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Depression therapy for children and adolescents
What are the signs of depression in children/teens?
Signs/symptoms of depression in children/adolescents, may include:
* Sadness/irritability
* Anger outbursts/frequent crying
* Increased or decreased appetite or body weight
* Difficulty concentrating
* Fatigue or low energy
* Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt
* Social withdrawal
* Sleeping problems
* Thoughts of death or self-harm behaviors
* Difficulty to complete daily tasks
* Reduced participation in activities at home or school
* Poor academic performance
* Reduced enjoyment in activities, hobbies, or interests
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Why do children/teens get depressed?
Depression is a mood disorder that may be caused by different things. There are different factors that may contribute or combine, resulting in a child/teen becoming depressed.
Things like having chronic medical problems, history of depression in the family, biochemical imbalances in the brain, traumatic events, losses, stressful circumstances in the environment, family disruption/divorce, school changes, bullying, or underlying psychological, developmental, or learning disorders that have never been detected, all can contribute to depression.
Regardless of what caused for children/teenagers to be depressed, it is important to find the right support and treatment to alleviate their suffering and help them live a functional and happy life.
What treatment is recommended for child/teen depression?
The first-line treatment recommended for depression in children is psychotherapy. For adolescents with moderate to severe depression, research has shown that a combination of psychotherapy and medication works best.
Many parents don't like the idea of medicating their children/teenagers. Families can learn more about medications and make decisions with the help of a doctor, if they want to explore that option.
Psychotherapy can help your child/teen develop skills and learn strategies to manage his/her depressive symptoms.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a treatment of choice that helps to improve mood, by identifying and replacing negative thoughts and behavioral patterns with positive ones.
Depression could have different causes and the treatment needs to be adjusted to each particular circumstance. No only the causes of depression vary, but also each person's style of learning and changing.
How can you help my child/teen overcome depression?
To help children/teens with depression, I utilize a combination of techniques and strategies, according to the factors that contributed to the depression, the child's learning style, and the family's preferences.
The modalities of treatment I utilize have been proven to be effective through scientific research.
I have been trained in multiple modalities of treatment and I implement interventions from different therapeutic approaches such us, Cognitive Behavioral therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and Family Systems Theory.
A successful treatment requires flexibility and adaptation to meet the needs of each individual and family.
As a child and family specialist, I will partner with you to support your child.
Besides offering a wide variety of culturally competent treatment options, I can also assist you in finding community services and resources to further support your child's growth.
Help is just a phone call away.