The best training in child and adolescent therapy

How to find the best training and specialization programs in child and adolescent therapy?

Children and adolescents with psychological and relational problems are one of the segments of the population that can benefit most from psychotherapy services. However, in order to provide them with these tools, it is necessary to train a group of psychologists capable of dealing with the problems characteristic of minors in terms of psychological discomfort and adaptation or learning problems.

In this article we will see what are the characteristics of the best training in child and adolescent therapyand the way in which these are embodied in the way of learning the theory and practice of this professional field.

How to choose the best training in child and adolescent therapy

The first years of our lives are, in many respects, the most psychologically relevant. It is not only during these years that our personality begins to be shaped by a mixture of environmental and genetic factors: in addition, the behavioral patterns and attitudes we adopt in this vital stage tend to shape the way we live our lives once we have entered adulthood.

On the other hand, childhood and early youth are times of particular vulnerability.. At these ages we do not have the material, behavioral and cognitive tools to cope with the problems that arise, and parents and caregivers cannot guarantee complete protection from all kinds of misfortunes.

Learning difficulties, traumatic experiences, socialization problems, etc., are all factors that can affect the child's development.... These are situations that we adults could manage relatively well on our own, but that children and adolescents do not know how to deal with.

That is why child and adolescent therapy is a very valuable tool to promote mental health and adaptation to the environment in the part of the population composed of minors.

Now then... What characteristics should child and adolescent therapy training meet in order to comply with the fundamental requirements of quality psychological intervention applied in a professional and therapeutic context? Let's look at them below.

1. Helping to understand the stages of psychological development

Each stage of childhood and adolescence occurs during the development of certain mental capacities, both cognitive and emotional. Children and adolescents are not simply vessels into which to pour all sorts of skills; each moment of development requires the monitoring and enhancement of certain competencies, no more and no less.no more and no less.

Therefore, for example, it is necessary to take into account what kind of mental operations can be expected in a seven-year-old child, and what kind of cognitive training should be postponed in order not to waste resources and not to generate frustration.

2. Train in the analysis of environmental factors

We often tend to assume that the psychological aspect is something individual to each person, which is produced within him or her without the intervention of contextual elements. However, the environment matters, and matters a lot.

For example, a child who is very passive and submissive need not be described simply with the label "shyness"; perhaps her behavior is the result of a history of bullying.

3. Allows you to study theory and practice

This characteristic is fundamental in child and adolescent psychotherapy, and also in the learning of any other type of psychological intervention. At the end of the day, everything that is studied must be applied to real cases with real subjectsand none of these cases will fit perfectly with the descriptions and classification criteria that appear in the manuals.

4. Teaches the relationship aspects with clients and patients.

In child and adolescent psychotherapy there is a clear differentiation between clients and patients. This makes it necessary to understand how to communicate progress and give feedback on what has emerged in therapy sessions, for example.

The model of relationship with clients and patients is very characteristic, and even more so if we take into account that special measures have to be taken in the case of minors. in our way of managing the information obtained without exposing them to vulnerabilities.

5. It offers a review of the phases of therapy.

All the knowledge obtained in this kind of training program should be based on a basic outline of the stages of child and adolescent psychotherapy. from a basic outline of the stages of child and adolescent psychotherapy.. In this way it is not only much easier to study these contents, but also to fully understand the meaning of each of these steps.

Learning a few brief brush strokes of what this kind of therapy is is of little use; it is essential to have a global and structured vision.

An example of a training program

In Spain, fortunately, it is already possible to find very interesting specialization courses in child and adolescent therapy. An example of this is the case of the Practical Course in Child and Juvenile Psychology of the Mensalus Institute in Barcelona.in Barcelona.

It has a development of eight sessions of three hours each and a structured agenda of all the theoretical and practical elements that it is essential to know. It is especially suitable for people who want to learn from experts how to intervene in these cases, all in facilities where therapy is performed daily.

• For more information about the course, you can access Mensalus' contact details by clicking here.