Psychotherapy is often touted as one of the methods for treating ADHD.
How do you know if this type of treatment is right for your child?

What Is Psychotherapy?

Psychotherapy works to create changes in someone's life through
communication. Psychotherapy can be helpful to someone having
difficulties with either emotions or behaviors. Psychotherapists use
mostly talk therapy when working with adults. With children, however,
additional methods, such as play therapy, pretending, or drawing and
art therapy may be used to help improve communication and discuss
feelings.

Therapy may help children and adolescents in several ways:

• Conflict resolution
• Receiving emotional support
• Finding new solutions to problems
• Improving relationships
• Improving self esteem
• Understanding problems
• Changing behaviors
• Learning relaxation techniques
• Improving social skills

Therapy should be specific to your child's and your family's needs.
Therapy can be individual, with only your child attending therapy. Or
it can also include family counseling, with parent training classes,
conflict resolution and an emphasis on learning to accept one another
and work together. Therapy can also be offered for individuals or in a
group. The type of therapy you choose must be based on your individual
needs.

Different Psychological Approaches

When treating a child with ADHD, psychologists can serve different
purposes. Some of the approaches a psychologist may use:

Emotional Support

Sometimes therapy does not specifically address the core symptoms of
ADHD (inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness) but rather works
to help a child or adolescent deal with emotional difficulties that
may happen because of these symptoms. Feelings of helplessness or
incompetency can lead to low self-esteem. Psychologists can help
individuals deal with the emotions that occur as a result of ADHD
symptoms.

Behavioral Therapy

One of the core treatments for children and adolescents with ADHD is a
behavior modification program. Psychologists can work with children to
target a specific behavior, develop strategies to help create more
positive behaviors and monitor progress on a regular basis.
Psychologists will normally choose one or two behaviors to work on at
a time and may work with parents as well to come up with discipline
procedures for home to help create a more positive environment.

Social Skills Training

Children with ADHD frequently have trouble with social skills, not
understanding personal boundaries, interrupting others or monopolizing
conversations. Difficulties with making or keeping friends can cause a
child to feel worthless. Psychologists can work with children in
developing healthy, positive social skills.

Anger Management

Some children with ADHD are prone to emotional outbursts and may have
a low tolerance for frustration. Psychologists can work with children
to develop specific strategies to help them better cope with
disappointment or frustration.

Parent Training

Sometimes the psychologist will work directly with the parent in
developing behavioral programs to be implemented in the home. These