Dr Liz Fletcher, MA, DPsychPsych
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist
"Play is the child's symbolic language of self-expression and can reveal what the child has experienced, reactions to what was experienced, feelings about what was experienced, what the child wishes, wants, or needs, and the child's perception of self."
Garry L. Landreth
Children under 5 may present with a range of difficulties including:
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Relationship difficulties with siblings, parents and peers
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Temper tantrums/aggression
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Hyperactivity
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Anxiety including separation anxiety
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Problems with eating
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Problems with sleeping
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Toilet training issues
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Language or developmental delay
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Developmental disorders such as Autism, learning difficulties and ADHD.
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Emotional distress resulting from trauma or abuse.
Approach with Under 5's
Children aged under 5 often have difficulties that can be resolved within the context of the family. This may involve parent work where parents are supported to take a therapeutic approach to parenting or family work with both parents and their child. When difficulties are more pronounced, children under 5 may benefit from individual psychotherapy.
Children Under 5
Children Aged 5-12
Children aged 5-12 may have difficulties in the following areas:
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Family relationships, e.g. challenging behaviour, sibling rivalry, attachment difficulties.
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Emotional/behavioural difficulties as a result of adverse life experiences, e.g. bereavement, parental separation/divorce, trauma, abuse, racism.
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Peer relationships e.g. difficulty making friends and bullying.
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Difficulties at school, e.g. concentration, learning difficulties, school refusal, challenging behaviour.
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Anxiety, including separation anxiety and somatisation (physical symptoms that do not have a medical condition underlying them).
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Developmental disorders e.g. Autism, ADHD.
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Low mood/childhood depression.
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Eating disorders and eating difficulties.
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Issues relating to identity formation including gender identity and sexuality.
Approach with Children
Following an initial consultation (where information is gathered about the presenting concerns and a developmental history is taken), an Assessment for Psychotherapy is carried out with the child. This consists of 3 individual psychotherapy sessions, followed by a review meeting with parents to feedback themes from the assessment and my recommendation of whether the child would benefit from weekly psychotherapy sessions.
