Frequently Asked Questions
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Children and Adolescents
CBT is a form of psychological treatment focused on identifying and changing maladaptive and negative thinking patterns that cause emotional distress and behavioural difficulties. In therapy, the therapist helps the patient identify underlying negative automatic thoughts or assumptions that effect behaviors and emotions. Once these thinking patterns are detected, the therapist helps the patient challenge these thoughts, to help him\her understand that their beliefs about themself and their environment do not necessarily reflect the reality. The therapist also helps the patient build healthy and positive thinking patterns. CBT can be used for many problems and disorders such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, eating disorders, phobias and more.
Art Therapy
In art therapy, children are encouraged to express themselves creatively, and the emphasis is on the process of creation which is more important than the quality final product. The effectiveness of art therapy as a tool for treating children is two-fold: 1. The art piece and the creative process that led to it help the child express thoughts, emotions and conflicts in a non-verbal way. By doing so, art therapy helps the child communicate with the therapist. 2. Children's mental well-being is positively impacted by the child's involvement in drawing, painting, and sculpting, since the process itself is therapeutic. The therapist is involved in the art creation process, and helps the child express themselves with the given materials. When the piece is done, the therapist helps the child process the emotions and feelings that arose during the creation activity or that are apparent in the final art piece.
Play Therapy
Play therapy is a psychodynamics tool which focuses on children's ability to express themselves through play. As children play, they exercise several emotional and cognitive abilities, such as thinking, planning, imagining, memory, hopes, and experimenting. During the development of children, playing is a good way to express their experiences and emotions, allowing them to better communicate with others. The way the child plays is regarded as a reflection of their personal experience. Children also benefit from playing as a means for processing unresolved conflicts and traumas. Through play therapy, the child is able to share their emotions with the therapist and to receive his/her support and guidance.