Cognitive Therapy for Children

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychological treatment that helps children and adolescents experiencing anxiety disorders, depression, Obsessional Comulsive Disorder (OCD) or trauma (PTSD). It is also used as part of effective parenting programmes.

You will find on this website articles for parents and professionals about CBT .

We have also included many articles on parenting skills (scroll down or click on our tags).

You can also find reviews of useful books and DVDs resources that will help you as a parent or professional working with children and adolescents.

Review

…a wonderful reference to parents, adult children, and frankly anyone. This was an absolute treat to read! — Lisa Uhl, MSN, Occupational Health Case Mgr, Mother of 3If I had a magic wand, I would give this book to every parent. It is a must-read! — John Lee, bestselling author of the Flying Boy and Growing Yourself Back UpScreamFree Parenting could enlighten many, stir a little positive karma into things, and turn lives around. — Mark James, MDThe priceless suggestions, reflective questions, and true stories set apart Runkel’s alluring, fascinating book…a fantastic endeavor… — From BookWire Review May, 2005
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“The book gives many principles for overcoming anxiety and to start a new path of connection with your kids. It includes thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter.” —Parents

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There are several subgroups of Anxiety Disorders, with different causes and treatment.

Anxiety disorders are a serious social and financial concern to American business, since they cost the country more than $42 billion a year in healthcare costs and lost productivity, according to “The Economic Burden of Anxiety Disorders,” a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

More than $22.84 billion is spent on healthcare services, as those with anxiety disorders seek relief for emotional distress and physical symptoms.

Sufferers are 300 to 500 percent more likely to go to the doctor and 600 percent more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers.

Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illness and affect both children and adults.

They develop from an interaction of numerous risk factors, including personality, genetics, brain chemistry, and life stress. Approximately 19 million adult Americans suffer from anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, yet only about one-third of those suffering from them receive treatment.

The main feature of Generalized Anxiety Disorder is excessive, unrealistic and uncontrollable worry about everyday events.

This constant worry affects daily functioning and brings physical symptoms. GAD can occur with other anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, or substance abuse.

It can be misdiagnosed because it lacks some of the dramatic symptoms, such as unprovoked attacks of panic, that are seen with other anxiety disorders. For a diagnosis to be made, uncontrollable worrying occur more days than not for at least 6 months.

The focus of GAD is fluid, shifting unpredictably from job issues, finances, health of both self and family, and smaller issues such as chores, car repairs and being late for appointments.

The intensity, duration and frequency of the worry are disproportionate to the issue and interferes with the sufferer’s daily life. Physical symptoms can include muscle tension, sweating, gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and/or nausea, cold and clammy palms, the feeling of having a “lump in the throat” and difficulty swallowing.

Sufferers are irritable and complain about feeling on edge, tire easily tired and have trouble sleeping.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) that reflect exaggerated anxiety or fears; typical obsessions include worry about being contaminated or fears of behaving improperly or acting violently.

The obsessions may cause the individual to perform a rituals or routines to relieve the anxiety, such as excessive handwashing, checking appliances, repeating phrases or hoarding.

People with Panic Disorder suffer severe acute attacks of panic for no apparant reason, which may mimic the symptoms of a heart attack or cause them to feel they are losing their minds.

Symptoms include heart palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, sweating, trembling, tingling sensations, feeling of choking, fear of dying, fear of losing control, and feelings of unreality.

Panic disorder is often accompanied by agoraphobia, in which people are afraid of having a panic attack in a public place, so they become afraid to leave the safety of their controlled home environment.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder can follow a traumatic event such as a sexual or physical assault, witnessing a death, the unexpected death of a loved one, or natural disaster.

There are three main symptoms associated with PTSD: “reliving” of the traumatic event (such as flashbacks and nightmares); avoidance behaviors (such as avoiding places and other reminders related to the trauma) and emotional numbing (detachment from others); and physiological arousal such difficulty sleeping, irritability or poor concentration.

Social Anxiety Disorder is characterized by severe anxiety about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might bring ridicule or embarrassment. This intense anxiety may lead to extreme shyness and avoidance of social situations.

Physical symptoms associated with this disorder include faintness, heart palpitations, blushing and profuse sweating.

Anxiety disorders also include Specific Phobias, an intense and unreasonable fear of specific objects or situations, such as spiders, dogs, or heights.

