What kinds of problems can Catherine Petit (Lic. Psychologist) help my child address?
Self-confidence
Self-esteem
Assertiveness
Anxiety – phobia – panic
Depression
Grief
Behaviour
Socialization
Bullying
Intercultural psychology :
Cross-cultural adaptation
Bicultural education
Accepting the loss of friends left behind
Coping with the absence of a posted parent
Coping with a parent’s return from a posting
How does child psychotherapy work?
The first appointment consists of a meeting with the child’s parents only. This meeting gives you an opportunity to explain your child’s difficulties and tell me about your previous efforts to help as well as the child’s life story. Next, I will meet with your child and see you again to explain the best course of action. The process continues with your cooperation: your child comes to therapy sessions and you try to apply the recommended strategies in daily life. Each therapy session lasts one hour. At the start of the session, you can discuss your child’s progress or your concerns. At the end of the session, your child and I will let you know of any required adjustments to our treatment plan.
With children, I use play therapy. I choose the therapeutic approach best suited to your child’s difficulties and personality among the following possibilities: psychodynamic, child-centred, cognitive-behavioural or Theraplay. All of these approaches are known for their effectiveness. For example, with a child whose problems are of undetermined origin, I would be more inclined to choose unstructured play, and I would analyse the themes that emerge during the game (psychodynamic approach) or I would verbalize what the child is feeling during the game to help the child feel acknowledged and understood (person-centred approach). For an insecure, anxious child, I would suggest more structured activities at the start of the therapy to minimize the child’s anxiety and begin the personal development process. Structured activities are characteristic of the cognitive-behavioural and Theraplay approaches. Each therapy session consists of unstructured and structured play to the extent appropriate to your child’s needs. During therapy, more is accomplished than simple playing: games encourage children to talk. My role is to listen.
