intro 2014
TRANSCRIPT
COUNSELINGCHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
HDC 3420
CONTACT INFORMATION
Allison Edwards, LPC, RPTallisonedwardslpc@gmail.comwww.allisonjedwards.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
Independence
IMPLICATIONS:
FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
7 Rights of a Child
1.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.
Dyamic 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/Subjectivity
Emotions/Reason
Firm/Pliable Boundaries
Self/Others
Knowing/Not Knowing
Rely on theory or go with our gut?
Charge for missed session or let it slide?
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
CHALLENGES
Children 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 6-10
101 Favorite Play Therapy TechniquesCombination of Direct vs. Indirect Play TherapyExpressive Therapies 5 and up
Art TherapySandtray 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