Children M.A.(Clinical Social Work) The unhappy child What is - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Anxiety and Depression in Children

by Paula Hildebrand

M.A.(Clinical Social Work)

The ‘unhappy’ child

❖ What is depression

from a child’s perspective?

❖ What is anxiety from a

child’s perspective?

❖ What makes a child’s

world work?

❖ What matters to a

child?

What is ‘wrong’?

❖ Anomie ❖ Socialisation ❖ Self ❖ Fear ❖ Lack of belief ❖ Digital era ❖ The relationship between anxiety and depression in

children

Psychosocial causes

❖ Social exclusion ❖ Parental separation and divorce ❖ Rise in lone parent households ❖ Less extended family support ❖ Racial discrimination ❖ Child abuse

❖ Increase in alcohol and substance abuse ❖ Widening of the gap between the rich and the

poor

❖ Genetic predisposition ❖ Parental mental illness ❖ Domestic violence ❖ Crime

What is ‘right’ and ‘healthy’?

❖ WHO describes health as a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

❖ It is the extent to which an individual or group

is able to realise aspirations, meet needs, and to change or cope with their environment.

A healthy child needs…

❖ Physical needs to be

met

❖ Secure relational

attachments

❖ Freedom to play

• utside

❖ Community ❖ Good feel-goods ❖ Stimulated learning ❖ To be loved

“Psychological well-being is as important for childhood development as physical nourishment”

• John Bowlby

Attachment

❖ Security of Attachment ❖ Trust ❖ Belonging and Acceptance ❖ Availability of responsive and sensitive

carers

❖ Opportunities and freedom for

expression through play, learning and relationships

❖ Social bonding

Resilience

❖ Why some children aren’t depressed? ❖ Understanding pain and discomfort ❖ Life management skills ❖ Problem solving skills ❖ Socialisation ❖ I am, I can, and I have

Treatment

❖ To medicate or not to medicate ❖ What do we treat first, anxiety or depression? ❖ Hopeless, Helpless and Hiding ❖ Client centred ❖ Work as a team around the child - village

Approaches

❖ Cognitive Behavioural Therapy ❖ Small children ❖ Play Therapy: Gestalt; Non-direct and Direct ❖ Adolescents: ❖ Dialectical Behavioural Therapy; Inter-

relational Therapy ; Talk; Narrative Therapy

My approach…

I trust I belong I’m resilient

I’ve self esteem

Therapy with the child

❖ Create a ‘safe place’ ❖ Build trust and acceptance ❖ Validation of emotions ❖ Teach social skills ❖ Encourage containment ❖ Develop self identity and worth

Therapy with the family

❖ Emotionally support ❖ Empower with knowledge ❖ Normalising ❖ Boundaries ❖ Parenting skills ❖ Siblings

Others, e.g. teacher..

❖ Confidentiality ❖ Share to empower and manage ❖ Share to gain insight ❖ Collective observations ❖ Shared responsibility

Some areas of growth

❖ Learn to manage fears not eliminate

them

❖ To develop tolerance for fear/pain

/discomfort

❖ Not to avoid stressors ❖ To value emotions ❖ To grow as a social being ❖ To learn how to have fun ❖ “I am strong”

Tools

❖ ‘Brave’ and ‘Scared’

❖ Mountain climber ❖ Balloon of fear ❖ Lego blocks - break it

up

❖ Fuzzy in the cupboard ❖ Heart with many

colours

❖ The big door ❖ Statues ❖ Ronnie ❖ Use of animals ❖ Worry web ❖ Dart board of

friendship

• Hold. Hope.

Help