The disproportionate level of fear is recognized by the sufferer as being irrational. It can lead to the avoidance of common, everyday situations.

Patients often have more than one anxiety disorder, and sometimes other illness as well such as depression or substance abuse.
Treatment of anxiety disorders includes support groups, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, anxiety management and relaxation techniques, and psychotherapy.

Drugs therapy used to treat anxiety disorders includes benzodiazepines, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and beta-blockers.

Often a combination of the two therapies is more useful than one exclusively. Up to 90 percent of patients will show improvement of their symptom from medical treatment.

Bulimia – Bulimia involves a destructive cycle of bingeing and purging. Following an episode of out-of-control binge eating, people with bulimia take drastic steps to purge themselves of the extra calories. In order to avoid weight gain they vomit, exercise, fast, or take laxatives.

Symptoms of Bulimia

A physical exam may reveal signs of chronic binging and purging.

Dental cavities, loss of tooth enamel, enlarged salivary glands, and scars on the knuckles may be present as a result of chronic self-induced vomiting.

Signs of malnutrition or dehydration may be present including dry skin, changes in the hair and nails, swelling of the lower legs and feet, or loss of sensation in the hands or feet.

What Causes Bulimia?

There are several different theories about what is involved in the development of bulimia. Bulimia may have a hereditary component, and some experts believe that a family environment with an overemphasis on achievement may be another contributing factor. The role of sexual abuse in the development of bulimia is controversial. Other psychological and environmental factors may be involved — these may include mood disorders and substance abuse in families of people with bulimia. Individuals with bulimia may also experience depression, self-mutilation, substance abuse, and obsessive-compulsive behavior. Cultural pressures to appear slender contribute to the disorder, particularly among dancers and athletes.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder most commonly known for the binging and purging actions of the sufferer. Bulimics will go on eating binges, where they eat uncontrollably for a short period of time, and then will induce vomiting in hopes of compensating for the calorie intake and prevent weight gain.

Not all bulimics, however, induce vomiting. There is a second kind of bulimia, where the sufferer employs other behaviors, including fasting and extreme exercise. The sufferers of bulimia nervosa usually maintain average or above average weights, so they may be difficult to recognize.

Bulimia Self Care at Home

As part of a support circle for a person with bulimia, you can be of help at home by monitoring the person’s behavior and helping them maintain a reasonable eating pattern. Offer support and encouragement to help the person get and stay in treatment. You can also ensure that the person keeps appointments with doctors and other therapists.

Fortunately, treatment is available for eating disorders. The most common element surrounding Eating Disorders is the inherent presence of a low self-esteem. Thus treatment consists of Counseling, treating physical problem, Psychotherapy. The goal of mental health treatment is to provide a support system and end the isolation and shame commonly felt by patients

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

1. It involves changing responses to stressful situations, and learning to cope with situation rather than use food as a first resort.

2. Helps in changing self-perception about body shape and weight.

Interpersonal psychotherapy

Therapeutical treatment for eating disorders is just one of many treatments available, fast diet however this treatment does not suit everyone so it is recommended to seek advise from a professional It is very difficult to know what to do if you have teenagers who are constantly trying to lose weight and dieting. Bulimic! You can get free advise from a professional dietician or physician if you or your teenage children are losing weight drastically – mesentery

