Djeca - Brigojedac Psihološki centar za djecu i obitelji

CHILDREN

CHILDREN ARE NOT ADULTS

No matter what some adults think, children can also have problems. They can be big or small, sometimes they are solved by children themselves, sometimes with the help of their loved ones, and sometimes they require professional help.

When working with children, it is very important to know that, although children have problems as adults do, children's problems manifest themselves in a different way from those of adults, and their resolution requires specific knowledge. Children are not small adults. In order for professional child support to be successful, it is necessary to have knowledge of the overall development of the child, the ways in which the difficulties in children manifest themselves (the so-called symptoms), as well as the consequences that the children may have in different situations in which they find themselves.

It is also important to understand the world of children and to speak their language. Children don't talk about problems the way adults do – in a way that they come, sit down and say they have a problem. They show it to us through their behavior, through play, drawings and various other ways. Sometimes it takes a lot of knowledge and experience to translate the language of children into the language of adults.

We are happy that it is exactly what our Center offers. We both have many years of practice in working with children, as well as a series of trainings focused specifically on the specificities of working with children and young people.

EVALUATION

On arrival, most children are involved in what we call the diagnostic process. It is important to explain to children that it’s not like when they go to the doctor, no one will take their blood or look at their throats. The diagnostic process involves talking with the child and with parents (guardians), playing, drawing and completing various tasks, in other words, psychological testing. The diagnostic process is important because through it we can evaluate the child’s development as well as the presence of any specific symptoms or difficulties. This process is not there to determine whether a child is good or bad, smart or not smart, but is there to help us gain a fuller picture and insight into the needs and treatment interventions for that specific child and family. Upon completion of the diagnostic process, the child and parents receive feedback on the processing and a recommendation for further treatment.

TREATMENT

At our Center, the treatment of children is diverse and implies
engaging in psychotherapy or counseling procedures by using
elements of play therapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, expressive and creative techniques, therapy stories, etc. Diversity is necessary because in psychological treatment and psychotherapy it is necessary to find that way, the language that speaks to our specific child who is in front of us.

WORKING IN GROUPS

In addition to working individually with children, we also offer working in groups. Sometimes the awareness that others have problems as well as ourselves is healing and reduces the feeling of loneliness and isolation. Often, children show more trust and talk more openly about their problems, concerns and experiences in a peer group, in an environment of established safety and trust. The support of peers is particularly significant in modeling different coping and problem-solving strategies – often when listening to peers as they solved their problem or comforted themselves, children think "if she can do it, I can do it too."

TO SEE A CHILD

Children can come for a variety of reasons: family problems such as divorce or domestic violence, losing a loved one, traumatic or stressful event such as a car accident or experience of abuse, school problems such as learning difficulties or peer relationships, developmental difficulties. On the other hand, sometimes the environment doesn’t know the cause of the problem but they see changes in the child such as withdrawal, anxiety, depression, aggressive behavior, etc.

It is important not to ignore the symptoms that you notice and are concerning you, because they won’t go away if we pretend not to see them, but instead, they will intensify. With a timely reaction, and even if the situation ends up being less troubling than it looked, we let the child know that we are seeing him, and bring ourselves to peace knowing that we have done everything we could.