Did you know that the NSPCC use Solution Focused Therapy as their preferred therapy with children?

I specialise in anxiety support for children and teenagers and I am very proud to have been recognised in my working with Children and Young people by being awarded:

Best Children’s and Young People’s Mental Health Therapist in Devon 2022 by The Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards 2022

Supporting Your Child Starts with Supporting the Whole Family

One of the things that makes my approach different is that I don’t just work with your child, I work with your family too.

Many parents tell me they feel helpless, unsure what to say or worried that they might be making things worse. They want to help but don’t know how. I believe that parents and carers are an essential part of a child’s journey, which is why I involve you from the very beginning.

Before we even begin therapy, I spend time getting to know both you and your child. I listen to your concerns, help you understand what may be contributing to your child’s difficulties and provide practical advice and strategies that you can start using straight away. This means that positive change isn’t limited to our therapy sessions it continues at home, where your child needs it most.

While your child has a safe, confidential space to talk and develop new skills, you will also feel supported, informed and empowered. Together, we create a consistent approach so your child receives the same understanding and encouragement both in therapy and at home.

With over 20 years’ experience working in education, alongside my experience as a therapist and as a mum of three, I understand the challenges families face. I specialise in supporting children and young people experiencing anxiety, stress, overwhelm, low mood, low confidence, and many other emotional and mental health difficulties.

My goal isn’t simply to help your child feel better in the short term. It is to help your whole family understand what is happening, strengthen your confidence as a parent or carer, and equip everyone with the tools needed to support lasting emotional wellbeing.

Before I meet your child/young person we always start with a Parent Consultation whereby we can discuss your child from your perspective, I can explain how the mind works in relation to how/why they are feeling/behaving as they are and we can talk about the best way forward for them. We can also discuss strategies for you to support them at home and also how I support you through this journey.

Parents are requested to stay on site at all times, to either sit in the treatment area (in a separate room) or wait outside in the car, or if online to be present in the same building and to be seen on the screen before and after the session.

You are not alone.

Supporting a child or young person with their mental health can feel overwhelming at times, and it’s completely understandable to have questions, worries or moments where you are unsure of the best way forward.

That’s why I hold FREE monthly online Q&A sessions for parents and carers. These relaxed, supportive sessions provide an opportunity to join me live, ask questions, share concerns, and gain practical advice about your child’s emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Whether you’re looking for guidance on anxiety, low mood, confidence, school worries, friendships, behaviour, or simply want reassurance that you’re heading in the right direction, you’re very welcome to join. There is no judgement, just a safe, supportive space to learn, ask questions and feel more confident in supporting your child. Please see my Facebook page for dates or contact me using the ‘contact me’ forms for the next FREE session. 

Sometimes, having the opportunity to ask a question and hear that others are experiencing similar challenges can make all the difference.

I look forward to welcoming you to one of my sessions.

 

So, What is Solution Focused Therapy and how does it differ from traditional therapy?

I wanted to be able to offer a modality of talking therapy that I felt genuinely made a difference and could work effectively with children and young people.  After extensive research, I discovered Solution Focused Brief Therapy (also known as Solution Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT), an approach that focuses on strengths, resilience, and positive change. SFBT is also the only talking therapy used by the NSPCC.

With SFBT we are not at all problem focused or problem phobic. Your young person will always have the opportunity to talk about the reasons that brought them to seek support, as well as any difficulties or concerns that may arise throughout their journey.

Many children and young people may not fully understand why they feel the way they do, or may not feel comfortable talking in depth about their problems. SFBT recognises this and helps them to identify their inner strengths, build confidence and move towards the future they would like for themselves.

I am sure you are aware, that when asking a child or young person ‘why‘ they feel that way, their answer is mostly ‘I don’t know‘ ….and most often they really don’t know! This is not a problem at all as we will explore their best hopes for attending sessions to get an outcome to begin to work towards. 

Just because the problem may be big or has been present for a long time, doesn’t necessarily mean they they will be in therapy for a long time, in fact, very often, quite the reverse! With Solution Focused Therapy there will be less sessions and with a bigger time gap between session, thus saving you your precious time, and money, with each session being tailored to each individual. As I am sure you are aware, when working with children or young people, even with the best planning can go out the window, however, fortunately with my background in teaching I am adaptable to make the session bespoke. In fact, that is what I love about working with children, each session is completely authentic.

Early help for mental health is essential for children and young people and if you are at the point of just not knowing which way to turn, or where to get help, or are on a long waiting list with the very over stretched NHS, please do contact me, where we can arrange a time to have a chat to see how I could help.

I have included below a few reviews I have just been sent by kind parents.

 Parent review (Mum) 

I cannot thank Charlotte enough for the support she has given my teenage son. The trauma he experienced when he was younger has been laid to rest using Charlotte’s ‘Rewind technique’. He’s found the social aspect of life at school hard for many years but with Charlotte’s help he has started to see things differently and gradually built his confidence and self-esteem so he’s finally starting to see himself as the awesome young man we know he is. From the very beginning she really seemed to ‘get’ him. Only wish we’d heard about Charlotte sooner! She’s wonderful.  

Son Review 

I really appreciate Charlotte not only helping me with difficult experiences in my past, but also helping me become more confident in myself and be happier day to day even when things are difficult. She made the sessions easy because she was easy to talk to and I felt like she understood everything I was saying which no one before had really been able to do. Thank you