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Childhood Issues
Childhood and adolescence are the rich and challenging stages of development that prepare a person for adulthood in many fundamental ways. With so much going on for both young people and parents during these critical stages of development, it is common for problems to occur.
Examples of this include: persistent tantruming; attention and learning problems; social skills deficits; aggression and unacceptable behaviour; developmental delays; anxiety and extreme shyness; difficulty making friends; coping with the loss of a parent through separation or death; school adjustment difficulties; substance abuse; self-injury; depression; truancy; and bullying.
When childhood issues like the ones listed above persist, or create significant problems for individuals, schools and families, it may be time to consider working with a psychologist. Psychologists are trained to tailor-fit a systematic and evidence-based approach to young people, parents and families, to ensure the most suitable and positive outcome possible.
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One person's experience
Jess was a 15 year-old girl living with both parents and attending a private high school. Two years ago, mid-way through year 8, she began to intentionally hurt herself. She went to great lengths to hide this from her family and friends, and was careful never injure her body so severely that she required medical attention. One day her mother noticed scars on Jess’ her legs, and when she asked her about it, it became clear that Jess had been secretly living in great pain for a very long time.
Jess’ mum encouraged Jess to see a psychologist, since Jess found it so hard to open up to family and friends about her troubles. Through her work with Better Life Psychology, Jess explained that she had begun hurting herself as a way of coping with the intense emotional pressures of starting high school and entering adolescence. She shared that, with time, she had become increasingly reliant on hurting herself as a way of coping, and many parts of her life (such as her schooling and connections with friends) had suffered as she struggled with her emotions and behaviour.
With the help of a psychologist, Jess learned new ways of managing the social, physical, academic and emotional pressures she had been experiencing. Equipped with a robust set of skills, she now felt more prepared to tackle some of the challenges of high school and early adulthood to follow.
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