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Children & Adolescents with Emotional & Behavioural Problems
I work with parents and schools to establish the source of emotional and behavioural problems of children and adolescents. I then guide the parents, teachers and the child/adolescent to make changes that address the needs of the child/adolescent. In this way their emotional health can be restored and they no longer need to act their problems out as they learn how to tackle them with appropriate new skills and understanding.
Children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural problems at home and/or school need help. They are signs that something is wrong in their lives and until the problem is addressed their emotional health will suffer and they will continue to ‘act out’. It is our responsibility as parents to do the detective work and help our children get to the root of their problems so that the balance in their lives can be redressed.
I carry out observational work in schools (unbeknownst to the pupil) in lessons and at break times to witness first-hand the behaviours in question. I liaise with parents and all relevant teaching staff to build an accurate picture and context for the problem behaviours so as to inform optimally effective interventions.
The presenting behavioural problems I am asked to address include:
- disruptive behaviours, e.g., interrupting lessons by talking, walking out of class, running away from school
- destructive behaviours, e.g., throwing chairs, punching/kicking walls, tearing up other’s class work
- aggressive behaviours, e.g., bullying, fighting with peers, self-harming, swearing at peers/teachers, racist comments
- oppositional behaviours, g., refusing to co-operate with teachers, breaking school rules, lying
These behaviours can be borne out of a range of unresolved and/or undiagnosed issues relating to underlying problems including dyspraxia, dyslexia, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorders, attachment disorders, social deprivation, and family problems. My work with adults with anger management issues indicates that sometimes these issues have stemmed from unresolved childhood problems such as dyslexia, bullying, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and obesity. This is a strong motivator for me to work with young people so that they do not have to endure carrying unresolved issues through to adulthood.
