Many people are unaware about how counselling practices are carried out in Singapore, especially when it comes to counselling for children. In this post, we go over some common questions with our BlankSlate counsellor Sukalyani Swain.
1. Is counselling safe for children? What techniques are used?
Yes, counselling is safe for children. For younger children, especially below 10 years old, we use non-verbal therapy techniques such as Play Therapy, Sand therapy, and Colour therapy. For older kids, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective.
2. Are parents allowed to be with their child during the therapy?
For the initial session, parents need to be there for younger kids to ensure that they will not be in distress or discomfort. Eventually, parents can stay outside when the child is ready to be with the therapist alone.
For older children, most prefer to be with the therapist alone.
3. Why might your child need therapy?
There are many pressures facing a child growing up. If you observe some of these factors:
- your child is refusing to go to school
- grades are dropping
- lots of complaints from school
- your child is finding it difficult to adjust in a new environment and culture
- low self-esteem, anger, bullying, family issues
and as a parent, you’ve tried your best but nothing is working out. In that case, parents should consider counselling or therapy for the child, which will explore ways to cope with the situation, and your child will not miss out on an important part of their childhood.
4. Are all children treated the same way?
No. We evaluate each child on a case by case basis to determine what each individual’s challenges and goals are. We always develop a personalized care plan for every child to best suit their needs.
If you have any other questions about counselling that we haven’t answered today, please leave a comment below, or let us know on our BlankSlate Counselling Facebook page! Alternatively, you may contact us here or call the BlankSlate hotline at 6698 5198.