If there were one disease caused by biological factors that is very hard to deal with, it would be depression. Depression or the condition of feeling sad or despondentcharacterized by an inability to concentrate, insomnia, and feelings of extreme sadness, dejection, melancholy, and hopelessnessis one of the visible symptoms of menopause especially for women.
Caused by the dropping of serotonina hormone in the brain that regulates a person’s moodlevels, depression has been linked to menopause because it has been observed that women who are on the verge of this phase experience intense mood fluctuations and severe episodes of sadness and confusion.
Experts say that depression is normal for menopausal women but it should be addressed properly so it wouldn’t lead to more serious health, emotional, and behavioral problems.
UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION DURING MENOPAUSE
Studies show that 8 to 15 percent of menopausal women experience depression. Experts say that the end of menstruation or menopause triggers episodes of depression and sadness in most women because of drastic hormonal changes that are left unsettled or not addressed.
Various researches prove that women who have a history of mood disorders, those who have been depressed beforeespecially during 20s, those who have underwent surgical or operational procedures, those who are smoking, dealing with so many children, or those who have work that causes a lot of stress are more likely to develop depression during menopause.
Symptoms of depression during menopause include sleeping disorders, hot flushes, loss of energy or fatigue, irritability, anxiety, excessive feeling of guilt or worthlessness, difficulty in concentrating or confusion, decreased interest or pleasure in activities, drastic change in appetite, and two or more weeks of depressed mood that may lead to extreme restlessness and suicidal tendencies.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Although depression is a natural occurrence during menopausal years, experts say that this should not be neglected because it can lead to more episodes of fluctuating moods and physical implications.
Although it is hard to deal with because it involves emotional and hormonal factors, medical authorities agree that depression is treatable when addressed properly. Here are some suggestions and treatment options that can help you cope up with depression during menopause:
1. Consider depression treatments and medications. Seeking help if you are suffering from depression during menopausal years is the first step in curing the “disease.” Today, there are actually many effective and well-tolerated medications available depending on your need. Being an essential part of treating depression, antidepressant medications such as Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) help to increase the amount of serotonin in the brain.
Aside from antidepressants, therapies such as Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Estrogen Therapy can help in especially in early menopausal stages. Before taking in any of these, make sure that you have consulted your physician first so you can discuss the risks and benefits of such treatments and medications. Psychotherapy is also one effective way to combat menopausal depression.
With the help of trained social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists, you can learn how to cope up with the negative feelings over menopausal years. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT that teaches better ways of thinking and behaving and Interpersonal Therapy or IPT that helps the person communicate more effectively are available for you.
2. Schedule for a physical examination. As women grown older, physical changes emerge that lead to physical health problems. Getting a thorough physical examination is one way to know if you are about to experience any physical ailments caused by depressive symptoms.
3. Try out alternative medicines, herbal therapies or remedies, and dietary supplements. Organic and herbal medications have grown popular the years for its healing properties. Today, the most popular herb used to cure depression is St John’s Wort because it can help reduce effects of estrogen fluctuations.
Although many people attest to its effects, there have been no scientific studies that support the effectivity and safety of this alternative medicine. Before trying any of these herbal or organic products, make sure you inform your physician so further damage can be avoided especially if you are under any monitored medication.
4. Engage in physical activities or regular exercise. Experts agree that exercise helps treat depression by releasing your body’s mood-elevating hormones that leads to a feeling of accomplishment and enhanced self-esteem.
5. Start changing your diet. Dietary changes like eating a well balanced diet and regularly scheduled meals are known to help a lot in managing depression.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. If you have OCD, you have repeated, upsetting thoughts called obsessions. You do the same thing over and over again to try to make the thoughts go away. Those repeated actions are called compulsions.
Obsessions seen in OCD vary widely from person to person. Some examples of common OCD obsessions are:
~ exaggerated fears of contamination/germs from contact with people or everyday items
~ nagging doubts about having locked the windows or the doors to the home, car, or garage
~ excessive concerns about having turned off the stove, hair dryer, coffee pot, or other household appliances
~ overwhelming urges to arrange items in a particular order so that they are “just right”
~ fears of committing a harmful, violent, or immoral action
Other compulsions include washing your hands, counting, fear of being hurt, checking on things or cleaning. Untreated, OCD can take over your life. Researchers think brain circuits may not work properly in people who have OCD. It tends to run in families. The symptoms often begin in children or teens.
Science plays a great deal in how anxious you might feel. But in this case it is not biology but chemistry that can impact you. The amount of serotonin or adrenaline or any combination of hormones can determine how you act and react. Since the brain is the center of all the activity of the nervous system, whatever is released into it will produce a specific behavior. When certain chemicals are elevated, it causes the nervous system to go into a state of panic, and you will be extremely anxious and frazzled as a result. Because of these occurrences, there are a wide variety of counterproductive chemicals that have been created, and are prescribed to people with chronic anxiety issues.
What can be done?
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that focuses on patterns of thinking that are maladaptive and the beliefs that underlie such thinking. For example, a person who is depressed may have the belief, “I’m worthless,” and a person with a phobia may have the belief, “I am in danger.” While the person in distress likely holds such beliefs with great conviction, with a therapist’s help, the individual is encouraged to view such beliefs as hypotheses rather than facts and to test out such beliefs by running experiments. Furthermore, those in distress are encouraged to monitor and log thoughts that pop into their minds in order to enable them to determine what patterns of biases in thinking may exist and to develop more adaptive alternatives to their thoughts.
Many psychiatrists feel that the only effective treatment for OCD involves medication with psychiatric drugs like Clomipramine, Prozac or other SSRI’s (drugs which prevent the uptake of serotonin). While psychiatric drug therapy can often relieve the symptoms of OCD, there are associated risks of side effects as well as an effect on overall health. This often results in the individual having to take a variety of different prescription drugs, which is both expensive and not ideal from a health point of view.
It is important to realize that treatment with psychiatric drugs is not the only answer.
Many people are using aromatherapy – natures cure for anxiety and depression. Essential oils, the pure essence of a plant, have been found to provide both psychological and physical benefits. Essential oils that are inhaled into the lungs offer both psychological and physical benefits. Not only does the aroma of the natural essential oil stimulate the brain to trigger a reaction, but when inhaled into the lungs, the natural ingredients supply therapeutic benefit. Using lavender essential oil to help ease insomnia is a prominent example.

