Let’s discuss Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Children

Let’s Discuss Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Children

Talk therapy, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can benefit people of all ages, as well as be a part of counselling for children and teens. CBT is based on how beliefs and feelings influence behaviour.


Therapy typically consists of a predetermined number of sessions and an agreed-upon goal. Your child will learn to swap out unproductive mental patterns with positive ones with the help of child psychologists. Children can further practise alternative ways of handling stressful situations through role-playing and other techniques.


We’ll go through everything you should know about CBT for children, its benefits, and all the more reasons to go searching for ‘child counselling near me’…


What is cognitive behavioural therapy?


One of the most important lessons we can teach kids is the importance of understanding how ideas may affect their emotions and actions.


Children can redefine how they recognise, understand, and assess their emotional and behavioural responses to unfavourable situations with the use of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).


CBT is a type of talk therapy created to assist individuals in identifying harmful ideas and habits and learning how to alter them. Instead of dwelling on the past, therapy concentrates on the present and future.


Although CBT isn’t intended to “”cure”” disorders like ADHD or OCD, it can be used to support other treatments and aid with some specific symptoms.


As child psychologists like to highlight facts about CBT:


The concepts of behaviourism, a school of philosophy centred on the notion that we learn from our environment, are the foundation of behavioural therapy. This strategy first appeared in the early 20th century and dominated the industry for many years. One of the first people to mention the concept of changing behaviour was Edward Thorndike.


Compared to other forms of therapy, which are based on insights, such as psychoanalytic therapy and humanistic therapies, behavioural therapy is action-based. Because of this, behavioural therapy is frequently very concentrated. The objective is to educate people on new habits to reduce or eliminate the problem because the behaviour is the problem in and of itself.


CBT can help children with:


  • negativity in one’s thoughts

  • impulsivity&nbsp

  • defiance&nbsp

  • Tantrums


And these are replaced with:


  • better sense of self

  • improved self-control,&nbsp

  • new coping techniques, and&nbsp

  • problem-solving abilities



Common CBT strategies utilized by Child Psychologists


Before we dive deeper into CBT and its benefits. Here are some of the following approaches that could be taught to a child receiving CBT therapy:


  1. Body-calming strategies for relaxation


  1. When under stress, use mindfulness or grounding techniques to concentrate your attention.


  1. keeping a diary or other written record of troubles at home


  1. practising “”cognitive restructuring,”” a technique for resolving unproductive concerns


  1. gradually exposing themselves to anxiety-provoking stimuli


  1. Playing a role in role-learning


  1. experimenting in real life to see if their concerns are realised


How successful is CBT with children?


Cognitive behavioural therapy is based on behavioural and cognitive theories of human psychopathology. CBT has been demonstrated to be a successful treatment for a variety of psychological issues in children, as well as adults, by focusing on numerous areas of possible susceptibility with developmentally-guided methods and flexible intervention routes.


Evidence-based CBT has been proven successful for a range of problems.


An increasing amount of research has shown that CBT is beneficial for treating a variety of ailments in children and adolescents, such as depression, generalised anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, school phobia, eating disorders, self-harm, and conduct issues.


According to meta-analyses, up to 60% of children and adolescents who receive CBT for anxiety disorders or other issues, recover with a significant reduction in symptoms. Studies of children who received therapy in community mental health clinics reveal that these recovery rates are probably still present four years after the end of treatment.


When children with PTSD undergo individualised trauma-focused CBT, their PTSD, sadness, and anxiety symptoms can significantly improve. In one study, after receiving CBT, 92% of individuals no longer satisfied the criteria for PTSD. This gain persisted after a follow-up of six months.


Here is a list of conditions Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can help –


CBT can help your child regardless of whether they have a recognised mental health issue. However, it can be quite useful in treating some disorders, like:


Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)


Children with ADHD could have trouble staying still and might act impulsively. Although there are medications to treat this illness, they aren’t always the best or only option.


Some youngsters still experience persistent symptoms despite taking medicine. According to research, CBT may be more effective than medication alone for some adolescents.


Anxiety Disorders and Mood Troubles


CBT is a successful first-line therapy for young patients with anxiety problems.

Parents might also play a part. According to a 2010 study, CBT with active parental involvement showed promise as a successful therapy for children with anxiety ages 3 to 7. Even though there were only 37 kids in the trial, they significantly improved after 8.3 treatment sessions on average.


Oppositional Defiant Disorder


A persistent pattern of antagonistic, belligerent, and angry conduct toward authority persons is known as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).


A child can learn how to handle problems and communicate in a controlled way through the use of CBT, which has been found to result in considerable reductions in ODD.


Trauma and PTSD


CBT has been demonstrated to be an effective short- and long-term treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents.


A 2011 assessment discovered appreciable progress at the 18-month and 4-year follow-ups. Even for young children, CBT has been shown to be beneficial for treating acute and persistent PTSD following a variety of traumatic experiences.


Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can also help with the following conditions:



Find the right child psychologist for CBT


Although there are many psychologists with CBT training, it’s crucial to find one with expertise working with children. What to look for includes the following:


Credentials: Choose a licenced child psychologist when seeking counselling for children.


Experience: Find child psychologists that have experience working with kids or teenagers, especially CBT.


Transparency: Look for child psychologists who, following an initial evaluation or session with you and your child, are willing to outline goals and present a treatment plan.


While you search for child counselling near me: At Skooc, we offer the best counselling for children and teens and aim at helping people you love to feel at their best. Helping a child with mental well-being is not an easy process now is a good time to start.


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