, but it differs with the focus of explaining these topics to young children.

Techniques and exercises offer means that are appropriate, for the kid's age, to understand themselves in the world.

Encounter our article on CBT for Children for more information.

When is Child Therapy Constructive?

If a parent or guardian is not sure whether the kid needs counseling or not, the list of symptoms beneath tin exist a good indicator. If the child is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, coupled with the parent's business, it's a good idea to take him or her in for an evaluation.

The following are symptoms that may indicate a problem that therapy can right or help with:

• Unwarranted aggression;
• Incontinence;
• Difficulty adjusting to social situations;
• Frequent nightmare and sleep difficulties;
• A sudden drib in grades at schoolhouse;
• Persistent worry and anxiety;
• Withdrawing from activities they normally bask;
• Loss of ambition or dramatic weight loss/gain;
• Performing obsessive routines like hand washing;
• Expressing thoughts of suicide;
• Talking about voices they hear in their head;
• Social isolation and wanting to be alone;
• Alcohol or drug apply;
• Increased physical complaints despite a normal, healthy doc'southward written report;
• Self-harm such every bit cut (TherapyTribe, 2018).

In addition to these issues, the child may be dealing with:

• Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness;
• Constant anger and a tendency to overreact to situations;
• Preoccupation with concrete illness or their own advent;
• An disability to concentrate, think clearly or brand decisions;
• An inability to sit still;
• Diets or binging behavior;
• Violent acts such every bit setting fires or killing animals (Thompson Jr., 2010).

If parents determine to bring their child to therapy, they need to stay engaged throughout the therapy process.

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry suggests asking the therapist or advisor the post-obit questions:

• Why is psychotherapy existence recommended?
• What results can I look?
• How long volition my kid be involved in therapy?
• How frequently will the therapist see my child?
• Will the therapist be meeting with just my child or with the entire family?
• How much do psychotherapy sessions cost?
• How will we (the parents) be informed about our child's progress and how can we help?
• How soon can we await to see some changes?

Similarly, in that location are some suggestions on how to talk to a child about going to counseling. Information technology tin experience uncomfortable to both the parent(s) and the child to talk most mental health treatment, but following these tips can help make information technology approachable:

• Find a skillful time to talk and assure them that they are not in trouble. Listen actively.
• Take your child's concerns, experiences, and emotions seriously.
• Try to be open, authentic, and relaxed.
• Talk most how common the bug they are experiencing may be.
• Explain that the part of a therapist is to provide help and back up.
• Explain that a confidentiality agreement tin exist negotiated and so children—especially adolescents—have a safety space to share details privately while acknowledging that you volition be alerted if in that location are any threats to their safe (Wells, Sueskind, & Alcamo, 2017).

In that location are many effective forms of kid therapy with evidence to back them up, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cerebral Therapy, Family Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, and System Training (Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 2017).

Younger children may also benefit from Play Therapy, and older adolescents may benefit from Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Group Therapy, or Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2017).

These therapies may be administered on their ain, in combination with other therapies, or as a hodge-podge of techniques and exercises from several different types of therapies. In addition, information technology may or may not be accompanied by medication, depending on the situation.

Ane of these therapies may piece of work for a child far better than the others, and the type chosen will depend on the issue(s) the child and family are dealing with. Like with whatsoever form of therapy, it is most constructive when everyone involved is on board, supportive, and contributing to its success.

How an Emotional Kid Can Benefit from Therapy

Play Therapy Changes Lives. Image past Wikimedia Commons.

An overly emotional child (or one that struggles with inappropriate emotional expression or emotional dysregulation) may be suffering from ane or more than of a variety of bug, including ADHD, mental illness, feet, or even an autism spectrum disorder.

Whatever the issue they are facing, child therapy can assist them bargain with information technology.

Cognitive therapy is a expert choice for emotional children, as it involves reducing anxiety and learning new ideas and new means to aqueduct the child's feelings and free energy. It will also help him or her to place their inner thoughts, and attempt to supplant the negative ones with more positive, helpful ones.

Applied beliefs assay can help the child larn how to reply to situations in improve, more constructive means, and will teach them about rewards and punishments for their behavior. Play therapy is a good pick for younger children with emotional issues since they can act them out through toys or dolls (KidsMentalHealth, 2009).

The type of therapy and techniques that volition piece of work all-time for the child may also depend on which stage of development they are in; Erik Erikson'due south groundbreaking theory on the eight stages of psychosocial evolution is a commonly recognized and accepted theory and can help differentiate between normal, age-advisable issues and more troublesome symptoms.

