COUNS 507- COUNSELING CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES
I. Introduction
Child and family counseling may be a sub-input of psychiatry or counseling where the
counselor concentrates on the individual feelings, actions, and even psychological well-being of
a child, and always accompanies the child since their condition may also affect the performance
of the family. This form of counseling uses child centered play therapy together with art therapy,
for advocating for children and the like to deal with the aforementioned challenges among
children. It also incorporates the family in improving the method of therapy that incorporates;
scolding, arguing and counseling of the child. Concerning the age aspect, it indicates that the
interventions are done based on the age of a child so that they can willingly and voluntarily
adhere to the prescribed strategies. However, this approach is communal and approaching
interprofessional in which parents and other caregivers are being directed to collaborate with the
teachers and other workers to deal with the child.
II. Common Issues Addressed in Counseling
For any therapist it is very important to familiarize oneself with some of the most usual
relationship processes that form the basis of the work.
A. Behavioral Problems
Some more signs of psychopathology may be classified into the lowest child behavior
problem levels that are the most common issues discussed during counseling.# Executive
behavioral and emotional dysregulation including inattention, hyperactivity or impulsiveness
including, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD),
and Conduct disorder (CD) are among the fatalist list of disorders that lead to numerous
challenges in child’s life encompassing academic achievement and social and family functioning.
B. Emotional Issues
These includes anxieties, depressions, and other childhood disorders that include post-
traumatic stress disorders affect; learning experiences and interpersonal processes, and academic
performance.
Following the specific circumstance in a child’s life, counseling involves the method of
having the child feel or think the manner in which he or she should feel or manage the situation
adequately. Examples of interventions include: As used here, CBT though a simple approach to
questioning that focuses on changing the child’s manner of thinking involves the negation of the
ineffective manner of reasoning and replacing it with a competent one.
Signs and symptoms of depression in a child is almost similar to adults, some of which
are; the child tends to complain more than praise, is often in bad temper, loses interest in
activities that in the past they enjoyed, changes their eating and sleeping habits, and finally the
child cannot concentrate. However, there is a need to smile that these symptoms decreases the
normal functioning and in deed, are the quality of life of children suffering from the symptoms.
The four methods that are involved in caner counseling which assists children to alter depressive
mood include thinking positively, re-interpreting, and performing activities that ensure precisely
fun and enjoyment.
C. Developmental Disorders
This is a neurological disorder that may be observed at the early age when a kid’s play
and learning takes place, which is in the development stage of the brain. Learning disabilities
can be defined as specific challenges that may impair a learner or a child’s learning process in
the classroom in terms of reading, writing and solving mathematics problems. This may lead to
such effects as low self-esteem, frustrations or even the low scores in their academic work.
Some of the services that are provided for the children with learning disabilities are;
advising them on practicable careers to undertake as self employed persons and advising them on
matters concerning employability trends in the job market and how they could effectively
manage in the available class work load. Consultation in verbal communication with the
schools and teachers is necessary in every single case to know which particular child will be
requiring assistance and what may be the necessary modifications.
D. Family Dynamics
In consequence, observing the formation of a child, one can definitely conclude that the
position and participating role of a family environment or context is rather significant in the
child’s life. For example, Marital and family issues like problems in marriage, conflicts,
divorce, problems in step-family, conflicts between the youth and parents can lead to stress and
upheaval in children. As one of the overall themes, loss may work in conjunction with separation
by defining what children that are in a divorce process may consider as lost, which may include
security, stability or even love. One could have realized that they are going through different
emotions and the counselor assists in understanding and transitioning to new Coping style of
living. It may also be useful when the parents are in the process of transforming families and
support the two to understand how they can agree on how to divide the roles they have assumed
in undertaking child- rearing without necessarily having to argue. It could involve the
demarcation of roles in a family, may contain instances where boundaries have been set in a
family, or cases of introduction of new members into a family may be discussed within this
topic. Such families are counseled to in a bid to find a way on how they can eliminate such
barriers in an effort to make headway in being understood by other family members. In the
context of family systems therapy there are opportunities for the family to have an active role in
altering Pathological processes to usual processes in the same way as those which are observed
during the therapeutic process.
