Why Are Behavioral Health Skills Important For Children?

Having skills is important throughout life. The sooner you learn important skills like communication, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, self-soothing, mindfulness, conflict resolution skills etc the better! The world might be a more functional place if these skills were taught in school. You can help your child to learn these skills sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, there can be consequences to never developing these valuable skills.

The Dangers of Not Developing Behavioral Health Skills

The more skilled we are the more functional we are likely to feel in our lives. The same can happen for children. According to the CDC “young people are rapidly learning social-emotional skills that shape their future ability to learn, grow and adapt to different life situations”. Without these important skills, your child may be at an increased risk for a variety of issues, including

  • Difficulty managing anger
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Poor self-image
  • Low self-esteem
  • Lacking self-confidence
  • Bullying
  • Self-harming behaviors
  • Substance and alcohol abuse in teen years and early adulthood
  • Poor academic performance

Emotional wellness is important for children to develop. It affects how a child values themselves and others. It can impact how they interact with peers, confront challenges, and explore life in general. If you are concerned about your child’s social and emotional skills, counseling can be a wonderful tool to help them develop the tools they need.

Spotting the Red Flags

Children usually act out what they cannot express verbally. From there, parents can look for changes in the way a child behaves or seems to feel. If your usually calm and confident child begins to act anxious, sad, or moody, they may be asking for help in the only way they know how.

Other signs may include;

  • Appetite changes
  • Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
  • Complaints of physical issues such as headaches or stomach aches when medical concerns have been ruled out
  • Aggression
  • Irritability
  • Withdrawn behavior
  • Panic

This list is certainly not exhaustive, but meant to get you thinking. You know your child better than anyone ever could. If you are concerned it’s worth looking into.

How Can Counseling Help

Finding the right child therapist can allow you and your child to explore what may be holding them back and help them to learn the skills they need. Counseling can help your child to explore their feelings and develop healthy coping skills.

It is important for you to be involved in their sessions also, this can help your relationship with them to grow and allow you to learn ways to help them help themselves.

Carolina Counseling Services in Southern Pines, North Carolina contracts with skilled therapists who can help your child develop the tools and skills they need to thrive. Psychiatric professionals are also available to explore medication options as well. Providers are in network with most major insurances including Aetna, Aetna State Health Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Blue Cross NC) and many more. Call now to schedule your first appointment!

Jaime Johnson Fitzpatrick LCMHCS, LCAS is one of the Owners and Vice Presidents of Carolina Counseling Services. She is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist in the State of North Carolina as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in State of New York. Jaime is also certified in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and utilizes various other approaches in her practice.