COUNSELINGCHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

HDC 6320

CONTACT INFORMATIONAllison Edwardsallisonedwardslpc@gmail.com615.397.2245

STRUCTURE AND FOCUS OF CLASSPracticalFocus on Techniques & ToolsInteractiveA-Z of Counseling Kids

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development The Sensorimotor Stage - intelligence appears from sensory perceptions and motor activities. Children begin to develop the concept of separateness. (birth-3)

The Preoperational Stage - a child will react to all similar objects as though they are identical. Self-centered thinking. Me, myself, and I. (Ages 4-7)

The Concrete Operational Stage - children begin to reason logically. Loss of egocentric thinking (Ages 7-11)oncrete Operational Stage - children begin to

The Formal Operational Stage - formulate hypotheses and test them to answer problems. Abstract thinking. Ability to reason (Ages 11 - adulthood if reached at all)ate hypotheses and

APPLYING PIAGET IN WORKING WITH KIDSPre-Operational Stage: What we expose kids to: News, violence, adult information

Pre-Operational Stage: Consider when helping them understand their behavior. Kids under 11 aren’t good at reasoning

Pre-Operational Stage: When teaching empathy. Kids under 11 are egocentric. Aren’t able to think about others. Their needs come first

Concrete Operational: When working with behavior. Kids begin use reasoning to outsmart their parent and peers

KIDS ARE CONCRETE THINKERS

A child’s world is like a snow globe.

Considerations in Working with Children• Media/Exposure• Family Structure• Amount of Connection around Emotions

in the Home• Social Development• Academic Issues• Outside Activities

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

Two Worlds CollideRegressed Child – comes out at home

Emergent Adult – what the world sees

*Both are present during transitionsSix or Sixteen Syndrome – have a meltdown but then ask to use the car

Mike Riera – Staying Connected to Your Teenager

• Identity Development – Who Am I?

• Abstract Thinking – Can argue with parents effectively. Can see multiple sides of a situations

• Peer Influence – The Second Family by Ron Taffel The Second Family is the peer group. Parents connect with their kids

by getting to know their peer group. Sleep/Wake Cycles – The most effective time for teenagers to

communicate is between 9-12 PM. Teenagers are 8 hours behind on sleep by Friday.

*When you’re not rested, your IQ is cut in half.

Adolescent Developmental Considerations

The Adolescent Brain

WHAT’S IMPORTANT…2 Main Areas of Brain Aren’t Developed Until Early 20’s:

1 - CORPUS COLLOSUM – connects the right and left hemisphere together

2 - PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX – CEO of the brain

CORPUS CALLOSUM Corpus Callosum is like a 10-Lane highway. All lanes need to be open for

teenagers to think, organize, judge and make non-destructive decisions. Under stress, the amygdala will swell which triggers a suppression of the

pre-frontal cortex which causes the highway to shut down. What ensues is a series of emotional and academic crashes.

• Adolescents want to be adults but can’t think like adults

• Are physically as big as parents but intellectually delayed

• Irrational Thinking• Impulsivity• Longing for

Independence

IMPLICATIONS:

FAMILY DEVELOPMENT

7 Rights of a Child1.To Be - birth2.To Have Needs and Expect them to be Met – 0-2 crying3.To Separate and Still be Loved – 2 years4.To Have a Voice and Speak it’s Truth – 4 years5. To be Autonomous with Support – 12 years6.To Have Passion – 16 years7.To Have Spirituality – the belief that you matter – adult

CHANGES IN PARENTINGBaby Boomers – (1946-1964) experienced the highest divorce rate in history. Both parents worked thus many kids became “latch key” kids.

Gen X – (1965-1979) Mothers got their college degree but chose to stay home. Currently 25% of moms spend 12 plus hours a day on child care, TWICE that of Boomer moms.

Dynamic has shifted from mom’s getting affirmed by bosses to being affirmed by other parents for their kids performance.

CHANGES IN FAMILY SYSTEMCurrently 54% of marriages end in divorce

20% - 40% of men and 10% - 25% of women will have an affair during their marriage

For children under 5, 20% of dads were the primary caregiver

3 million children are being raised by same-sex couples

THE ROLE OF THE COUNSELOR

GOAL OF COUNSELING“The goal of therapy is to shorten the lag time between falling down and picking ourselves back up.”

Lizard Monkey -Reaction Frontal Lobe- ResponseBreathing Amygdala ReasoningBlinking Flight or Flight 10% - 12% in use at any given time

Need help opening the flap to Respond instead of React.“That was then. This is now.”

PRIMARY ROLE Child Advocate

Even though you work with parents, schools, doctors, etc., your responsibility is to the child. When you jeopardize your relationship with the child, you are no longer effective.

WHAT MAKES COUNSELORS GOOD?

The ability to hold tension between two opposing forces and discern which one to lean

on.

Objectivity/SubjectivityEmotions/ReasonFirm/Pliable BoundariesSelf/OthersKnowing/Not Knowing

Rely on theory or go with our gut?Share interpretation or let it go for next session?Gratify the wants or help him meet his own needs?

HOW MOST KIDS END UP IN COUNSELING#1: Poor Behavior - child often gets blamed for having bad behavior

#2: School Issues - poor grades, behavior, getting calls from school

#3: Change in Behavior - Children are saying/doing unusual things

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS IN WORKING WITH KIDS

IN COUNSELING, CHILDREN…have verbal Limitationslive in moments - lack of perspectivehave ups and downs from session to sessiongo in and out of emotional work very rapidlyoften don’t know reason for referral

BENEFITS-Progress is much faster

-Behaviors aren’t as ingrained

-You can help the whole system

CHALLENGESChildren still have to live in the system

Parents can be difficultMore preparation/materials required

It takes more energy

WHAT WORKS WITH KIDS?Play Therapy - non-directive with 3-6Prop-Based Interventions 6-10Combination of Direct vs. Indirect Play Therapy

Expressive Therapies 5 and up- Art Therapy- Sandtray Therapy

WHAT WORKS WITH ADOLESCENTS?RelationshipPatienceUnderstanding of Adolescent WorldDirect Approaches - CBTAligning Humor

OTHER THINGS TO KNOWWho is the client?

-technically bothDiagnosis

- What you see or what you hear?Drugs/AlcoholSuicideCourtroom

- Parent intentions