To establish precedence, allow me to say this: “We are all prone to panic attacks”.  What singles you out is the intensity with which you experience your own panic attack, as it mostly would vary from how I might experience mine. However way we might experience these attacks, it does not become acute panic attacks until it radically alters the way we go about our day to day activities. Even though we all encounter situations that make us afraid and gets our hearts pumping, acute panic attack is different in that its source is not logically apparent – this is what makes it worse than normal panic in comparison! For example, in the case of normal panic, our heart beat goes back to its normal rate (once the cause of its increased rate has been identified and dealt with), whereas because there is no readily apparent reason for the fear we experience in the case of acute panic attack, that irrational fear remains with us. This is the condition that has come to be called acute panic attack.The good news is that, while acute panic attack is a critical condition, there exist quite a number of cures for it. Just bear in mind that what works for me may not necessary be what works for you even though you will be hard pressed not to find a cure for your acute panic attack from the top 10 most effective cures for acute panic attack which I have enumerated below.1. A very effective way to cure your acute panic attack is through psychotherapy. This will help you drastically minimize the power of the symptoms while also curing the ailment as well. 2. If 100,000 people try a method and say it works, will you believe them? Well, it’s worth considering. After trying The Linden Method, over one hundred thousand people say they have benefited from this effective method. 3. Sertraline, Paroxetine and Clonazepam are acute panic disorder drugs that have been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration. 4. Recently promoted as the best ebook to hit the digital bookshelves is Panic Away, an ebook by bestselling author Joe Barry. Joe Barry uses the One Move Technique™ to show you step-by-step how you can eradicate your acute panic attacks beginning today! As a previous sufferer of panic attack himself, Joe Barry writes from the vantage point of one who feels your pain. 5. Is time a factor in your life? Well, fret no more because Mark Pasay has come out with his radically effective “Ease Out of Fear” – Handling your acute panic attacks just became “faster” as Ease Out of Fear shows you how to do so by spending just three minutes only every day.6. Lucinda Bassett’s Attacking Anxiety and Depression is another program worthy of noting. A complete guide on coping acute with acute panic attacks, this program contains exhaustive materials which include: a 250 page book, 3 DVDs, 16 audio cassettes, and 16 ready reference. 7. The most generally accepted and employed treatment for acute panic attacks is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Where acute panic attack therapy is concerned, it ranks amongst the best of the best. This is most widely accepted and used treatment for acute panic attacks. 8. One of the leading clinical psychologists for Native Remedies is the developer of Pure Calm, a natural drug remedy for acute panic attacks having no negative harmful side effects and also useable by both adults and children.9. Holo Think employs audio tracks that help relax your brain using binaural beats. These meditational sound tracks help you cope with your acute panic attacks.10. Jon Mercer who is also a former sufferer of acute panic attack has developed a system for tackling the condition which he calls The Easy Calm. The Easy Calm is a 10 part video series which you can easily download to your computer.