III. Techniques and Approaches in Counseling
There are a number of counseling orientations that are applied when counseling children
and families. Both approaches present specific methods and methodologies of solving the
problems distinctly and to meet the needs of the clients. Below are some of the approaches that
are frequently used in the business environment elaborately.
A. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
One widely known and research proven treatment method that may be used selectively
frequently is the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy CBT which educates the child regarding their
thoughts, emotions and actions.
CBT has been recommended for various problems that include anxiety, depression, and
even conduct disorders. Concerning the behavioral approach that is a component of CBT,
exposure therapy for anxiety means a process of making children become familiar with
addressing their fears in a distinctly gradual manner within an environment free of danger. It
also handles behavioral competencies.
B. Play Therapy
This is a method where therapist has a process that he or she engages the child through
toys, games, and other material items that will help the child verbalize him or herself. For
example, a kid may acting things that seemed to them or they have observed with dolls or toy
soldiers based on the feelings they have. This is helpful to the therapist in evaluating the
psychological status of a child at a given time and more explicitly, the problems the child is
experiencing.
C. Art Therapy
In the context of art therapy, psychotherapy helps children to introduce or access feelings
and understand themselves better using artwork. For some children, the process of making art
can become an intrinsic reward since the process of creating something can be beneficial in
itself. In the same way, lyrics of the artwork can form a basis for initial conversation between
child and therapist to further integrate emotions and experiences. For example, a child that has
been traumatized is likely to draw something that illustrates their feelings of fear or confusion,
and the therapist would be able to assist the child in breaking down the meaning of this image.
Art therapy is particularly helpful to children with trauma, anxiety, depression and any other
emotional related problems because it enhances their self-expression and personal development
and IFSP.
D. Attachment-Based Therapy
Attachment based intervention calls for one to operate at the child and care giver row
level, in a bid to enhance the bond between the two. Examples of such may be the support of
interaction and interpersonal interrelations, the enhancement of communication, and anything
that may hinder attachment On the positive side, permissive parenting can enable the child to
enhance his capacities in controlling his own feelings, elevated sense of self-esteem as well as
social competencies. For attachment based supporting therapy is grounded on the proposition
that the earliest relationships have a foundational effect on a person’s mind and spirit and can
attempt to alter these relations for the purpose of resolution and reinforcement to erect a child’s
affective and psychological well-being.
E. Family Systems Therapy
Family Systems Therapy is a treatment approach that focuses on the sum total of the
family as if it requires modification, for the sake of eradicating a detrimental process, in addition
to improving communication within the family as well as creating a proper family environment.
Some of them are; Structural Family Therapy (SFT): targeted at restructuring the family to
facilitate accurate communication and desired interactions, developed by Salvador Minuchin. It
is a molecular intervention which seeks to address specific behavior/relationship difficulties that
are clinical within the family and is a combination of cognitive behavioral and systemic therapy.
This therapy helps the family identify and change behaviors that hinder the child’s success in
functioning. The general stream of family function is improved so that the child that is created
as a result of this process enhances his or her emotional and behavior capability.
IV. Outcomes and Benefits of Counseling
A. Improved Self-Esteem
1. Building Positive Self-Image and Self-Worth
Counseling creates an atmosphere in which children are encouraged to find in themselves
what is decent or worthy and this assists in developing the children’s positive attitude to
themselves. Children’s therapists perform a task of making children discover themselves and
come up with good qualities and talents within them, not needing the approval of the community
for them to feel valued. It usually includes tasks and conversations with the child meant to focus
of what is good and right in him/her.
Addressing Negative Thought Patterns
These cognitive distortions are commonly present in the form of automatic thoughts which
are negative and fatalistic in nature. Techniques that are applied in counseling are Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy, whereby counselors ensure that children identify and confront these
negative thoughts. This is actual cognitive restructuring in that children are to be encouraged in
coming up with new meanings of incidences that are different and positive from the negative
ones originally assigned. For instance, when a child thinks, ‘I didn’t pass this test because you
know I am stupid,’ they will be empowered to change it to, ‘I didn’t do well in the test just this
time but the next time it will be different probably if I studied harder. ’ Through such techniques,
because of consistent reinforcement, the child’s self-esteem evolves positively and
compassionately thus improving their mental health.
