Counseling for Children

at Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids

Diagnosing children with a mental health problem can be a challenge. Most children do not qualify for a serious diagnosis, and most parents would not want to put their children on medications. That is why it is vitally important for parents to get multiple opinions on the emotional, mental, and physical health of their children. Often, a combination of family counseling and counseling for children can have enormous changes in a child’s behavior, ability to focus, emotional issues, and more.

Children & Mental Health Diagnosis

According to brain development research, children cannot think abstractly (like adults can) until they are in early adulthood; and, as a consequence, many children cannot communicate verbally to adults “what is wrong.” As a result, many children “communicate” through undesirable behaviors in relationships or difficulties at school. In these situations, it is important to involve the parents/caregivers as well as the child because the solution is often more of a process than a “quick fix.” However, some children do actually suffer from emotional and psychological issues. In fact, children can suffer from depression, anxiety, grief, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. In these cases, it is important to seek appropriate treatment including counseling.

Brain Development & Trauma Prevention

Often times, a child may have an event happen to them that most would not consider “traumatic,” but to the child, this event may be extremely disturbing. The effects of these events often come out in their behavior and emotional outbursts. In these situations, trauma-informed counseling along with family therapy may be recommended.

Teens can benefit from counseling as a preventative measure to avoid future psychological issues. Especially at a stage of development when many teens reduce confiding in their parents, being able to talk to someone outside of their typical environment can create a safe place for them to talk about any issues that they may be facing. Any teen can benefit from talking with a counselor about issues like peer pressure to drugs and alcohol, sexual pressure, academic stress, anger, depression, anxiety, bullying, self-esteem, eating disorders and more. Having your child engage in counseling may help them gain skills to cope with an increasingly competitive world and stay emotionally and physically healthy.

At Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, we have multiple therapists and counselors who are trained in working with children and teenagers as well as their parents. Some examples of why families seek to have their child or teen in counseling are:

Problems at school
Conflicts at home and with family
Being bullied or bullying (school and online)
Health problems
Relationship and Social issues
Behavioral problems

Therapists can help with feelings such as:

Our Counselors are licensed and can help with conditions such as:

Depression
Anxiety
OCD
Eating Disorders
ADHD (Attention Deficient and Hyperactivity Disorder)
Self-injury or self-harm
Disruptive behavior disorders
Trauma-related disorders

For Children

Melissa Wade

Strengths-Based, Solution Focused, and Resilience Therapies for Families, Children, Teens, and Individuals

Margie Muñoz

Trauma Informed Counseling, Mindfulness-Based, and EMDR Therapy for Children, Teens, and Adults

Lindsey Beaver

Trauma Informed Counseling & EMDR for Children, Teens, Young Adults and Adults

Brittani Decess

Counseling through a trauma-informed, inclusive, and equitable lens for individuals, relationships, and families.

Kathryn Barcelona

Therapy for adults and families struggling with depression, anxiety, issues, substance use recovery, etc.