Individual, Parent, Family Therapy and Counselling

Children and families look to Kids & Co for psychological treatment services to address a wide range of difficulties.

Our treatments services can be provided to you In Person or by Telehealth, if it is suitable, and are designed to address issues including, but not limited to:

  • Behavioural problems such as aggression, poor listening, tantrums, and impulsivity
  • Stress management
  • Emotional problems such as anxiety, depression, excessive anger, and sensitivity
  • Assertiveness training
  • Attention and concentration difficulties
  • Grief and bereavement
  • Effective Parenting strategies
  • Anger management
  • Relationship development between parents and children
  • Teasing and bullying management
  • Sibling relationship difficulties
  • Making friends and social interaction skills
  • Self-esteem development
  • Family separations
  • Resilience building
  • Toilet training and soiling

Treatment begins with Clinical Assessment

Your first appointment is a time for us to engage with you, help you and your child feel comfortable with the process, and come to an understanding of yours and your child/teen’s concerns.  During this meeting we will ask questions about your concerns, and also about your child or adolescents’ developmental, medical, family and school background.  All of the information we gather is intended to allow us to gain an understanding of how the concerns have developed and are continuing.

After gathering this information, and by the end of this first appointment, your clinician is usually able to offer an opinion about the concerns, and what approaches we can offer to support you and your child, adolescent and family.  In collaboration with you, we set goals for treatment and begin to work toward improvement.  Sometimes, more than one appointment is required to gather full information and come to a thorough understanding of your unique situation.  For instance, after talking with other family members who may not be present at the first meeting, or after talking with your child’s teacher.

At the end of our first meeting with you, second and subsequent appointments are generally arranged with you, for us to begin treatment, and provide further assessment if required.  We will also discuss with you any recommendations for individual, parent, or family therapy sessions, or a combination of these, to allow for change.

An introduction to your child’s Individual Therapy 

During your child’s individual treatment with Kids & Co, it’s important to understand that some of the counselling techniques we use with children and adolescents are a little different from those used with adults. Your child may tell you that they played a game, played in a sand tray, drew a picture, played with toys, or used craft. We use these techniques because, if we were to simply invite a child to talk, they may feel hesitant and uncomfortable in telling us their concerns.  So at Kids & Co, we combine verbal counselling with other strategies, such as the use of games, art, symbols or sand to help children and young people feel comfortable and able to share their stories.

We respect your child or young person’s right to confidentiality while they receive individual therapy. However, if we believe there are things that it would be helpful for parents to know, for example to change the problematic situation, then we will discuss with your child or young person how we could tell you, as their parent or caregiver. As much as possible, we aim to keep parents informed of the work your children or adolescents are doing in therapy, and keep you up-to-date with their progress.

Family Therapy

Family Therapy is a form of treatment that is designed to address specific issues affecting the health and functioning of a family. It can be used to help a family through a difficult period, a major transition or when a member of the family is experiencing mental health issues, emotional distress or behavioural problems.

Family Problems can manifest in the healthiest of families, resulting in challenging, frustrating, and painful interactions among family members. From little irritations to buried resentments, from dramatic arguments to feelings of guilt, disappointment, and anger we did not even know we had, our families often bring up the most intense emotional experience, for better or worse.

The benefits of Family Therapy include:

  • Better understanding of healthy boundaries and family patterns and dynamics
  • Enhanced communication
  • Improved problem solving
  • Deeper empathy
  • Reduced conflict

Common problems families experience that can be treated by a Family Therapist include:

  • Family relationships and changes in family life
  • Child and adolescent mental health
  • Adult mental health
  • Parenting issues
  • Couple relationships
  • Supporting family members through separation, mediation and divorce
  • Child and adolescent behaviour and mental health problems
  • Emotional disorders including anxiety, depression and grief following bereavement
  • Anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders
  • Supporting family members in step-family life
  • Social policy e.g. child protection, fostering, adoption and children in care
  • Domestic violence
  • Supporting children, young people and adults post-trauma