Children Therapy Vs Adult Therapy

Counseling children/adolescents can look very different than counseling adults due to many aspects. Adults have their way of life set In a way that Is hard to change as they get older, but kids are learning who they are and are more open to change. Children start their life depending on others as adults have learned how to live independently. Children and adolescents also cope with their hardships and do not realize that they need help as they have not learned who they can go to if they are having problems.
Counseling children/adolescents need certain training and skills to each a level of success that we are looking for in a session. The way of thinking for an adult and a child are deferent in so many ways. The adult brain in adults is fully developed and they are set in their ways that can be hard for a counselor to change. It is hard to transform an adult person when they have gone their whole dealing with issues In a way that may be harmful to themselves or others. Adults have gone their whole life learning who they can trust and who they cannot trust which makes It difficult for the counselor to gain that trust In an adult client.
Children have an easier time trusting as It often takes Just a few minutes to open up to a counselor. Changes in the brain structure and function occur during childhood and adolescence (Henderson & Thompson, 2010). Since their brain is still developing they have not learned their way of handling certain emotions as mentioned in Jean Piglet’s four stages of cognitive development. Counselors have to work In a different way when dealing with the thinking processes of adults versus children. Dependency changes to an independent frame of mind as a person gets older.

Kids depend on their parents for the basic needs as stated in Measles hierarchy of needs which are physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self- actualization. These needs must be met for us to become self-actualization and reach our full potential In all areas of development (Henderson ; Thompson, 2010). Adults that did not meet the lower level of physiological needs such as food, shelter, water, and warmth, may not have met their higher order needs such as self-esteem or love and belonging.
People that do not have their basic needs met when they ere younger, may have a hard time with their feelings about themselves or others later on in life. Adults realize that certain things in their lives are not going as they would like, so they wonder whether a counselor could help them. If they realize that they have a problem, they decide on their own to request a counseling session. Children however, never realize that they are having trouble and never think of asking their caregiver to request help for them.
Children live with their issues, no matter how serious they may be, and they don’t have the Ingenuity to go see a oneself. Instead, the parents or other people close to them notice something Is wrong. Counseling children that do not realize that they need help, makes It harder for the counselor to explain to the person why they are In the session. This can place. Adults usually go to counseling because they have made the choice to go there on their own. Having the client realize that they need help makes it easier on the counselor in the session, but this can come with some push back when dealing with children.
Counseling children can come with some adversities which unsolder new to the profession may not be ready for and lack the skills needed to take on these challenges. I feel that building a solid foundation with a kid is important early on in their counseling experience and I would like to learn more about strategies and conversations that would help build that relationship. I have built great relationships with my students at school, but that did take some time which I will not have that much time in a counseling session.
Having conversations about their troubles may be hard for a kid to put into works or expressions, so I need o learn how to have a conversation with a child that allows expressing their feelings. I would also like training on the legal issues on what needs to be reported to certain agencies so that I know what to legally do in certain situations. Kids these days are getting their hands on drugs that are new developed each day and I would like training on drugs that I need to be aware of so that I am keeping up with the latest drugs that a client may be trying out. In conclusion, counseling children and adults have their differences.