Counseling/Therapy for 9yo

[MicheleB]

I am strongly leaning towards getting therapy for my 9yo ds. He has severe visual processing problems. He is also exhibiting symptoms of the OCD, PDD-NOS, ODD type nature. He has an anxiety disorder.

 

What are your suggestions and recommendations for finding a therapist for him? I am going to seek out therapy that involves *me* in the session 100% of the time. He is a very immature 9yo and I don't think him being alone in therapy is something I'm willing to allow right now.

 

I think honestly the boy needs some prozac or something. His OCD-type tendencies are worsening. Today at a restaurant he told me he didn't feel "comfortable" eating off the silverware because other people have. That's new... in addition to all his other "germ" anxieties.

 

Since these disorders (OCD, PDD, ODD) seem to so overlap, I'm hoping thearpy would help us tease out exactly what is going on and how best to proceed.

 

Thoughts, please! :001_smile:

[Laurie4b]

Don't take him to anyone other than a cognitive behavior therapist who specializes in children. Cognitive behavioral therapy can sometimes take care of OCD without meds. There is a book by Reid Wilson called "Stop Obsessing." It's a self-help book for adults, but it would give you an idea of how cognitive behavioral therapy works. It has an excellent research base. It works, in other words. Therapy is short term- about 6 months.

 

Most therapists are going to want to work with the child alone. This is not a "probe into your pysche" therapy, it's a skills-building therapy. I would encourage you to find a therapist with strong experience in CBT and then trust them about how much you are actually in the session.

 

The client is taught relaxation techniques (to counter the anxiety), with the therapist's help arranges a hierarchy of challenges that take them through baby steps of coping with the anxiety such that they can do what they need to do, even with anxiety present.

[Ottakee]

I can't really comment on the therapy side of things but I will say that here, meds made such a huge difference that therapy isn't really needed. We only had milder anxiety and OCD (along with ADHD, bipolar, etc).

 

I think that that therapy can be very useful for some kids/situations but I know that for us, without the meds, therapy wasn't very helpful. With the meds, we didn't really need the therapy.

[luna]

I'll give you a bit of our experience:

I sought counseling for dd when she was about 9. The therapist went on about the need for confidentialilty with her client (my daughter) and I wasn't comfortable being "out of the loop." I felt without knowing what was going on, I wouldn't be equipped to help her at home. I put off counseling for several years and at age 11 we went to an adventure-type counseling. It was a great confidence builder, but still not enough. Her neuropsych had recommended Cognitive Behavior Therapy when she had testing in fifth grade. We finally found someone (a social worker) who sees children and uses CBT. I can't say enough about it. I meet with her for about 15 minutes alone to give an update and get parenting suggestions/skill building to do at home. Then, dd is alone. Our first visit I stayed with her, but she is totally comfortable without me and I truly believe that is best for her. (she is 12 now) It has only been a couple of months and I see a huge change in her ability to handle stressful situations and her anxiety.

I would suggest you check your insurance for providers, ask your primary care or someone you trust if they can recommend someone. Then, call and ask them about CBT. I could tell in one conversation that this woman was a good fit for us. She supports homeschooling, which we didn't have before with adventure counseling. I feel we are on the same page with goals and she has helped me, too! If you have the right person, you won't regret going or think you went too soon.

Best wishes...

[sandellie4]

Same here. We used CBT for our 10yo and it has been *amazing.* His emotions were just so intense and he just didn't seem to have the tools to handle them -- it felt like it was my job and as he grew older, it became really hard to do that. He has meltdowns and now, for the first time, he is understanding that there are ways that he can see them coming, maybe even head them off. I wanted to be very, very involved, so I meet with the therapist (the third one I talked to because I think the "fit" is crucial) for 15 minutes before every session. Then I can call her between sessions if our family's getting stressed out over him, and she'll give me ideas on how to address what's going on. She's been so good for our son, for our family. I could cry from sheer gratefulness. Sandy

[cillakat]

3rd, 4th and 5th.

 

Cognitive Behavioral is the way to go.

 

It's *so* not about the 'how are you feeling right now and why'

 

It's about learning the exact skills needed to change *thoughts* so that the feelings will follow.

 

I'd also recommend reading _Depression Free Naturally_ To say it saved my life wouldn't be an overstatement. I was in the throes of an extremely severe anxiety disorder. Fairly close to psychotic. The gorey details can be skipped:) but the bottom line is that with some CBT, clinical doses of fish oil (ie 16 g per day....stoll's study protocol for bipolar even though I'm not bipolar), sufficient b6, p5p (form of b6), additional zinc, sufficient vitamin d (2000 IU per day to maintain blood levels of 50-55 ng/mL), tryptophan, GABA, taurine (all inhibitory/calming amino acids), inositol....sufficient calcium, magnesium, b5, c.....it's a long crazy list;)

 

If I miss 5 days of supplements, I fall off the deep end again....could be anxiety, could be irritability, could be depression...it's like a grab back of awfulness. But as long as I stick with it, get sufficient animal protein (ugh...former veg here), and work the cbt I'm good.

 

This is how I see it...even though the supplemention removes the chemical cause of the mood/anxiety issues, there's still the *habit*. the cbt works on that part.

 

Wishing you all the best,

K

 

PS my 9.5 yo uses significant supplementation as well.....tryptophan, 800-1000 IU to maintain optimal serum D levels, b6, p5p, niacinamide (for irritability), multi, extra zinc....magnesium, inositol