Helping Your Child Prepare for Therapy

1. Helping Your Child Prepare for
Therapy

2. Based in San Antonio, Texas, licensed
psychologist Dr. Dina Trevino specializes in
therapy and counseling for children,
adolescents, and their families. Having been
in private practice for more than 20 years, Dr.
Dina Trevino knows that seeing a therapist
for the first time can be a difficult and
frightening experience for children. The
following strategies are useful for parents
preparing a child for an initial therapy
appointment.

3. Choose the right moment to introduce the
subject of therapy. It is best to talk about
therapy when you and your child are calm.
Bringing up the topic during or just after a
crisis or argument, when you are both upset
or angry, makes it difficult for your child to
understand what you are saying. It may also
suggest to your child that the need for
therapy is a result of this particular incident
rather than a carefully and independently
made decision.

4. Offer explanations and answer questions.
Explaining to your child what can be expected
from a visit to the therapist goes a long way
toward decreasing anxiety, which is often a
result of fear of the unknown. Encouraging
and answering questions will also show your
child that you are prepared for the situation
and that you take his or her concerns
seriously.

5. Help your child to regain a sense of control.
While remaining firm in your decision, it helps
for you to allow your child a choice over more
flexible issues, such as whether to have you
participate in a session and what fun activity
to do after a session.

6. Help your child to regain a sense of control.
While remaining firm in your decision, it helps
for you to allow your child a choice over more
flexible issues, such as whether to have you
participate in a session and what fun activity
to do after a session.