As a parent, you try to give your child the best by supplying him/her with all necessary for leading a successful and happy life. However, it can become frightening when you realize your child needs more help than you can offer.
You may even feel guilty about actions that may have resulted in your child’s present mental status. But guilt is never helpful, and you need to move forward with finding a good child psychologist for your child.
It’s all About Relationships
Counseling a child is all about building a good relationship. In fact, about 85% of the changes can be attributed to relations developed between the psychologist, parent, and child. If your kid refuses to trust the psychologist or is not enthusiastic about forming a bond, it is always wise to search for another.
A good psychologist is one who can engage even a reluctant child. He/she must also place efforts to understand the world your child currently dwells in. They must go the extra mile to make the match work by showing genuine concern for the child.
Is your Psychologist Licensed?
An individual must possess a professional license to practice as a child psychologist. Keep away from anyone calling themselves a children’s psychologist without a valid permit and training. Anyone who wishes to perform a psychological assessment in Singapore, or any other area, must have proper authority and credentials. Lack of proper training or authorization for practice will not guarantee their fit into treating your child’s mental health issues.
Has an Open Mind
A good psychologist never patronizes a child and is open to hearing parents’ and child’s suggestions on facing the challenge. He/she must understand that the child uses emotions like anxiety and aggression as a coping mechanism.
Likewise, issues like depression, anorexia, attention deficit, truancy, and hyperactivity disorder must be treated seriously.
Your psychologist must understand that the child is a wonderful person with potential and is only masked by his/her troubles. The therapist must thus separate your child from problems and appreciate his/her strengths.
What are the Treatments Provided?
While there are plenty of treatments that work to better children’s mental health, not every treatment is created the same. Research may support a few treatment methodologies over others for issues bothering your child. Hence, it is only wise to ask your counselor about the right fit for the treatment provided.
Is He/She Willing to Provide a Treatment Plan?
Check if your psychologist can provide a treatment plan that outlines the course of action for your child’s condition. The plan must include detailed steps about what the psychologist intends to do and how it can address your child’s difficulties.
It must also have benchmarks for tracking progress and offer prompt information on the efficacy of the treatment. Such progress tracking makes it easier to determine whether the current treatment option is worth continuing or not.
A Feeling of Safety
Check if your child feels safe about interacting with the psychologist. Check if he/she is a person with whom your child is unafraid to have fun. This openness helps children learn new skills without the feeling of hard work and no play.
Seek an opportunity to speak to the psychologist and try using your judgment on whether he/she seems safe enough for your child.
An Ally to the Parent
A good psychologist is one who is your ally in the treatment process. He/she must understand that a therapist’s role is temporary, and parents or caregivers are the real people who need to engage in a child’s recovery. Being humble is an important attribute that makes the counselor realize his minuscule contribution over a child’s social support.
This doesn’t imply that the psychologist’s role is negligible. Instead, it is only a step in the process of your child’s healing and connection. If a psychologist seems to make his/her treatment the only option for your child’s recovery, it is good to look for someone more humble and appreciate their natural connections.
The world of adolescent and child mental health is mostly unfamiliar to families, and it can be a struggle if you are attempting to navigate blindfolded. Not all therapists offer the same kind of treatment, and it may be hard to decide if it is beneficial to your child.
Arming yourself with knowledge about what to look for in a child psychologist and what to avoid is your best bet to give your child the best mental health treatment