The beginning five stages of development are:

1. Infancy : Trust vs Mistrust. In this stage, infants crave a not bad deal of attention and comfort from their parents, leading them to develop their starting time sense of trust (or, in some cases, mistrust).
2. Early on Childhood: Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt. Toddlers and very young children are beginning to assert their independence and develop their unique personality, making tantrums and defiance common.
3. Preschool Years: Initiative vs. Guilt. Children at this stage begin learning about social roles and norms, their imagination takes off at this indicate, and the disobedience and tantrums of the previous stage will likely continue. The manner trusted adults collaborate with the kid will encourage him or her to act independently or to develop a sense of guilt nearly any inappropriate actions.
4. Schoolhouse Historic period : Manufacture (Competence) vs. Inferiority. At this stage, the child is building important relationships with peers and is likely beginning to feel the pressure of academic performance; mental wellness issues may begin at this phase, including depression, anxiety, ADHD, and other problems.
5. Adolescence: Identity vs. Function Confusion. The boyish is reaching new heights of independence and is outset to experiment and develop their identity. Problems with communication and sudden emotional and physical changes are common at this stage (Wells, Sueskind, & Alcamo, 2017).

The terminal three stages are not relevant for the purposes of discussing child therapy, but they are listed here if yous're curious:

1. Young Adulthood: Dearest – Intimacy vs. Isolation
2. Centre Adulthood: Intendance – Generativity vs. Stagnation
3. Belatedly Adulthood: Ego Integrity vs. Despair

Based on these life stages, we know that it is common for children in early on babyhood to throw tantrums when they don't become their way; tantrums alone aren't reason plenty to seek a therapist. Nevertheless, if someone of school age is still throwing tantrums, it may be time to explore therapy and counseling options.

Child Therapy Techniques: Behavioral Therapy and More than

The verbal techniques that child therapy may use will depend on the type of therapy that is administered. A few of the most common and evidence-backed techniques, as well as the type of therapy they tin can commonly be found in, are described beneath.

The Feeling Word Game

There are many play therapy techniques that take proven to be constructive, fun, and engaging for children. The Feeling Word Game is one such technique.

It begins with the therapist asking the child to listing the feelings that children of their age feel. The therapist volition write each word down on a menu or piece of paper, or draw a face representative of the emotion if the child is too young to read. Once the child runs out of feeling words to advise, the therapist volition line upwardly the feeling cards in forepart of the child.

Side by side, the therapist will bring out a container of small tokens, like poker fries, and explain that these are "feelings." He or she will tell a personal story (real or fictional) that demonstrates both positive and negative emotions that a person may feel. The therapist will then put the tokens on the feeling cards that correspond to the emotions mentioned in the story.

In the next step, the therapist will tell the child a like story virtually a kid their own historic period. The story will be not-threatening but will include the potential for several positive and negative emotions. The therapist will manus the container to the child and instruct him or her to put the tokens downward on the feeling cards that represent how they would feel if they were the child in the story.

Finally, the therapist will encourage the kid to tell a story of their own, preferably almost their own life. For each story the child tells, he or she volition proceed identifying the feelings that each occasion brought upward.

The therapist volition proceed the stories going until the child has brought up the major issues that he or she is dealing with. This is a great style to encourage a child to open up up in therapy and get the ball rolling, as well every bit identifying the presenting problem(south).

You can read more about this technique in Hall, Kaduson, and Schaefer's 2002 paper "Fifteen Effective Play Therapy Techniques."

The Mad Game

The Mad Game, developed by Patricia Davidson and described by Hall, Kaduson, and Schaefer (2002), tin be used to show children that information technology's okay to feel anger and to encourage them to express it in a healthy fashion. It can also be adjusted to piece of work for other emotions also, like sadness or anxiety.

Beginning, the therapist volition take a fix of blocks ( paper-thin, wooden, or plastic) and divide them evenly between themselves and the child. Next, the therapist will explain the rules: each person will place a block on acme of the other person's block during their plough. They will alternate turns, and at each turn, they will share something that is unfair or something that makes them angry.

The therapist can brainstorm with silly or lighthearted things, similar "It makes me mad when I want to play exterior merely information technology's raining" or "It'due south not fair that I can't eat candy for every meal!" Eventually, they volition progress on to things that are more specific to the kid'due south bug.

In one case all the blocks are stacked, the therapist volition instruct the kid to retrieve of 1 thing that makes them the angriest, brand a face up that reflects how they feel (a "mad face up"), and knockdown all the blocks.

This technique allows the kid to discuss their anger, an exercise that may be unfamiliar if the child is not used to feeling like information technology is acceptable to express such emotions. Information technology will also requite the kid an opportunity to act out that acrimony in a safe and good for you way.

The Boring-Motion Game

This technique tin be applied to aid the child learn most cocky-control.

Information technology begins with the therapist explaining what cocky-control is and describing how it is sometimes difficult to maintain our self-control if we are moving very fast.

They ask the child to illustrate what this fast-moving looks like. This is an excellent opportunity for the child to get moving and burn off some excess free energy!

Next, they innovate a pile of cards that take an action for the child to human action out, like playing soccer, climbing a stone wall, or writing a letter.

The child will pick one carte at a time and deed out whatsoever is on it, merely with a twist—they must do it in irksome motion! They will engage in this wearisome-motion activity for i full minute, and a stopwatch can be used to time it. If there are multiple children, they can take turns interim out and timing each other.