3. Enhanced Confidence and Engagement
Increased self esteem helps the children challenge themselves to do things beyond the usual
inactive eastern NC nature and be bold to try out things in school, other activities, or even
relating with peers. It is not only about morale; they look more professional in general, and they
are so different, even if they appear on the same field. The creation of high self-esteem is
especially helpful as children with such characteristics have the desire, enthusiasm, motivation,
and eagerness to bring their hand up when there is a question, raise hand to be part of a group, or
practice for a sport or art in an activity.
B. Better Coping Skills
1. Learning Strategies to Manage Emotions
Counseling is actually done to enable children in determining how they can comport
themselves while dealing with other people particularly when under pressure or other difficulties.
Starting with the notion of the delivery of information to the children about what emotions are as
well as what stress related physical manifestations are, this process is called psychoeducation. In
this way they can be able to comprehend how the body and mind behaves in stress hence do
away with the feeling of the stoke with fear.
2. Handling Stress, Anxiety, and Difficult Emotions
These include activities that cause the child to feel any acts of anxiety, fear or sadness. It
is crucial to understand that when these occurrences are often and are intense to manage without
the right self-help tools it can be stressful. It could be general, needs assessment, counseling
avails an environment in which children are able to express such feelings. In this space children
share whatever fears they have and such a step is very much necessary if one wants to reprogram
the fear response Here are some reasons why.
The children themselves are engaged in the process of describing the manners,
conditions, phases, in which such a state can be observed within them. This is an activity that
requires the use of force or opposition of ideas or conditions that may be painful or elicit
pleasure in the situation. Once these have been developed, child therapists fathom out help the
child to challenge any other irrational thoughts and cognitive errors that can lead to the formation
of anxiety.
2. Long-Term Benefits for Emotional Stability
Depending on the formation for children what happens when they are faced with some
certain challenges as they grow the too can change the way things are handled in that certain
formation can be used in other related formations. This is because stress management involves
positive ability to the feelings of an individual and can assist him or her to prevent affects that
may cause mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. This also strategises on such
maladaptive coping mechanisms as alcohol and drug use, as well as self-harm since these serve
to maintain low levels of distress.
They also enhance the quality of life of these children who suffer from
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in their daily endeavors. When the children get to
manage their emotions well they tend to be better in relating with other people, they are better in
their studies and most are even happier in life. They become of greater responsibility, self-
reliancy and self empowered personnel that are in a proper position to handle different problems
which come across their way. Today such skills are helpful not only in the period of childhood
and young adult stage, but the gained knowledge and skills will stay with a person throughout
the entire life and enhance their psychological condition.
C. Enhanced Communication
1. Improving Family Communication
Family counseling therefore acknowledges how the employees in the family operate and
hence if may be clear that change or alteration of this behaviors may require a change in the
attitude by all members of the family. Each aspect that constitutes the functioning of the family
contributes positively to the communication success and which unquestionably hinges on the
resources of therapist. That is why it could have been described as a way of endowing the
people in the family with the ability to state what they wish or what they feel without regard of
being punished.
The other way that therapists help these families is by teaching them how they can handle
such problems that lead to dissolution of togetherness in the families. They are determining
what will be down when the processes of the conflict causes are split, they are not arguing and
they are also searching for improved ways that are better than the conflict. In acquiring these
skills the members of the family will learn how to respond to anger and assertiveness in such a
manner that did not provoke hostility so that every member of the family will be understood in
the right way.
Concern, and feeling better to be may also be compensated for in order to be understood
by the members of the family or to be capable of explaining it to others. It is used to establish
acquaintances and assist individuals to learn strategies on how to respect people; it is attained by
enhancing the communicational competence of the members of the group. It plays a tremendous
role in the lowing the rate of distrust among individuals in a family and also enhanced the
unification and friendly relationship in a family.
