Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy focuses on the treatment of children and adolescents who are experiencing psychological, emotional or developmental difficulties. These difficulties can be communicated in a change of behaviour in the child/adolescent which may be ongoing over a period of time. In an adolescent, some of these behaviours may include school refusal, anxiety, anger/aggression, defiance, depression, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse.

The psychoanalytic process involves an assessment by the psychotherapist which includes meeting the parents/guardians at the beginning and, then setting up 5/6 appointments with the child/adolescent in order to form a diagnosis. Parents/guardians are met again and the adolescent is also invited to this meeting – some prefer not to attend.

Then the weekly sessions continue until there is a resolution of the presenting difficulty. A link is kept with parents as necessary while the therapy is in progress. All therapy sessions are of fifty minutes duration.