This game is a fun way for children to learn almost the concept of cocky-control and an opportunity for them to build it through play (Hall, Kaduson, & Schaefer, 2002).

Chimera Breaths

In this game therapy technique, the therapist will use bubbles to explain an important concept to the kid.

The therapist begins by blowing bubbles with the kid. While they are having fun, they volition explain to the child that they tin can brand the bubbles bigger by taking deep breaths and blowing slowly into the hoop.

These are "Chimera Breaths," and they have the ability to chase away worries and anxiety also.

The kid can then exercise Bubble Breaths and make the bubbles as big equally possible by taking deep, slow breaths.

This technique is a great way to introduce mindful breathing as well equally a skillful mechanism for dealing with intense emotions like anger or anxiety (Kilpatrick, n.d.).

Second Story Technique

This narrative therapy technique can help the child to open upwardly and share details of their trauma with the therapist (as well as parents and/or other trusted adults, if needed).

During the therapy session, the therapist volition gently encourage the child to walk through the traumatic result, providing details most what happened to them. When the effect has been fully detailed and is well understood by the therapist, they will encourage the child to tell the "2d story."

The 2d story is the aforementioned story almost the traumatic event just focuses on the child's reaction to the issue instead of the details of what happened. It might be difficult for the kid to describe the effects of the trauma, merely focusing on themselves and their office in the story can give the child a sense of agency and independence that they may not take had before.

The therapist volition encourage them to think about the upshot and their response in terms of their strengths—how brave they were to talk most it, how tough they are to be able to survive the issue, and the ways in which they have grown since the event.

This technique is a great style to get the child to focus on his strengths rather than dwell on the details of the trauma he has suffered (Kilpatrick, n.d.).

Positive Postings

This talk therapy technique from Jacqueline Melissa Swank will help the therapist assess and improve the child'due south sense of cocky-esteem and encourage positive self-talk.

This activity requires construction paper, crayons or markers, and viscous notes.

The therapist begins by discussing self-esteem with the kid, and so asking the child to draw an outline of their body on the construction paper. Next, the therapist instructs the child to employ the crayons or markers and glutinous notes to write down several of their positive qualities or traits (similar "I am kind to my classmates" or "I'm adept at playing tag").

Once the child has several positive quality post-its gear up, the therapist has them stick the notes on their outline. This will help the kid solidify the connection between themselves and these positive traits.

When they are washed, the therapist tin can take the positive self-talk i footstep farther by request the kid to think virtually a time when they felt very angry, frustrated, or disappointed with themselves, and encouraging them to call back about how their "positive postings" could assist them when they feel that way.

This technique can also be adjusted for use in group and family therapy sessions. You can read more about this technique in Liana Lowenstein'due south (2011) e-book Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents, and Families: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Interventions, which you can find hither.

13 Child Therapy Worksheets

In add-on to the techniques described above, in that location are tons of worksheets, handouts, and other resources that can be used in child therapy or as a complement to child therapy. A few of the most popular and about helpful resources are listed and described beneath.

Small-scale Talk Family Discussion Cards Handout

This resource is a PDF with three printable sheets containing "discussion cards" that can be used to spark conversation among family members.

The kickoff page includes discussion cards labeled "Family," which focus on getting to know the family every bit a whole and private family unit members amend. They all include one question for the family to discuss together, and a "Dig Deeper" option if the child wants to continue discussing that topic.

It includes give-and-take questions like:

• Question: Who is in your family?
  o Dig Deeper: What makes someone family unit?
• Question: How can you tell when someone in your family is mad?
  o Dig Deeper: Look in the mirror and make a mad face. What does your face practise?
• Question: Do yous take shut friends who feel similar family? Who are they?
  o Dig Deeper: Write a letter to a friend or a family fellow member who lives far away.

The 2nd folio includes discussion cards labeled "Feelings." These cards focus on emotions, both positive and negative. They also include one broader question and ane "Dig Deeper" question on each card.

These cards include:

• Question: What are three things that make you lot happy?
  o Dig Deeper: Share a story nearly a time you were very happy.
• Question: What does your body experience like when y'all are worried?
  o Dig Deeper: Share something that is worrying y'all right now.
• Question: How does your body feel different when you are worn-out or tired?
  o Dig Deeper: What is your bedtime routine?

Finally, the third page includes discussion cards labeled "My World," which include broader topics that assist the family get to know each other better. It includes "What if…?" blazon questions, "favorite" questions, and observation questions. Like the other two categories, each card offers ane general discussion question and ane "Dig Deeper" question.

Some of these cards include:

• Question: What is your favorite time of year? Why?
  o Dig Deeper: How does the world change during your favorite season?
• Question: What kind of wildlife have you lot seen near your abode?
  o Dig Deeper: What animals take yous touched? What did they experience like?
• Question: If a magical genie granted you one wish, what would you lot wish for?
  o Dig Deeper: What do you lot call back your all-time friend would wish for?

These discussion questions tin help a family improve their advice and get to know one another better. Click hereif you'd like to give it a try with your children or your clients.

