What Do
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist Do?
Members of
the Association of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists
(ACAP) are highly trained mental health professionals who work
with children or adolescents exhibiting emotional or
behavioral problems. These problems may be shown in symptoms such
as anxiety, depression, poor school functioning or
behavioral disturbances.
Psychoanalytic
therapists focus on the inner world of the child helping him or her
with feelings and behaviors and finding more adaptive ways to deal
with the external environment. Family members are also
assisted to lead the child onto a healthy developmental
path. After interviews with the parent and child, an
assessment is made, feedback is given to the family and a
treatment plan deveolped.
Child and
adolescent psychotherapists use many modalities to communicate with
the young person. Play, drawing, pretending and talking are ways for
children to communicate and express their feelings and
problems. In the context of the relationship with the therapist,
children can try out different behaviors and learn to express
feelings in useful ways.
See our membership
list to contact a psychotherapist.
