Behavioral therapy for children

What is Behavioural Therapy for Children?

Behavioural therapy for children involves minimizing anxiety, learning alternative ideas and learning that feelings and moods alter behaviour. It helps the child to identify their inner thoughts and replace bad thoughts with positive productive thoughts. Behavioural therapy for children teaches the child different ways to respond to situations in a positive way. It also rewards positive behaviour and punishes negative behaviour.

Children with behavioural issues need to have some type of therapy that allows them to express themselves without consequences and then slowly build up their level of trust with the counsellor. Once this is done the child can begin to learn the reasons for their behaviour and what the trigger points are and how to deal with those issues once they arise. Behavioural therapy for children can help your child work through any problems and build trust with others.

How do I know my child needs behavioural therapy for children?

Before starting any type of behavioural therapy the parent should closely watch the child and keep a diary of what is going on, consult a therapist and proceed from there. If there are substantial behaviours or emotional issues present the parents should find a child Psychologist that can help. Behavioural therapy for children can take time and patient but is more than worth the effort.

What does behavioural therapy for children involve?

Behavioural therapy for children can follow different formats. Many parents think that physical punishment, such as spanking, sometimes becomes unavoidable and a ‘must’ to stop undesirable behaviour in a child. Experts say that physical punishments can make your child stop certainbehaviours but do not teach him to correct or change it. Bright Ideas Psychology’s goalswhen disciplining children is to teach them to choose good behaviours and avoid bad behaviour of their own free will. Behavioural therapy for children is crucial in this process.  Physical punishment can turn into child abuse, becomes less effective with time and may make the child too aggressive or timid. Here is some behavioural therapy for children strategies that you can use for behaviour correction in children:

• Avoid power struggles, no-win situations and extremes with children and if you do overreact, try to solve the problem as soon as possible.
• Children have their own individual personalities. They may be shy, talkative, active and/or introverts. You need to accept their basic personality traits as they are, as you cannot alter them too much.
• Be consistent with the reward or punishment method as it may confuse your child.
• Never criticize your child in front of others. Behavioural therapy for children can help you with tips on how to manage this.
• Never ever say the child is ‘bad’ when what you are trying to convey that his behaviour is bad.
• Offer child little choices frequently to make him feel that his decision is also respected in the house, such as “what would you like to wear today – red T-shirt or the black one?” Behavioural therapy for children can help you make these small changes.
• Older children can discuss terms and conditions of rules while charting them out but don’t debate on it at the time of misbehaviour.

These little tips will help your child to learn skills for a lifetime and they will soon learn that they can reap rewards by good behaviour.

 

Does Bright Ideas Psychology offer Behavioural Therapy for Children?

 

Bright Ideas Psychology has practitioners skilled at working with your child to help you manage undesirable behaviour. Behavioural therapy for children can help your child live the future you most wish for them.