Acrimony Stop Signs Worksheet

This worksheet is an fantabulous resources for parents with a child struggling to control his or her anger. Children tin can consummate this worksheet with a parent or other adult, or by themselves, if they are old enough.

It begins with a picayune lesson on how anger can start out very pocket-sized, like feeling "annoyed" or only a trivial angry. It and then prompts children to draw what they wait similar when their anger is pocket-size.

Next, information technology describes how anger tin grow almost uncontrollably until it seems like it'south way as well big to deal with. It may feel hard to control, like a auto without breaks. It notes that someone who is very angry may yell, striking, cry, or pause things. Children are then prompted to describe what they look like when they are very angry.

On the adjacent folio is a big, carmine stop sign. The text prompts the child to wait for anger cease signs or clues that begin to appear when their anger is small-scale but tin let them know that it is growing. When they discover these signs, they can stomp on the brakes and become their acrimony under control.

The prompt above the stop sign reads: "Everyone has their ain acrimony cease signs. It's important to acquire what yours are, so you can spot them in the hereafter. Write your anger stop signs in the space below."

Information technology as well includes some mutual anger stop signs the child may recognize as i of their own, similar:

• My face feels hot.
• I outset to milkshake.
• I raise my vox.
• I go placidity.
• My optics get watery.
• I try to bother people.
• I can't think straight.
• I feel annoyed.
• I want to hit something.

This worksheet tin can exist a bang-up help for a child dealing with anger problems. It volition pb them to identify the signs that the anger is rising and acquire how to put a stop to it earlier information technology gets to the brim and starts to overflow.

Click hither to view or download the Acrimony Stop Signs worksheet.

My Changing Family unit Worksheet

If a child is struggling to bargain with a modify in family unit situation, like separation or divorce, remarriage, or the decease of a family member, this worksheet can exist a neat way for them to get their feelings on paper and help them explain how they feel to a therapist, parent, or other trusted adult.

It is a judgement completion worksheet, in which several prompts are presented for the child to fill in.

These prompts include:

• My family is dissimilar now, because…
• When I think about my family, I feel…
• Things I don't similar well-nigh the changes to my family are…
• Things I do similar about the changes to my family unit are…
• My biggest worry about my family unit is…
• My hope for my family is…

Employ this worksheet to help a child take changes in the family construction, like getting a new stepmom or stepdad, gaining new pace-siblings, or seeing a parent less often than before. Click here to run into the worksheet.

Dealing with Bullying Worksheet

It's a sad fact of life that every child volition witness bullying at some point, and may fifty-fifty be the victim or the nifty. Luckily, most children abound out of bullying and become over their bullying as they age; notwithstanding, if a child is really struggling with bullying, this worksheet tin can assist them sympathize what is happening and figure out how to respond to it.

Information technology begins with an caption of what bullying is:

"Bullying is when a person purposefully hurts others with words or actions. Bullies will option on their target over and over, and it can exist hard to make them stop."

Adjacent, it lists the different types of bullying and a few examples of each and instructs the child to circle the examples that have happened to them and underline the examples they have seen happen to someone else.

The examples include:

• Physical Bullying
  o Hitting / Kicking
  o Pushing
  o Tripping
• Verbal Bullying
  o Name-calling / Teasing
  o Making hurtful comments
  o Threats
• Social Bullying
  o Spreading rumors
  o Causing embarrassment
  o Encouraging others to exclude someone from the group
• Cyber Bullying
  o Sharing embarrassing photos or videos
  o Sending hurtful comments or messages
  o Impersonating another person online

Adjacent, the worksheet lists five different ways to handle bullies:

1. Tell an Adult
   a. It explains the difference betwixt telling and tattling and instructs the kid to write downwardly three adults they tin can tell when they witness bullying.
2. Don't Show Your Feelings
   a. When you lot hide your sadness or anger until the bang-up is gone, they will often stop bothering yous.
3. Avert the Neat
   a. Sometimes the best choice is to simply avoid the bully, walk away, or pretend you don't even encounter or hear the bang-up.
4. Human action Confident
   a. This technique doesn't require y'all to be confident, but to act confident; if you seem confident, the bully might make up one's mind you aren't worth the effort.
5. Respond Neutrally
   a. Many bullies simply say hateful things to go a reaction, so if y'all pretend you don't care about what they're saying at all, they may stop. You lot can try things similar:
   i. "Eh, mayhap."
   ii. "Maybe."
   3. "Hmm, I don't know."
   four. "Who cares?"

These 5 means to deal with bullies will probably include at to the lowest degree i or two methods for dealing with bullying that the child will non accept thought of or tried before. Encourage the child to try a new one if they find one of them isn't working.

Click here to download the Bullying worksheet.

Emotion Faces Handout

This handout provides cute and easy to understand examples of what different emotions might look like on someone's face up. This can be especially helpful for children who are on the autism spectrum or are dealing with an emotional disorder.