Panic attacks are common to us all.  What is different is the degree of these attacks, as it is different from one person to the next. Nevertheless, panic attack becomes “acute” when our normal day-to-day living is affected drastically by this condition. Although it is natural for everyone of us to experience overwhelming feelings of panic and anxiety when we are confronted with threatening situations, acute panic attacks are made worse by the fact that no obvious reason can be pointed to as the cause for its occurrence!  Naturally, after the incidence that caused our initial fear passes, so does our fear but with acute panic attack, there is no reprieve because there was no rational cause for the acute panic in the first instance.On the other hand, there exists “light at the end of the tunnel” for sufferers of acute panic attacks as there are quite a number of treatments that are available for acute panic attacks. All we need to know about these treatments are that their results vary from person-to-person, therefore what may work for one, may not necessary work for the other. Below you will find the top 10 most effective acute panic attacks cure, just be sure to allow yourself adequate time in which to realistically respond to these treatments – before you begin to panic!1. The intensity of your acute panic attack can be minimized by psychotherapy. Psychotherapy also clears the disorder as well.2. The Panic Away eBook: Developed by Joe Barry, this ebook teaches you how to employ the One Move Technique™ which helps you learn to work with your acute panic attack. One Move Technique™ was developed by Joe Barry who was an acute panic attacks sufferer himself.3. One of the best cures for acute panic attacks is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It is also arguably the most widely accepted remedies for acute panic attacks.4. Also worthy of mention are the drugs for acute panic disorder (Sertraline, Paroxetine and Clonazepam) approved by the Food and Drug Administration. 5. Ease Out of Fear: Developed by Mark Pasay, this system shows you how you can manage your acute panic attacks by investing three minutes only daily.6. You can also download Jon Mercer’s 10 part video series – downloadable onto your hard drive – called The Easy Calm. For a long while Jon Mercer experienced acute panic attacks and as a result, he has developed The Easy Calm, a very potent system, to assist people who are currently suffering from the same condition.7. Another guide that reveals how you can cope with your acute panic attacks is Lucinda Bassett’s Attacking Anxiety and Depression. This guide is complete and exhaustive,  containing 3 DVDs, 16 ready reference cards, 16 audio cassettes, and a 250 page book. 8. Another very effective program worth trying out is The Linden Method – Its effectiveness has been attested to by over one hundred thousand people who claim to have benefited from its revealed system. 9. If you are into music, you might want to check out Holo Think. Holo Think is a compilation of sounds that are meditative in nature. These sound tracks helps to calm your brain through the use of binaural beats which helps you cope with acute panic attack.10. Pure Calm – Is a natural acute panic attack cure which also doesn’t have any harmful side effects thereby making it a potential remedy or both adults and children. It was developed by one of the leading clinical psychologists for Native Remedies.

Depression is a medical condition that leads to intense feelings of sadness or despair. These feelings do not go away by themselves. They are not necessarily related to a particular life event.Causes of DepressionDepression is an extremely complex disease. It occurs for a variety of reasons. Some people experience depression during a serious medical illness. Others may have depression with life changes such as a move or the death of a loved one. Still others have a family history of depression. Those who do may experience depression and feel overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness for no known reason.Some types of depression do seem to run in families, suggesting a biological vulnerability. This seems to be the case with bipolar depression and, to a lesser degree, severe major depression. Studies of families, in which members of each generation develop bipolar disorder, found that those with bipolar disorder have a somewhat different genetic makeup than those who are not diagnosedEnvironment. Environment is also thought to play a causal role in some way. Environmental causes are situations in your life that are difficult to cope with, such as the loss of a loved one, financial problems and high stress.Chronic stressors, such as living in poverty, having family difficulties, or having serious medical problems or living with someone who does. Older adults who move from an independent lifestyle to one that is more dependent upon others often experience depression.Physical or chemical – depression is caused by changes in levels of chemicals in the brain. For example, your mood can change as hormone levels go up and down. This is often seen in women as it is associated with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and the menopause.Depression SymptomsSignificant changes in weight when not attempting to gain or lose (a gain or loss of 5% or more in a month) may be indicative of depression. In children, this may also present as a failure to make expected weight gains. Many people with depression don’t have the typical symptoms. Learn about the causes and treatment of atypical depression, with symptoms that include weight gain, sleeping too much, and feeling anxious.Postpartum Depression Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).How is it treated?Severe depression is a complex illness that should be treated by professionals who are familiar with all of its manifestations. A complete clinical evaluation will include a physical examination, a medical and psychiatric history, and a mental status examination.Electric Shock TreatmentElectric shock treatment, or ECT, for depression is used for severe depression or when depression medicines fail to work. Find out more about ECT and who might benefit most.Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), problem-solving therapy, and counselling, are examples of talking treatments. You normally have a fixed number of sessions – usually 6-8 sessions over 10-12 weeks. Some GP practices have counsellors specifically to help patients with depression.