2. Reducing Conflicts and Fostering Understanding
There could also be in some cases general misinterpretation or in some other cases even
self- interest conflicts but once all the interested parties get inclined to an issue, everybody seems
to be rationale and this result to enhancement of family cohesion. Out of them, two are directly
stronger to misunderstanding concerning people because of such aspects as being being under
the impression that a certain person has a particular intention. These concerns are solved by
planning for family counseling mostly by informing families that a disagreement or
misunderstandings in words does lead to many problems, Other families see separations as
colleagues or that they are of different kinship. Of all the techniques that are applied in the
treatment process one that can be included is the application of dialogues and undertakings that
are common with the family and can be used to determine the direction of one family member by
another.
According to relational models of therapy, the following are some techniques: The other
is the cognitive restructuring which is also referred to as the perceptive shifting where a person is
under encouraged to shift his or her perception of an occurrence. This can help the members of
the family to understand as to why a person behaves or acts in a certain particular manner and
what the reason is which may do away with accusation and disrespect in lines. As admitted,
families however can look for a wide base on ‘things such as families and goals and other things’
to be Garcia, Jose Maria &Bringas, Noel (2001)Therefore families can never put their agendas
always on the things and then behave like ‘fighting cocks’ in a bid to have it and then look for a
viable solution that will fit all. Such structures; arrangement help to make harmonies and
cohesiveness for members from the family unit who as a team consider how new stances might
be planned.
Other statistical; or other noticeable activities like; Family meetings, bargaining, other
assemblies also play a very vital and pivotal part too in enhancing the above communication.
It permits the members of the family to talk to each other using spoken or sign language but
ensure that they keep communicating only in the modifying environment that is, within the
facility; and in case they want to use full range of their voice, they have to be within the facility.
These habits substitute the hostile Male/Female interaction in the social and by transition from
the charges in confrontation scenes to positive during day time. It is for this reason that
communication emerged as an appropriate incidence to likely happen within a family apart from
the emergent tasks, occasioned by changes within the environment that the family is in.
3. Strengthening Family Relationships
This leads to positive changes in the relations within families because the interaction with
a therapist allows making families stronger and stand on common values and trust. Applying the
technique of free speech in a family using this strategy and the ability to listen with empathy
when dealing with a child is fundamental in fostering family bonds in a family that lacks
conflict, the child will feel a sense of belonginning. Family cohesion reflects the level of
cohesiveness, which may be interpreted as the level of respect for one another, the extent to
which the members trust each other and the extent to which they support each other emotionally.
These act as protective measure regarding psychologically demanding and harmful conditions on
children and parents.
Growing in a family with openness, a child enjoys his/company’s importance, and value
is given to what the child say or may be feeling, hence the child feels useful, he/company is safe.
In return the parents are assured of the correct perception by the parent regarding the fulfillment
of the parental responsibilities as well as feel more related to the children. This kind of support,
they offer is a cycle as with the interaction of relations within the enhanced communication then
the relations are enhanced hence the communication is enhanced and over time the relations are
enhanced hence the communication is enhanced.
Practice professionals argue that these strong signals can be created via active, definitive
use of the contacts. This is because real life activities such as a family dinner, a game night or
simply having things in common that one may like to do together offer interaction opportunities
and/or a setting for discursive interaction. Such interactions assist in keeping continuity in the
lives of the family members and the presence of close friends and family makes it easier to create
normalcy where perhaps there was none.
D. Reduction in Behavioral Problems
1. Addressing Underlying Causes
When it comes to children’s counseling, while it’s important to address behaviors of the
children, it is paramount to target causes rather than symptoms when dealing with the families.
In this respect, it inclusive of a holistic, program rather than an immediately behavioral focus
that includes the child as well as the familial; in the case of Asperger syndrome, also the
community; and the incidents of personal interest. Play therapy is quite different from the actual
regular therapy session for children though there are group and individual creative and innovate
sessions that the child and the therapist come up with unearthing the reason behind the changes
in the behavior, the conflict, the abuse or trauma history, developmental or other disorders or any
other mental illness that the child has. This involvement allows the counselors to discover the
roles and patterns that possibly system factors in the family contribute to and sustain the problem
in the child and other members of his/her descedents. Taken one by one, counselors give
families tips, advice, methods and means of, activities that are likely to make the child be full of
rage or trigger aggressive feelings, how to deal with such feelings and emotions, and
communication and conflict resolution skills to be used in homes. Last, it is essential that
counselors help parents and other caretakers to learn the correct manner of responding to the
child’s emotions and behaviors so that relevant and practical solutions and management plans
could be formulated. Thus, counseling means the process of reaching out and addressing
behavior issues, and at the same time, rebuilding everyone right from the core in a bid to have
long standing sound health within the family.