It includes two pages of faces, with xx emotions on each page. These emotions include:

• Happy
• Sad
• Silly
• Worried
• Ashamed
• Confused
• Alone
• Overwhelmed
• Apathetic
• Resilient
• Focused

Utilise it in conjunction with other emotion-related exercises or techniques, or only use information technology to boost the kid'due south ability to recognize unlike emotions. You lot can see it for yourself past clicking here.

About Me Judgement Completion Worksheet

The About Me worksheet can help the child focus on the positive and improve their confidence and cocky-esteem. It's good for very young children (who may need your assist writing their answers) all the manner up to pre-teens or young teens.

At that place are six prompts the kid is instructed to complete:

1. I was really happy when…
2. Something that my friends like about me is…
3. I'm proud of…
4. My family was happy when I…
5. In school, I'm good at…
6. Something that makes me unique is…

Piece of work through this worksheet with your immature kid, or go over the responses with your older child when they have finished. Remind them of all the things they are good at, the things they accept to be proud of, and reasons why they should love themselves.

Click here to download this worksheet and begin working on your child's cocky-confidence.

Why I'm Grateful Worksheet

This worksheet can help your kid or client realize all the things they take to be grateful for. It can be an excellent tool for use in positive child therapy, as a complement to child therapy, or just to aid children learn most gratitude.

Like the previous worksheet, it includes half dozen judgement completion prompts that the child fills in.

These prompts include:

1. I am grateful for my family because…
2. Something good that happened this calendar week…
3. I am grateful for my friendship with… because…
4. I am grateful for who I am because…
5. Something silly that I am grateful for…
6. Something else I am grateful for…

If you'd like to download this worksheet and employ it with your child or customer, click here.

Using Rewards and Punishments Handout

If you or your customer'due south parents are looking for ways to effectively implement rewards and punishments, this handout is an excellent resource for you. It describes best practices for rewards and punishments, with some other helpful advice on dealing with beliefs bug.

For Rewards, it includes tips like:

• Rewards should be given regularly and consistently. Instead of offering one big reward for a long-term accomplishment, try offering smaller rewards as your child completes steps toward the larger goal. For case, offer rewards for completing homework rather than a good report carte du jour. Children tin can't program for the futurity in the same way adults do, and a report card that'southward 3 months away feels similar it's one-hundred years away.
• Don't take away rewards that have already been earned. If your child earns a trip to the movies, and and then they arrive trouble for something unrelated, don't accept away the reward. You can even so employ punishment, just it should be separate. Taking away rewards can lead to a abiding sense of defeat when a kid works hard, yet never sees positive outcomes.

For Punishments, the suggestions include:

• Don't overdo it. Many parents take a habit of dishing out extreme punishments when they're upset. Grounding your kid for a month is equally much a penalization to you equally it is to your child. After a few days, virtually parents have cooled down, and they're tired of having a bored kid around the business firm, and then they stop the punishment early on. This tells your kid that you don't actually mean it when yous threaten punishments.
• Never use corporal punishment (not even spanking). Striking your child might get you what y'all want now, but information technology volition cause trouble later on. Children who receive corporal punishment learn that hitting and violence are advisable responses to their problems, they tend to be more aggressive with other children, and they deport this into adulthood.

Finally, it ends with good full general advice, like:

• Choose your battles. And then, your child has picked the dress upward off the floor and put them in the dresser, but the clothes are not folded neatly. Let information technology go! Ask yourself: "Is this trouble actually that important right at present?"
• In some cases, it'due south better to ignore bad behavior than to punish it. Negative attention can experience better than no attention, and children who are seeking attention will interpret a parent taking the time to talk to and punish them equally a advantage. If your child's beliefs isn't dangerous or destructive, and you call up they're but trying to get your attention, ignore them until they stop.

To read up on the other drops of wisdom regarding using rewards and punishments, click here.

Reward Coupons Printout

If you like the idea of using rewards and punishments, this printout may be a useful guide for coming up with and doling out desirable rewards.

It includes 12 reward "coupons," or little rectangles of paper that specify the reward yous are handing out. They include:

•  _____ actress minutes of Television receiver.
• Go to __________.
• Visit the park.
• A fun dark with the family unit.
• My selection of dinner.
• Get a new toy!
• Stay upwardly _____ extra minutes.
• Sleepover with friends.
• Have some candy!
• Sentinel a movie.

In addition to these 10 coupons, there are two blank coupons that can be filled out with whatever reward you wish, or whatsoever reward you take agreed on with your child.

Click here to download these coupons and print them out for your child or customer.

Goal Sheet Worksheet

If you're a fan of goal-setting, you'll love this simple and straightforward worksheet for helping young children stick to their goals.

At the top, there is room to write in the child's proper name and mark it as their goal sheet.

Under their name, there is a prompt for you or the child to make full out:
"This calendar week, my goal is to…"

Work with the kid to figure out an appropriate goal and write it downward here.

Next, keep track of goal striving over the calendar week. There is a little schedule with a box for each solar day of the week, Monday through Sunday, where you can identify a check marking if they succeed, an "X" if they neglect to reach their goal or notes on how well they did.

