Benefits of Christian Counseling for Children

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6

As a parent, or guardian, your primary role is to provide safety, security, and emotional support as your child grows up. This is a messy process. It will require encouragement and discipline. It will require freedom and rules. It will require firmness and comfort. At the end of the day, your goal is to teach your child, “in the way (s)he should go.” That is the heart of a parent.

But what happens when your child continues to choose disobedience or is unable to manage their own emotions despite your best efforts. In this case, you may need counseling for children to help them walk in the way they should go. Glendale Christian Counseling offers compassionate counseling to help children grow emotionally, spiritually, and behaviorally in a healthy direction.

Biblical Basis for Counseling for Children

There is a pervasive mentality within the Christian and non-Christian communities that believes children are made of rubber. This mentality assumes that children can recover from difficult experiences more easily than adults. While this may be true for their bodies, it is not true for their hearts and minds.

Children are vulnerable to trauma and hardships. They may even be at a greater risk because they don’t have the emotional maturity to cope in a healthy way. This is important to recognize because it validates the need for children’s counseling. As kids have trouble in life, they will require help and space to process their emotions and pain, in the same way that an adult does.

If your child is struggling emotionally and behaviorally, then the next step in “leading them in the way” they should go may be bringing them into a counselor. If you prefer to hope things work out their own, then you risk fossilizing destructive and inappropriate behavior which will only carry on into adulthood where the consequences are much, much higher.

Meeting with a Christian health professional is a powerful and humble step toward the overall health of your child. It is always difficult to admit you need help or to acknowledge that your family is imperfect but refusing to seriously consider your child’s wellbeing is a risk you shouldn’t take.

Does My Child Need Children’s Counseling?

Every child will go through stages of acting out in childhood. This is part of growing up and testing the boundaries of life. They will pitch fits as toddlers and act rebellious as teenagers. Not all of this is bad.

However, if the behavior persists beyond the traditional age or is extreme, then you may want to consider children’s counseling. Other instances related to sex, drug use, alcohol, or destructive behavior will require professional help.

If you are trying to determine whether your child needs professional support, then consider these common issues that are commonly handled in children’s counseling.

• Extreme, consistent mood swings
• Difficulty fitting in at school or succeeding academically
• Ongoing conflict with family
• An inability to process or move forward after trauma
• Dangerous behavior like sexual promiscuity or drug use
• Persisting difficulty adjusting to a transition, like a move
• Doubts about faith or religion

What Does Counseling for Children Offer?

Christian counseling for children seeks to create a safe, warm environment where children can express themselves. A children’s counselor is trained and knows specifically how to address children of different ages, so you can be sure that your child will get the care they need.

Two of the most traditional forms of counseling for children are play therapy and trauma-focused therapy

• Play therapy creates a fun atmosphere where the child feels safe and can express themselves. When a child feels free and safe, they are more open to sharing about difficult or painful experiences.
• Trauma-focused therapy is for children who have experienced trauma. The goal is to help them process and manage the thoughts and memories of their painful experiences, so they can heal and integrate into normal life.

What are the Benefits of Christian Counseling for Children?

Christian counseling is different than secular counseling because it incorporates faith and spirituality. A good Christian children’s counselor will rely on their advanced psychological and methods while also encouraging the child in their faith, knowing that Jesus is their true healer.

Healing is holistic and both elements are necessary to help your child develop into a healthy, independent adult. In a world marred by sin, sometimes raising a child up in the way should go will require some additional help, especially if the child has experienced trauma.

Christian counseling can offer your child the guidance they need through tried and tested psychological methods while also training them to rely on the Spirit of God in their life. This two-fold approach is the key to lasting healing and wholeness for your child.

How to Support Your Child through Counseling

Your child entering counseling is a great step toward their healing but going to counseling alone is not enough. For your child to truly grow, they will need to be supported by you and your family. Here are some ways you can come alongside them in their process.

Be Conscious of Emotional Shifts

If your child is generally good-natured and suddenly lashes out in anger, it may be tempting to react in anger or discipline. While it is important to establish authority and maintain standards of appropriate behavior, your child’s outburst is revealing more than inappropriate behavior. It is a signal to you that something is wrong.

Emotions are like a barometer for the souls and spirit. When something is wrong or a child is in pain, they will react. As a parent, rather than only responding in a way to modify behavior you can stop and ask them what is going on.

Ask Questions

If your child appears angry, sad, or out of sorts, ask them questions. They do not have the maturity to express themselves or their needs, so you need to help draw it out of them. Ask them how school was or how their friends are. Ask them if they saw people bullying someone or if they were being bullied. These questions can open a healthy dialogue allowing them to express what is in their hearts.

Encourage Them

If they are sad or scared, find ways to encourage them. Remind them that you are there for them and will always love them. Amid the difficulty of this world, it is especially important for children to regularly be affirmed and reminded of their parent’s love.

It is also important to find out how they experience and receive love. Maybe they need a hug or for you to set aside the afternoon to play with them. Find what makes them feel comfortable and safe so you can meet them in the middle of the unrest.

Find Healthy Outlets for Them

If your child is sad, depressed, or anxious, it’s important to get them away from the screen. Find healthy outlets for them to express themselves and get exercise. It’s as simple as getting them a journal they can write in when they are sad. Or having art supplies on hand for them to color and paint when they are feeling anxious.

When children have healthy outlets for their negative emotions, they are better able to cope with them.

Conclusion

Children may appear to be made of rubber, coming crashing down while always managing to bounce back up, but you cannot apply this idea to their mental health. Children face anxiety and depression like anyone else, but unlike adults, they are unable to express their emotions and get help.

Instead, they are relying on their parents and caregivers to be there for them. If you see your child struggling, then counseling could be a powerful next step. Don’t just hope things get better, take proactive steps to protect your child’s mental health, and raise them in the way they should go.  The Christian counselors at Glendale Christian Counseling are here to provide faith-based guidance and support for your child’s emotional and spiritual well-being.