2. Developing Self-Regulation and Problem-Solving Skills
This is especially quite relevant that counseling should help children to work on how to
work on themselves so that they would not engage in such behaviors and look for more
appropriate ways of solving the problems. They help the children to make appropriate decisions
concerning them within areas concerning health and how to relate with their fellow beings.
Cognitive behavioral procedures are normally utilized with aim of enabling the child to seek:
interaction of cognitive, affective and motor processes Prof. C. J. Gresh asked the following
questions; A factor that need to be considered include self-regulation because children should be
able to know the specific stimulus that leads to specific behavior and what should be done in
order not to get baited into giving the wrong response.
The effective of counseling skills is properly demonstrated to be in front of other people
and role model is one of the methods that are frequently used in performing counseling enacted
exercise. Essentials of role-play may include the use of toys and child acting and what it does: in
a single setting throughout, the child has several chances of opting for what attitude to take
whenever he is faced with tension tasks. It helps the child build confidence to do the same in
that area of their life in case they are encountered with similar circumstances.
School based cessation of behavioral issues also involves children teaching them to use
deep breathing, mindfulness and positive self-talk as a method of getting rid of impulses. When
the child is capable of handling this paradigm, they are able to govern their own behaviors and
also decrease stress and frustration levels that come with learning disability. They graduate to
better manners which assist them in altering their disorderly conducts hence there are few
instances where they misbehave with other children, parents, teachers or other people.
3. Improved Behavior in Various Settings
Knowledge of the learned counseling skills makes the ward’s behavior and functioning
improve in almost all aspects of daily living they undergo at homes, school, and the community.
Last but not the least, the students with the development of self-consciousness, self-regulation
skills, can cope with the implementation of formal time-tables and philosophies in various
contexts.
Counseling improves the qualities of conversation in a family and makes homes more
comfortable places for occupants. It is at homes that would children who feel SAFE would
display proper manners and behaviors or have healthy manners cum behaviors in a family. In
most cases, instructors observe a positive behavior change in the acts performed by the offender
during school, or specific acts such as punctuality in performance or paying attention in class,
appropriate interrelation with peers, and positive attitude towards performance of tasks in class.
Besides, self-regulation, self-organization, and problem-solving skills help man-children, in
particular, successfully manage academic and social challenges of schools. Not only does this
lead to the increase of the students’ successes in their class work but the general atmosphere of
the class becomes congenial as well.
E. Healthier Family Dynamics
1. Addressing Systemic Issues
Counselors assist the clients to focus on those patterns in relationships, and, as a
consequence, families can identify that the problems they encounter are caused by the kinds of
behaviors they display. This awareness is the first type of readiness and flexibility required for
transformation to happen, which is essential for growth. Therapists then go on to help the
family, in identifying interventions, which could be employed in changing the toxic process. In
some ways it aids the family in as far as it assists them to get an accurate perception towards the
process and/or effectively search for improved methods of handling themselves and/or the
process.
2. Creating a Supportive Family Environment
Another perspective held with counseling is that counseling is the attainment of self- and
pro-familial stance in which persons can be comprehended and appreciated. In order to do this,
then the relatives in questions are volunteered and interviewed and goals and recommended
solutions to make the changes within the family and for all the members are set. It involves
talking and ensures that the members of the family are in a position to use appropriate words in
case they need to express, or they are in a position to express their fears, or necessities. Such
working contributes to people’s thinking that they are not mere spectators and people’s efforts in
this matter are valued
The families in the therapy sessions only get to understand from the therapist how they
can enhance on the aspects of having healthful interchanges. Some of the most important
interpersonal communication competency skills according to they are; Assertiveness, listening
skills and empathy among others.