Information technology's best to consummate this worksheet with the child to ensure he or she is connecting their goal to their behavior and seeing the consequences of working toward (or ignoring) their goals.

You tin download this worksheet hither.

What is Worry? Worksheet

This worksheet is an excellent resource for parents or therapists of children with feet issues. It will walk the child through what worry is, what is a normal amount of worrying, and what they can practise about it.

First, it provides a definition of worries:

"Worries are unpleasant thoughts that you lot can't get out of your head. They're similar abrasive bugs that continue buzzing around and won't leave you alone."

Adjacent, it lists many different things that people worry about, including:

• Family
  o Arguments or Fights
  o Upsetting Family
  o Family's Safety
  o Getting in Trouble
  o Sick Family Member
• School
  o Following Rules
  o Grades
  o Presentations
  o Homework
  o Tests
• Friends
  o Fitting In
  o Making Friends
  o Being Teased
  o What to Talk About
  o Bullies
• Other
  o Getting Hurt
  o Being Embarrassed
  o Appearance
  o Money
  o _______________ (blank space to write in another worry)

The worksheet instructs the kid to circle at least three things they worry nearly from this list.

Under the lists of worries, the worksheet describes the changes that the child'south body may experience when he or she worries. The kid is instructed to circumvolve each of the worry symptoms that he or she has experienced from the post-obit:

• Fast Heartbeat
• Sweating
• Feeling Sick
• Shaking
• Feeling Hot

Finally, it ends with the positive bulletin that worrying may not be fun, but that a lilliputian worry never injure anybody. Information technology encourages the kid to figure out ways they can control their worry, and instructs them to fill up in the sentence prompt with the things they already do: "To control my worry, I…"

To download this worksheet for your footling worrier, click here.

My Fears Worksheet

This worksheet tin can help children learn about how fear is a normal reaction to the world, what it feels like, and what makes them scared. For the child to confront and overcome their fears, they must first acknowledge them!

Outset, they are asked, "What are some things that make yous feel nervous or scared?"

Once they accept answered this initial question, another one is posed: "What do you call back about when you lot are nervous or scared?"

The side by side task allows for a footling inventiveness. At that place is an outline of a kid's body and instructions that say the post-obit:
"How does your body feel when you lot are nervous or scared? Color the areas where you tin sense these feelings."

Finally, the worksheet closes with ane terminal question: "What's something you can do to feel better next time yous are afraid?"

If you would similar to try this worksheet with your customer or child, you tin can notice it at this link.

Family Mindfulness Schedule

This handout is an fantabulous resource for families that want to incorporate mindfulness into their daily routine. It provides a cursory description of what mindfulness is and why it is of import, and then jumps right into the many ways to exist mindful during an average day.

It includes mindfulness techniques for vi activities or times of 24-hour interval:

1. Waking Up
2. Meals
3. Travel
4. School
5. Costless Time
6. Bedtime

For each activity or fourth dimension of day, there are one or two techniques that you can do with your child (or encourage your child to practice on their ain, like the school techniques).

For example, the Waking Up section includes the Five Senses technique:

"Five Senses. With your child, take a few moments to explore the morning through your senses. Accept turns naming things you run across, hear, feel, taste, and smell. Try to notice things you would commonly melody out, like the distant fizz of a neighbor's lawnmower, or the softness of a pillow."

The Meals section includes a technique on mindful eating:

"Rather than rushing through a meal, eat slowly and mindfully. Find how the food looks, and how information technology smells. What does it taste similar? What does the food feel like on your tongue? Take turns sharing different things you notice virtually the food, no matter how modest the observations might seem."

Information technology ends with the Progressive Musculus Relaxation practise, 1 y'all are probably familiar with if you've tried mindfulness. You can talk your kid through it by slowly reading the post-obit script:

"Close your eyes, and pretend that you lot're property two juicy oranges—one in each hand. Start to squeeze the oranges by making fists. Squeeze hard to go all the juice out. Discover what your fists experience like when yous clasp hard. Now let go of the oranges, and let your easily rest. Discover how skillful it feels to relax your hands.

Side by side, pretend similar you're sitting on the beach. Squeeze your toes as if you are trying to pick upwardly sand between them. Concur onto the sand past squeezing even tighter. Now, let go of the sand, and relax your anxiety. Observe how your anxiety feel unlike when yous allow them residuum.

Finally, pretend similar a fly landed on your olfactory organ. Yous desire to go information technology off, without touching it with your hands. Scrunch up your face, wiggle your nose, just get crazy! Keep moving your face so the bug will wing away. Now, stop, and let your whole face relax. Pay attention to how it feels."

If y'all're interested in seeing the rest of the techniques or downloading it for your own employ, click here.

If these thirteen worksheets nevertheless aren't enough, you're in luck! For 15 additional resources from ParentCoachPlan.com that you can apply with your child or client, click here.

