Is your child expressing extreme emotions?

• Are they having frequent tantrums throughout the week?
• Do you find that they are quick to yell or hit when things don’t go their way?
• Are they having trouble sleeping or complaining of nightmares?
• Are they having potty training issues or frequently wetting themselves?
• Have you noticed they are more withdrawn and not engaging in activities they used to find fun or interesting?

For parents and guardians it can feel confusing and frustrating when children are exhibiting behaviors that seem extreme or that we do not understand.  And often it’s hard to gauge if what your child is going through is a developmental phase or something that needs further attention and support.  

Children grow and develop so quickly, and with each new phase comes new ways they relate to themselves and others.  As caregivers, one moment you might feel that you finally understand how to communicate and help your child and then, as if overnight, their behavior changes again and you’re left not knowing what to do or how to help.  Parents and guardians are often left wondering: 

• Will it be like this forever? 
• Will this behavior have adverse effects on my child’s future?  
• Will I ever understand what my child is feeling and know how to help them?

It is normal for children to have big emotions

Many children have periods of time when they experience and express big emotions.  Children, just like adults, are acutely aware of changes and events that occur around them.  Unlike adults, they don’t have the verbal capacity to express what they are feeling.  As a result  they often express themselves through behaviors such as, yelling, crying, hitting and sleep or potty regression. 

Even if these behaviors are a normal and natural part of a child’s development, it doesn’t mean they are easy to deal with.  Often children will express feeling out of control and not understanding their own reactions, wanting to stop but not knowing how.  And as a parent you might feel infuriated, scared or sad to see your child going through these things.  It can leave you feeling helpless and unsure where to turn for help, or even know if help is warranted.  

Finding a skilled child therapist is one of the best ways, to not only help your child understand and process their experiences, but also, help you, as a parent/guardian, better understand how to support your child through their ups and downs.  

Play Therapy Can Help Your Child Regulate Their Emotions 

All children face challenges at some point and the Play Therapists at Louisville Family Center have dealt with the issues that many children and parents face throughout their lives.  We approach every child and family with empathy and compassion, with the understanding that everyone is doing their best.   And we understand that life can bring challenges which require additional support, which may come in the form of play therapy.  

Play therapy is a unique experience which gives your child a space to express themselves in their own language, play.  Since children do not fully express themselves using verbal language until much later in life, they often communicate through behaviors.  Play is a clear way to bring context and “language” to your child’s behaviors. The therapist, trained in the language of play, takes the experience of what your child is playing and translates that experience back to you.  You and your child’s therapist then become a team and work on building continued connection and understanding between you and your child.  

Additionally, during weekly sessions, the therapist and child are working together to help the child better understand their emotions and learn how to support themselves when big feelings arise. Through the play therapy process your child will begin to feel fully seen and heard, and as a result they have the potential to transform their challenges into their greatest strengths and decrease their emotional outbursts.

At the Louisville Family Center we believe that the entire family is a crucial component to the therapeutic process.  Your therapist will not only be working with your child, they will be working with you as well.  As parents/guardians we can sometimes get so focused on the experience of our child that we forget to connect to what is happening for us.  During check-ins and longer sessions, caregivers have the opportunity to see the parent/child dynamic more clearly and build awareness of their own experience during times of stress at home and in the world.