Child and Adolescent Counseling Department
What is “Child and Adolescent Counseling” at Nikoo International School?
Child therapy or child and adolescents’ psychological counseling takes place in a similar fashion to adult counseling and therapy. In the sessions, a safe and empathetic atmosphere is created to promote the child’s mental state, enabling a more productive presence in a welcoming environment.
Just like adults, the child also receives emotional support in sessions during which students are given room so that their conflicts, complexities of thought, insecurities and feelings are addressed.
“Child and Adolescent Counseling” can be conducted in a one-on-one session with the child, with the presence of one of the parents or with the accompaniment of both. In the meetings, the consultant can also offers solutions for the upbringing enviroment of the child, if modifications can be positively effective.
In fact, it can be said that Child and Adolescent Counseling sessions are outside the scope of family counseling and are independently placed in a separate category.
How is Child and Adolescent Counseling carried out at Nikoo International School?
Children learn by doing. For younger children, this necessitates working with every member of the family, engaging in constructive activities like drawing, playing and talking. For elementary school children and older teens, therapists share activities and ideas that are centered around learning the skills. They discuss problems and issues and work through a wide range of solutions.
During the treatment process, the counselor encourages and supports the child. The child is encouraged to improve their self-believe and find their strengths. After completing the treatment, the child forms a suitable pattern of thought and strives for healthy behavioral habits.
The presence or absence of parents in Child and Adolescent Counseling sessions depends on the age of their child. Also, it is recommended for parents to talk to a counselor to gain perspective on the process, stay informed and to provide supportive exercises and solutions complementary to the counseling.
How are Child and Adolescent Counseling sessions conducted?
Firstly, the therapist will meet with you and your child to get an insight. They ask questions and listen to you. This will help them get a better understanding of possible issues.
Nikoo International School’s Psychological Assessment:
In these sessions, methods such as children’s psychological tests may be used to better diagnose possible mental and behavioral abnormalities and disorders.
These tests are mainly recommended for children who are not able to express their issues and problems well.
Psychology of children’s drawing at Nikoo International School:
Additionally, it is possible to get a better understanding of children’s inner world from an analysis of their drawings.
Children’s drawings represent their inner feelings. To analyze the drawing, several drawings of the child are examined to get a better understanding of his inner aspects.
In children’s drawings, shapes, symbols or even colors represent people, feelings or a specific state of mind. Even the starting point of drawing is important for the child’s psychology.
Basically, children show their feelings through drawing, telling stories and playing. In fact, it can be said that a child’s language plays a role.
After the first session and the problem is recognized by the consultant, the continuation and type of treatment depends on the type of problem and the age of the client.
Talking is a healthy way to express feelings. When children put feelings into words, they can perform at their best. Children are more prepared to learn when someone listens and knows how they feel.
During child and adolescent counseling sessions, activities aimed at treatment may be assigned to clients. Therapists use activities to teach emotion and coping skills. This may include playing and drawing or teaching the child breathing and relaxation techniques.
New skills are practiced. Therapists help children practice what they learn. It may be practicing waiting for a turn in a game, self-regulation, following instructions, listening, sharing, trying again, or tolerating failure.
For older children and adolescents, the counselor shows them the impact of the problem and their behavior at home and at school. They talk together about ways to solve the problem.
Types of techniques used in child and adolescent counseling and child therapy at Nikoo International Complex. Child counseling is done in different ways and techniques depending on the age and conditions of the client. Some of them are.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The purpose of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is to help change the child’s thinking and behavior patterns about issues and events. In this method, an attempt is made to change the child’s negative thoughts into more positive thought patterns so that he can find a healthier answer to the problems and the world around him.
In particular, CBT encourages children to challenge their belief systems in order to gain a better understanding of themselves and the situation and have a more realistic view of the issue. Therefore, CBT can provide the child with the tools he or she needs to deal with challenging and stressful situations.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
The purpose of this therapeutic method in child and adolescent counseling (TF-CBT) is to help improve the mental state of children affected by trauma. As with cognitive behavioral therapy, the counselor helps the child see the trauma and incident in a more realistic light and eradicate self-doubt.
This method also teaches children the techniques of dealing with moments that have flashbacks so that the situation bears less pressure and the memory is understood. Through this approach and by employing effective tools, relaxation and control are achieved.
Play therapy at Nikoo International School
During sessions, games and purposeful activities help the child learn self-management strategies. For example, a counselor might play bubbles with the child. While the child is playing with bubbles, the counselor instructs them to practice taking deep breaths and blowing slowly to make bigger bubbles. The child is then taught how breathing can relieve anxiety.
Strategic games such as the hanging board (the child tries to balance the board by placing several pieces and preventing the pieces from falling) teach the child to think about the consequences of each decision.
Playing memory-enhancing games such as matching cards helps children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to focus and pay more concentrated attention through the game.
Art therapy at Nikoo International School
Child and adolescent counseling sessions may include a task such as copying or completing a picture or instructions to draw a specific object, such as an animal or family. At other times, the free choice of artistic expression allows the child to freely express inner thoughts and feelings. By examining the general atmosphere of the work and asking the child about his work, the counselor tries to interpret it. This method helps gain a better understanding of the child’s mind and thinking.
Family therapy at Nikoo International School
Interaction patterns and family dynamics are the keys to problem-solving in child and adolescent counseling. Through activities, the child and their family communicate more effectively.
In this method, games, art, and conversation are used for treatment together with the family. For example, through a technique known as “family modeling”, the family is helped to gain a better understanding of the child’s point of view. The child is asked to see the family in the form of living statues and place them in any position he sees fit, sitting, standing, kneeling, or any other position in the room. This method shows the interaction of the family from the child’s point of view.
Talking therapy at Nikoo International School
This method is useful for children who have experienced trauma, such as physical/sexual abuse or the death of a loved one. Using narrative therapy, the counselor asks the child to describe the traumatic event and then focuses on the child’s response to the event.
By asking questions about the child’s reactions, the counselor helps the child discover their strengths and see the extent of the event in their life.