Counseling also results to the creation of a healthy relationship among the families
through the free consultation and relationship a family should have with the counselor and the
feeling of empathy in the family. This has got a good turning effect in a way that the band has
to combine with the view of surviving in case there is something wrong within the family hence
pulling the family together.
2. Benefits for Relationships and Emotional Support
Managing family healthiness raises the relational status of other Family members and they
get more emotional support from other members. That implies that each human being in the
families is in good physical, mental and social health may be able to enable the family to lead
healthy lives since each of the family is in good stature. It is very useful particularly to children;
according to the development theory of environment growth, there must be a ‘safety zone’ the
child has to begin building to understand the outside environment and him. Being families for
instance it becomes easier for them to know where and how to trust each other and depend on
each other and at the same time they are always near. It could again create a sense of
psychological closeness and safety which is so fundamental to the well-being of the healthy
human.
F. Increased Resilience
1. Building Resilience in Children and Families
Here children are allowed to change their mode of thinking by understanding that failure
is not their value but a step to the success. By managing to redesign failure simply as a low,
passing condition, the attitude of kids to the challenges is changed and the kids are thus well
equipped with necessary material to manage the challenges well. This is the process whereby the
new knowledge and perception of children and families and their issues is generated. They do
not consider the barriers as un-surpassable but rather as existences which cannot be crossed
without feasible remedies and effort. The change in the attribute is however strategic in several
ways despite the fact that the work’s emphasis is on developing resilience as it assists in the
regain of control. However, counseling creates the context of a non-shaming affiliation which
makes the child and families say and indeed experience the sensations of healing and protection,
as such fs/cultivating for well-being rather than the loneliness and powerlessness human ill
health entails.
2. Developing Adaptive Strategies and Hope
Processed counseling helps children as well as families to obtain ways on how they cope
with stress and adversities and this will include ability to solve problems, to rehearse procedures
and to access support systems. Children and families especially in strength and resource
promotion inculcate worth and optimism, perceived phenomena. Causing the child build self-
esteem assist in development of the area of interest and talent of the child thus assisting in deve-
lopment of personality of the child; it also assist the child in handling problems.
Regarding the children and families, they must also possess realistic optimism that is the
belief for a better life and which proclaims that they can alter their lives, but when they are faced
with an issue in life, they are likely to be more diligent and systematic. Counseling fosters this
type of thinking through the creation of an ongoing ‘theme’ of hope and affirmation to the person
towards facing the demanding circumstances that emerge. For this reason the child and the
families get hope and this feeling will enable the child and the families to struggle harder in other
to overcome other barrier that may be in the way hence encouraging the aspect of resilience.
3. Coping with Future Challenges More Effectively
The resilience established in counseling allow the children and families to cope with the
future challenges. They generate the potential for the utilization of adaptive solutions and
resources support systems, and in case with adversities in the life with cancer they will be well-
equipped to meet the challenges head on.
Regardless of whether or not a child faces academic issues, social challenges, or any
circumstance of a child’s life, education empowers the child, as well as the families, to rise
above adversities. It means that the assertiveness, which is promoted through counseling,
contributes to self efficacy, which is a one of the critical perspectives in health psychology. It
reinstalls self-efficiency which also raises optimism concerning the future as one is capable of or
plans for the future thus eliminating poor planning which causes anxiety and depression and
other related mental disorders.
V. Conclusion
Counseling children and their families assure numerous positive impacts such as changes
in self esteem, coping strategies, communication and strength. Counselors utilize empirical-
based caring interventions to work with clients comprehensively for the purpose of reaching
optimal human developmental assets and enhancing health. Counseling helps to treat the cause of
problems in children’s and families’ lives by empowering, supportive strategies and eliminating
the precarious circumstance. Therefore, it can be determined that counseling is certainly
organizational for children and family and serves a significant function in formation of the
social, emotional, and interpersonal formation. While we remain and keep working geared up to
filling or reducing the gaps of mental health among children and families the importance of
counseling cannot be overemphasized in the developmental process of children all over the
world.
