Behavior Therapy for Children and Teens
What is behavioral therapy?
When a child is struggling with their mental health, they may act out in ways that are problematic. Often, this is because they don’t understand how to regulate their emotions or handle the stress they are experiencing. Regardless of why a child is acting out, there are ways to help them.
Behavioral therapy for kids focuses on taking negative thoughts or behaviors and turning them into positive, productive ones. The type of therapy varies by what a child’s diagnosis is and the severity of the problem behaviors. Usually, however, the therapies follow a similar process:
- A problem behavior is identified
- New, desired behaviors are introduced
- Participation in desired behaviors are rewarded
- Ignoring and eliminating unwanted behavior
When should I start my child in behavioral therapy?
Here are a few warning signs that indicate that children’s behavior therapy might be helpful:
- Biting, hitting, or kicking
- Disrespecting authority
- Nightmares or night terrors
- Frequent mood swings
- Poor academic or social performance
- Significant anxiety that interferes with daily life
- Sleeping or eating changes
What to Expect
When you schedule a visit at our center, you can expect a thorough evaluation of your child’s behavior. All of our behavioral therapists use a one-on-one approach to create an individualized treatment plan based on the patient’s needs, using evidence-based treatments to help regulate behavior and improve your child’s ability to function.
Behavioral therapy for children can be extremely useful in giving children the skills to express themselves appropriately and safely.