Praising Children: 136 Affirmations for Children

There are tons of sources yous tin notice on what not to say to a kid to promote healthy evolution. For instance, this piece from Parenting.com lists the x things that you shouldn't say to your child:

• "Keen task."
• "Practice makes perfect."
• "You're okay."
• "Hurry up!"
• "I'k on a diet."
• "We can't afford that."
• "Don't talk to strangers."
• "Exist conscientious."
• "No dessert unless you lot finish your dinner."
• "Let me help." (Crouch, 2014)

Some other piece from Fatherly.com lists eight farther things you shouldn't say:

• "Become it out of your system."
• "You're a bad kid."
• "… or else…"
• "Stop being shy."
• "Go to your room."
• "Why can't you be more like your sister."
• "If you really loved me…"
• "You're asking for it." (Coleman, 2017)

Some of these are obvious, some you may find questionable, and some may even be bewildering!

The merits of each item could certainly be discussed, but allow'due south focus on some of the positive things that you tin say that contribute to healthy child development. In addition, there are tons of resources on affirmations for children to use themselves (although you should help them get started and encourage them to continue with them).

For example, this resources lists 66 positive things y'all tin can say to your child, like:

• I'g grateful for you lot.
• Yous don't have to be perfect to exist peachy.
• This family unit wouldn't be the aforementioned without you.
• I'thou excited to spend fourth dimension with yous.
• Seeing you happy makes me happy.
• I acquire new things from you every solar day.
• Watching y'all grow up is the best.
• Not anybody will similar you, and that's okay.
• Yous are cute within and out.

Click here to come across the rest of the positive statements you lot tin make.

If you lot want to assistance your child acquire how to say positive things to themselves while also hearing positive things from you, at that place are some fantabulous lists of affirmations you can share with them.

This list of 50 positive thoughts and affirmations includes:

• There is no ane ameliorate to be than myself.
• I am plenty.
• I become better every single day.
• I have people who beloved and respect me.
• I can do annihilation I put my heed to.
• I am free to make my own choices.
• I accept the power to brand my dreams come truthful.
• I believe in myself and my abilities.
• My confidence grows when I footstep outside of my comfort zone.
• My positive thoughts create positive feelings.
• Today is going to be an awesome mean solar day.

For young children, this list of 20 simple and straightforward affirmations volition make information technology like shooting fish in a barrel to remember to exercise their affirmations every mean solar day:

• I am smart.
• I am a dandy listener.
• I am unique.
• I show empathy to others.
• I have a strong body.
• I am creative.
• I care for others.
• I am helpful.
• I have a positive attitude.
• I love my life!
• I am a skilful friend.
• I am loved.
• I am compassionate.
• I am dauntless.
• I like myself the way I am.
• I am resilient.
• There is no ane quite like me!
• I am funny.
• I try my hardest.
• I am beautiful inside and out.

You can view or download this list of affirmations from DearCrissy.com at this link.

If yous still can't go enough affirmations for children, this link lists a staggering 147! You lot're spring to find at least a few that resonate with your child or client.

Child Therapy Books

If a child is new to therapy or needs a little prompting to hash out some difficult issues, there are some great books you lot can show them or read with them to give them some encouragement.

6 Books for Children in Therapy

1. A Terrible Matter Happened – Margaret One thousand. Holmes, Sasha J. Mudlaff, and Cary Pillo

The volume A Terrible Affair Happened is an excellent choice for helping a child to acquire that it'due south okay to open up and that talking to a kid therapist can be actually helpful.

Information technology tells the story of Sherman Smith, a raccoon who saw something terrible happen and doesn't know how to deal with what he saw.

It covers some of the virtually common symptoms of trauma and depicts a friendly advisor who can help victims of trauma work through these symptoms.

Detect the book on Amazon.

two. Sam Feels Better At present! an Interactive Story for Children – Jill Osborne & Kevin Collier

In this book, Sam saw something traumatic and sees a friendly therapist who helps him feel meliorate.

Reading this volume will assistance children to identify the difficult feelings they are dealing with and accost them.

Observe the book on Amazon.

three. A Kid's First Book About Play Therapy – Marc A. Nemiroff, Jane Annunziata, & Margaret Scoot

The book A Child'due south Outset Book nigh Play Therapy is another great introduction to therapy for young children.

It will walk the child through common symptoms of problems that therapy tin address, entering treatment, the environment of the therapist's part and equipment, and the procedure of play therapy.

It'southward intended for children around the ages of four to seven, and can human action as an first-class precursor to entering therapy for the first time.

Detect the book on Amazon.

4. Do You Have a Secret? (Permit's Talk About It!) – Jennifer Moore-Mallinos & Marta Fabrega

Do You Have a Secret? (Permit'due south Talk About It!) is another fantabulous resources for helping children to learn well-nigh secrets and determine which secrets are okay (a surprise party or a birthday gift) and which are not (secrets that make them feel bad, like bullying or existence touched inappropriately).

The fun illustrations will guide children from the ages of about six to nine through the differences between these secrets, and what to practise with the second kind.

