A child psychologist is a mental health professional specialising in supporting children. We strongly advocate for mental health counselling as a proactive measure, not just a response to trauma. This approach counts for children as well. Early development of healthy coping strategies, strong communication skills, and self-reflection equips children to lead safer, happier lives.
Powerful Statistics and Facts About Child Mental Health
Below are a few unknown (and, quite frankly, shocking) mental health statistics regarding children:
- According to the World Health Organisation, about 1 in 7 children and adolescents aged 10–19 experience a mental disorder globally, representing an estimated 166 million individuals.
- The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States, approximately 1 in 6 children aged 2–8 years has a diagnosed mental, behavioural, or developmental disorder.
- Nearly 50% of all mental health conditions begin by age 14, but most cases go undetected and untreated, delaying crucial support.
- Worldwide, suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 15 and 29.
- In a recent survey, 20% of the adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 confessed that they have mental health needs that have not been met.
- The most prevalent mental health concerns among youth are depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and self-harm tendencies (the latter isn’t always linked to suicidal ideation).
The Role of Parents in Supporting Child Mental Health
Parents play a critical role in nurturing their child’s mental well-being. Beyond seeking professional help, it’s important to foster an environment where children feel safe, loved, and understood.
Regularly engaging in open conversations about emotions, daily experiences, and challenges encourages children to voice their feelings without fear of judgment. Modelling healthy emotional expression and coping strategies sets a powerful example for children to emulate.
Additionally, parents can support their child’s growth by encouraging curiosity, resilience, and self-acceptance, all of which are essential for thriving in a complex world.
When parents actively participate in their child’s mental health journey – by learning, adapting, and collaborating with mental health professionals – they reinforce the message that seeking support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Does Your Child Need to See a Child Psychologist?
Many parents hesitate to seek counselling or mental health therapy for their children, often due to the outdated belief that therapy is only necessary after a crisis or diagnosis. This perception can make it difficult to consider psychological support for children, as it may feel like an admission of wrongdoing or trauma.
In reality, most children can benefit from speaking with a child psychologist. This is not due to any disorder, but because it offers a safe space to express themselves and receive guidance from a trained professional, helping them develop essential life skills.
Identifying emotions and navigating the world is challenging for adults and even more so for children. Speaking with a mental health counsellor helps children build resilience, self-understanding, and confidence. If you are unsure about consulting a child psychologist, consider the following and the ways it can benefit your child:
Bouncing Back and Learning
Children face challenges that may seem minor to adults but can feel overwhelming to them. Everyday issues like school pressures or friendship difficulties can significantly impact their well-being. Like adults, children need support to overcome these challenges, learn from them, and move forward.
Resilience and healthy coping skills are not innate. Without guidance, children may develop unhealthy habits and miss opportunities for growth. Building these skills early helps prevent future difficulties. A strong foundation is essential for long-term well-being.
Emotions Are Foreign Concepts
Even adults sometimes struggle to identify their emotions. For children, who may not yet recognise many feelings, this challenge is even greater. This often leads to outbursts or aggressive behaviours, such as biting.
Children may experience intense emotions they cannot identify or manage, leading to instinctive fight-or-flight responses. Teaching children about emotions and healthy coping strategies is essential. A child psychologist can provide this guidance.
Establishing Boundaries
Establishing and maintaining boundaries is challenging, especially for children. Social expectations to be polite and obedient can undermine their sense of autonomy. While parents generally have good intentions, it is important to consider the impact on a child’s ability to set healthy boundaries.
For example, if children are always told to “give Uncle Joey a kiss” as a greeting, they may not learn they have the right to refuse physical contact in other situations. Similarly, if discipline involves physical punishment, it can blur the line between discipline and abuse. Overstepping boundaries, even with good intentions, teaches children to accept such behaviour from others.
Most people would find it unacceptable if others overstepped their boundaries. Teaching children to establish and maintain healthy boundaries is a vital life skill that should be practised at home. A child psychologist can support both children and parents in this process.
Understanding Mental Illness
Learning about mental illnesses and their effects can help children better understand themselves and others. This does not mean they will be diagnosed or undergo unnecessary testing, but rather that they will gain awareness of these concepts and their manifestations.
Introducing these topics early can help children recognise warning signs and increase the likelihood of early intervention, reducing potential impact. Raising awareness also provides coping strategies. A child psychologist can address issues such as anxiety, ADHD, depression, eating disorders, and self-harm.
What They See in the Mirror
Children also struggle with self-image. Constant exposure to unrealistic standards on social media and in advertising can negatively affect their perception of themselves. Parental comments about body image can further influence children. Recent studies show that body image concerns can emerge as early as age three.
That’s why it’s essential for us to intervene and ensure that their body image aligns with healthy and realistic ideals. A child psychologist is trained to do just that.
Dealing With Trauma
Trauma is a difficult topic, but it is important to address. While childhood trauma has been widely discussed in recent years, many traumatic events cannot be prevented, such as the loss of a loved one, divorce, or accidents. However, we can prepare ourselves and our children to cope with these experiences in a healthy way.
