Children today are exposed to much more trauma than we were twenty or thirty years ago, and that's why child trauma counselling is such an important tool to help them cope. Once off events, such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, bullying, life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters, or war can leave a child scarred for life.

Long-term exposure to poverty, verbal abuse or milder types of abuse are traumatic too, in fact that can be as devastating to a child as a single catastrophic event.

As with adults, every child has a different way of dealing with similar circumstances or events. Not every person who experiences the same event will become traumatized, but exposure to trauma can result in a variety of symptoms including nightmares, bedwetting, anxiety, depression, disdain for authority, poor grades, moodswings, substance abuse, and self-harm.

Both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a range of other therapies can be helpful in treating children who have been exposed to short term trauma. Therapists will usually work with the child on a one-on-one basis to help the child restructure negative thought patterns and self esteem (in the case of abuse, etc.) before calling in the family for family counselling. Family counselling is a great way for the family to find common ground, build problem-solving skills and to help the parents to re-establish themselves as the authority figures in the home.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist with specialized traing in trauma counselling for children you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Through the media, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has become quite well known.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or as it's commonly known, OCD is a common anxiety disorder in which a person feels fear, worry, apprehension and other intrusive thoughts. Most people diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder report childhood onset of symptoms, which could lead to a range of ongoing anxiety disorders.

It is common for the person to perform repetitive behaviors that are meant to reduce anxiety. A person can develop a range of compulsions or obsessions. Someone who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder will repeatedly check on things (such as locking doors, switching off lights, etc.), obsessively wash their hands or clean their homes excessively.

In some cases, a person might become preoccupied with religious, violent or sexual thoughts, or have relationship-based obsession. They may become averse to certain words or numbers and perform nervous rituals, such as performing a certain routine repeatedly.

To other people, a person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder might seem paranoid. It could cause stress in a relationship or family, and could lead to severe financial or emotional distress. Since most people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder recognize their behavior as irrational, it can cause them even more distress.

Cognitive Behavioural therapy offers a range of techniques to assist people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. A specific technique used in OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP). This technique teaches a person with OCD to gradually learn to tolerate the anxieties caused by not continuing the rituals. Counsellors perform this and other therapies in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers Obsessive Compulsive Disorder  to help with your repetitive, compulsive behaviour issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Sleep difficulties are common, as most people experience it from time to time. Parents who are concerned that their children might have sleep issues should start finding answers by speaking to their pediatricians, who can diagnose any problems.

There are a wide range of issues that can contribute to sleep difficulties and it is important to address those issues to ensure that children can avoid the side effects of poor sleep. A lack of sleep can contribute to behavioural issues, poor concentration at school, hyperactivity, impulse control issues and irritability. A child or teenager who is experiencing sleep difficulties can be cranky, sleepy and poor-performing at school and unhappy, irritable and moody at home. It can cause a lot of problems in the home and also at school. It is important to get help for you child's sleep difficulties as soon as possible, as it could be serious.

Some of the most common issues that contribute to sleep difficulties in children include night terrors, sleep walking, bedwetting, sleep-onset anxiety, obstructive sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and delayed sleep-phase syndrome. Some of these conditions are serious and require urgent treatment. The newest of the issues to affect sleep include difficulties disengaging for smartphone or computer communications.

After having excluded medical issues, a child psychologist who offers sleep difficulties can help your child to work with any emotional and psychological issues that stops him or her from enjoying a good night's rest. Many different approaches can be used during individual counselling sessions, while family therapy can help the whole family gain insight into the problem. The psychologist or counsellor can help each family member to help the child who is experiencing sleep difficulties.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers counselling approaches to address your child's sleep difficulties and issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.