Tag Archive for: talking to your child about therapy

Seeking Professional Help for Your Child

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By Amy Back, MSW, LSW – July 2, 2025 –

As parents, we care deeply for our children and would do anything in the world to help them through difficult times. It can feel defeating when we realize our children may need outside help that we are unable to give them.

If you choose to get your child professional help, please know there is nothing to feel bad about; in fact, it speaks volumes that you care enough to take the step to get extra support for your child.

Every child is different, so while one child may come to their parent asking for professional help, others might not feel comfortable asking for help at all. This is where parents can step in if they are noticing signs that their child could benefit from professional assistance. Some of these signs could look like the child struggling to express emotions in healthy ways, substance use, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, isolation, engaging in risky behaviors, or even persistent physical symptoms like stomachache, headache, chest pain, etc. Parents know their children best, so when our gut is telling us something is off, it likely is.

Some children may be closed off to the idea of getting professional help. Though it has gotten a lot better through the years, there can still be a stigma or negative perception that goes along with needing extra support. If you want to introduce the idea of seeking professional help to your child but are unsure of how they will respond, here are some things to consider.

First, tell your child that you want to empower and strengthen them. Seeking outside help is all about growing stronger and learning the tools they can use in times of high stress or emotions. Remind them that the emotional discomfort they are feeling is something that does not have to be their norm and that getting extra help is a way to combat that.

Remind your child that seeking help may take time. If your child can go into the process knowing that this is an investment in their mental health (and not necessarily something that will change overnight), it helps them think realistically about the process and not get discouraged if they don’t immediately see drastic results.

A big thing we can do as parents is to remind our kids that they are not in this alone. Not only will they now have added support through an outside professional, but you, as their parent or guardian, will still be with them every step of the way. Let them know that you will still be as involved as they are comfortable with you being, and at the same time, give them space if that is what they need. As parents, we can show our children that they don’t need to feel uncomfortable about seeking professional help; and at the same time, they still have us to fall back on.

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When Your Child Refuses Therapy

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By Beth Greene, MSW, LSW – October 9, 2024 –

As a society, we have made great strides in raising awareness for mental health. Mental health is more openly discussed, and people are more aware of signs and symptoms. These strides have added support in our homes, schools, and communities that did not exist 20 years ago.

Technology has assisted with the availability of mental health information, but unfortunately, many people stop there. We still have a long way to go, because let’s face it, actually seeking mental health treatment continues to have stigmas for both adults and children.

Sometimes parents, doctors, or school personnel will recognize the signs and symptoms of a mental health concern in a child, but the child may refuse treatment, or the parent may be hesitant due to denial or fear of bias from others. Many people feel they can handle the problems they are facing on their own or feel uncomfortable talking to a “stranger” about their problems. Some parents feel guilty or embarrassed talking about their child or family’s home life stressors.

Trying something new can be scary, but it’s important that we take our mental health just as seriously as our physical health. So how do we convince our children to go to therapy when, as a society, we may still experience discrimination towards mental health supports and seeking professional help?

First, openly discuss mental health issues in an age-appropriate way with your child. Verbalize how you feel and what you need when you are experiencing stress, grief, or a traumatic life event. Schedule therapy for yourself when you notice healthy coping skills aren’t enough or you find yourself coping in unhealthy ways, like isolating yourself or using drugs and alcohol to cope.

Next, utilize school counselors and social workers. Often times, a school-based mental health professional can provide support, mentorship, guidance, and healing. However, if the school-based social worker does not have expertise in the area of concern or there isn’t progress being made in the identified area of concern, it would be important to seek outpatient services.

School-based mental health professionals do provide support for trauma-related concerns; however, it’s not always appropriate to expect a child to process their trauma while at school and then return to their regular studies. Some children will say they only feel comfortable with their school-based mental health provider and say they don’t want an outpatient therapist. However, the school resource is only available during school hours. The school-based professional can help have these difficult conversations with your child as well.

Lastly, if your child continues to refuse to go to therapy, it could be appropriate for the parent to make a therapy appointment for themselves to receive support for their own stressors and guidance on how they can support their child outside of therapy.

The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) reveals that every year, about 21 percent of adults in the US are affected by some kind of mental health issue. Unfortunately, not everyone from this population seeks help. According to NAMI, “Less than half of this population seeks professional guidance – with many of them reaching out for help after nearly a decade of hesitance and denial.”

These statistics show that many mental health signs and symptoms are showing up in childhood but are untreated until adulthood. Talk to your doctor, school counselor, or social worker about local mental health providers for your child if you suspect they may be struggling with their mental health.

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