Processing traumatic events is a vital skill that many people lack, but everyone needs. While adults can seek counselling to develop these abilities, it is more effective to learn them in childhood. Consulting a child psychologist can help prepare both you and your child for significant life events, whether addressing current trauma or building resilience for the future.
The Benefits of Seeing an Online Child Psychologist
There are many benefits to talking to an online child psychologist, such as:
- It is unbiased help from a healthcare professional.
- Your child feels heard. It is a place where they can voice their thoughts and opinions and express their feelings with an adult listening intently and acknowledging them.
- It can give parents insight and guidance into raising their child to live a healthy, happy life.
- Speaking to a child psychologist can familiarise your child with talking to healthcare professionals.
- It can aid in building healthy communication and strong bonds between the child and the parents, but also in how they interact with the world.
- These sessions can lay the foundation for your child to make healthy choices in life.
- It gives you the opportunity to understand your child better and help them understand themselves better.
- Child psychology is age-specific therapy. You’re not going to sing the toddler’s ‘Feelings’ song with the 12-year-old. That means that no matter your child’s age, they can still receive therapy, and you can have peace of mind knowing they will always be learning new things and adding to their psychological and life skills toolbox.
- Online child psychology is a cost-effective alternative to in-person counselling.
- The things discussed during a session can be of a sensitive nature. Online child psychologist sessions are a great solution since the child can be in a safe environment where they feel at home and comfortable.
- With online child psychologist sessions, you no longer need to be concerned about being unable to take your child to therapy. Your child doesn’t even need to leave their room for online therapy.
Book Your Free Consultation
Do you think your child might need to speak to a child psychologist? Do you want to ensure that your child learns to deal with life in the best possible way? Then send us an email at info@personalonlinetherapy.com or simply complete the form below, and we’ll be happy to assist and start you off with a free consultation.
FAQs About Online Child Psychologist Sessions
Below, you will find the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about online child psychologist sessions:
What Does a Child Psychologist Do?
A child psychologist offers mental health services that go far beyond typical mental health and well-being. Child psychologists can provide therapy, emotional support and guidance, evaluate and assess emotional, behavioural, and social development, and aim to teach valuable life skills.
What Ages Do Online Child Psychologists Work With?
Online child psychologists can work with children from toddlerhood through their teen years. Needless to say, toddlers can be a bit more challenging and will usually require mom or dad to sit in and help facilitate. However, when they’re a little older, children are more than ready to attend sessions on their own.
What Does a Typical Child Psychologist Session Look Like?
A child psychologist session will be entirely built around the child’s specific situation, needs, and personality. Sessions can include a variety of things, such as play therapy, talk therapy, actual diagnostic tests, or even just observation by the therapist.
There will also be feedback sessions with the parents or legal guardians. But all of this will be discussed and planned with the parents or legal guardians beforehand.
What’s the Difference Between Child Psychologists and Child Trauma Therapists?
A child trauma therapist specialises in and focuses solely on helping children process traumatic events. In contrast, a child psychologist can assess and assist with a wide variety of matters involving children, including trauma.
Will a Child Psychologist Prescribe Medication to My Child?
Absolutely not. Firstly, a child psychologist cannot prescribe medication to your child; that’s the job of a psychiatrist. Secondly, medication will always be a last resort with an official diagnosis, especially since children and their brains are still developing, and it’s not in their best interest to start medically interfering without sufficient reason.
How Long Are Online Child Psychologist Sessions?
The length of online child psychologist sessions varies depending on the child’s age. Younger children will only be able to do 30–45 minutes, while older children will be able to do a full hour.
Key Takeaways
- Child psychologists help children develop healthy coping strategies, communication skills, and self-reflection to promote safer and happier lives from an early age.
- Child psychologist sessions are beneficial for all children (not just those experiencing trauma) and should be seen as a proactive measure to support emotional development.
- Approximately 1 out of 7 teenagers has experienced a mental health condition, and almost 50% of adults experienced such issues from the age of fourteen; thus, early intervention is more vital than ever.
- Emotional stability can be provided to kids by creating a psychologically safe environment, and the parents should model effective ways of expressing feelings and coping strategies.
- Many parents hesitate to seek psychological support due to stigma, but most children benefit from having a professional safe space to express themselves.
- Building resilience and healthy coping skills in childhood helps prevent future difficulties and supports long-term well-being.
- Teaching children to identify and manage emotions and set healthy boundaries is vital for their development and self-protection.
- Mental illness awareness and discussion of topics related to body image and childhood trauma from early stages enable children to recognise red flags and protect themselves from negative impacts.
- There are various advantages to online child psychology, such as convenience, familiar surroundings at home, comfort, and cost-effectiveness.
- Early and ongoing support from parents, community and professionals gives children the chance to bloom in their everyday lives, whether emotionally, mentally, socially or academically!