Observe the volume on Amazon.

v. My Day Is Ruined! A Story Instruction Flexible Thinking (Executive Function) – Bryan Smith & Lisa Griffin

The book My Day is Ruined! A Story Teaching Flexible Thinking is not focused exclusively on therapy or problems that require therapy, but it can exist a helpful and humorous lesson for children who struggle with emotion regulation.

Observe the book on Amazon.

6. Healing Days (A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma) – Susan Farber Straus

Finally, the book Healing Days: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma provides children with a resource to help them through the coping procedure.

This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of iv children who larn how to cope with the trauma they take experienced, education children almost tools they can use to cope with their own trauma.

Information technology's appropriate for children ages 9 through 12 (or grades 4 through 7).

Discover the book on Amazon.

If you're more than interested in books about child therapy that tin help parents, teachers and educational staff, and counselors in grooming acquire the ins and outs of child therapy, these three books may be exactly what you're looking for. You tin find more than full general therapy books here.

iii Books Virtually Kid Therapy (For Adults)

ane. Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth – Liana Lowenstein & MSW

Creative Interventions for Troubled Children & Youth by Liana Lowenstein (the same author of the book on child therapy techniques mentioned earlier) is a smashing introduction to kid therapy.

It includes techniques and exercises on everything from diagnosis and treatment planning to saying goodbye to clients.

The techniques it describes are advisable for a broad range of ages, from 4 years all the way to 16 years.

This book tin be a valuable resource for students and new therapists and counselors in particular.

Observe the book on Amazon.

2. Child-Centered Play Therapy – Rise VanFleet, Andrea Eastward. Sywulak, Cynthia Caparosa Sniscak, & Louise F. Guerney

The book Child-Centered Play Therapy likewise offers some excellent insight into implementing play therapy.

This volume is a dandy resource for students and new therapists as well, simply it can also give parents of children in therapy and other curious individuals a comprehensive overview of what play therapy is, how information technology works, and the outcomes that can be expected.

Find the volume on Amazon.

iii. Working with Children to Heal Interpersonal Trauma: The Power of Play – Eliana Gil & Lenore C. Terr

The book Working with Children to Heal Interpersonal Trauma: The Power of Play is an in-depth dive into child therapy.

Information technology includes chapters and case studies from experienced clinicians in the field, and details how to encourage your child or customer through posttraumatic coping and assist them build resilience.

Play therapy, fine art therapy, and expressive therapy cases are presented, with a focus on building healthy and trusting therapeutic relationships.

Find the book on Amazon.

A Take-Home Bulletin

Hopefully, you lot found this resources-packed piece useful and informative, whether you are the parent of a child in therapy, a educatee or new child therapist, or someone curious about child therapy.

Information technology can be a difficult topic to discuss, but every bit many of these resource have shown, it doesn't have to be a wholly negative and trauma-focused action; it can also focus on the positive, facilitate the development of resilience and good for you coping, and bring out a child's unique strengths and boost their sense of identity and self-esteem.

What are your thoughts on the techniques and exercises listed hither? Have you tried any of them with your own clients or children? Are in that location any other go-to techniques you like to employ? Let united states of america know in the comment department.

Thanks for reading!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. For more information, don't forget to download our three Positive CBT Exercises for complimentary.

• American University of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2017). Psychotherapy for children and adolescents: Dissimilar types. AACAP. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org/aacap/families_and_youth/facts_for_families/FFF-Guide/Psychotherapies-For-Children-And-Adolescents-086.aspx
• Coleman, P. A. (2017). 8 things a parent should never say to their kid. Fatherly. Retrieved from https://world wide web.fatherly.com/parenting/bad-child-discipline-phrases-parents-should-never-say/
• Crouch, Thou. (2014). x things you should never say to your kids. Parenting. Retrieved from https://www.parents.com/parenting/amend-parenting/advice/x-things-y'all-should-never-say-to-your-kids/
• Hall, T. M., Kaduson, H. G., & Schaefer, C. E. (2002). Fifteen effective play therapy techniques. Professional Psychology: Research and Do, 33, 515-522.
• KidsMentalHealth. (2009). Behavioral therapy for children with emotional disorders. Kids Mental Wellness Informational Portal. Retrieved from http://www.kidsmentalhealth.org/behavioral-therapy-for-children-with-emotional-disorders/
• Lowenstein, L. (2011). Favorite therapeutic activities for children, adolescents, and families: Practitioners share their nearly effective interventions. Toronto, CA: Champion Press.
• Social club of Clinical Child & Boyish Psychology. (2017). Evidence-based therapies. Effective Child Therapy. Retrieved from http://effectivechildtherapy.org/therapies/
• TherapyTribe. (2018). What is child counseling? TherapyTribe. Retrieved from https://www.therapytribe.com/therapy/child-counseling/
• Thompson, D., Jr. (2010). When children demand therapy. Everyday Health. Retrieved from https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/when-children-need-therapy.aspx
• Wells, J., Sueskind, B., & Alcamo, M. (2017). Child and adolescent issues. GoodTherapy. Retrieved from https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/child-and-adolescent-issues

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Source: https://positivepsychology.com/child-therapy/

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