Child Therapy & Play Therapy in Baltimore, Maryland
Does your child’s emotional reactions seem uncontrollable and overwhelming despite your efforts to help? Are temper tantrums intense? Are you feeling as though you can’t manage? It may be time to seek out a Baltimore child therapist to support your child and help you understand your child and how to best help them.
Assisting your child in managing their emotions can be difficult. At Crystal Waters Counseling Centers, we provide you and your child with the skills to manage their emotions, impulses, frustrations, and stressors. Examples of coping strategies include calming, distractive techniques, and ways to process through feelings. Improving communication between parent and child is also pivotal in regulating emotions. We teach parents how to use specific language and communicative techniques to best support their child when situations become intense.
At Crystal Waters Counseling Centers, we offer a variety of modalities to best help your child manage emotions, improve relationships and better understand their needs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and play therapy are the two main approaches by which children are treated, although other types of counseling are also utilized.
Our Main Approach For Child Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
CBT is a counseling approach that aims to reduce emotional distress and understand core beliefs, including negative thinking patterns, and unhelpful coping strategies. CBT works by teaching patients new coping skills and providing opportunities, both in-session and between sessions, to practice these skills.
Skills Taught in CBT as A Part of Child Therapy
- Understanding one’s emotions and reactions
- Identifying and adjusting negative patterns of thinking
- Developing problem-solving skills and coping mechanisms
- Learning relaxation techniques
- Facing fears
- Improving social interactions and child/parent relationships
- Improved self-esteem
- Alleviation of anxiety, stress, and depression
Play Therapy
What is Play Therapy?
Simply speaking, play therapy is based upon the fact that play is the child’s natural medium of self-expression. It is an opportunity which is given to the child to play out his feelings and problems just as in certain types of adult therapy an individual may talk out his difficulties. – Virginia Axline
Crystal Waters Counseling Centers provides a space for children to explore and process their experiences through play. The purpose of play therapy is that play, not words is a child’s natural language. Toys provide them with words and experiences in which they can fully work through emotions, experiences, and thinking patterns. Play therapists work in both a nondirective and directive approach. Research shows that at least 80% of children that complete the course of play therapy reduce and improve coping mechanisms. The power of play facilitates healing and support for the child and family as a whole.
“Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.”
~ Kay Redfield Jamison
How Can Play Therapy Help As A Part of Child Therapy?
- Explore and understand emotions
- Identify and implement coping strategies
- Learn appropriate communication and social skills
- Show empathy and respect towards self and others
- Problem solve and reframe negative thinking patterns
- Show empathy and respect towards self and others
- Improve self-esteem
Is Your Child Ready to Start Child Therapy in Baltimore, MD or the Washington D.C Area?
At Crystal Waters Counseling Centers, we will provide a safe and supportive space for your child to process life’s events and assist you in making efforts to move forward into peace from uncomfortable emotions and negative thinking patterns. Our Baltimore & D.C. child therapists offer a person-centered holistic approach to meeting your counseling needs. Follow these steps and get support for your family through children’s therapy in Maryland.
- Reach out to speak with a Baltimore play and child therapist
- Schedule your first appointment at Crystal Waters Counseling Centers
- Watch as your child thrives with the new skills that they learn in children’s therapy
Other Counseling Services That We Offer in Maryland
At our counseling practice based in Columbia, MD we offer in-person and online therapy for children, teens, college students, women, and adults throughout Maryland. This includes treatment for anxiety and depression. As well as EMDR Therapy, therapy for life transitions, and parent coaching. Start getting support from a Baltimore therapist today!