Anyone who remembers being a child is well aware of the fact that kids can have all the real emotions that adults do, but occasionally they aren’t taken seriously and this can lead to some serious emotional issues down the line. It’s really never too early to get kids into some sort of therapy to make sure that they’re on the right track, especially since ten to 20 percent of all school-aged children are battling anxiety at any given time.
Just think how much happier many adults would be if they have been given the tools to manage their mental health from a young age instead. Anxiety disorders usually develop around age six, and they’re not likely to go away on their own without some professional intervention. Luckily there are many therapists and counselors out there who are committed to this cause.
One key tool that every counselor should have on hand is a feelings poster. The feelings poster showcases a variety of different feelings, including less general ones such as grateful, cranky, and brave. The emotions posters can both help children be aware of the many types of emotions that there are to experience, as well as offer a safe way for them to point out how they feel if they aren’t ready to put it into words.
Continuing off that thought, a therapy workbook could be another great tool to get express themselves without specifically asking them to talk. Kids can put down their thoughts in words as well as drawings and this can offer a lot of insight for therapists and counselors to gather from.
Other counseling games include therapeutic card games that can also offer a lot of insight into what a child is thinking, as well as open them up and get them communicating when they are a little shy to start. Counselors and therapists are really in a unique situation to help kids out when they perhaps are not getting the right help at home. (Whether or not that’s the fault of their parents.) Sometimes kids just don’t like to talk to their parents but will open up to a professional who seems trustworthy.