CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY IN CANTERBURY
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
Help and Support with the Psychological and Emotional needs of young people and their families in Canterbury and surrounding areas
Lisa McCafferty
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
Member of Association of Child Psychotherapists
LISA MCCAFFERTY
BA, PGCE, PG Dip, MSc, MChPsychPsych,
I am an experienced Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist who trained at the Tavistock clinic in London. For over 14 years, I have worked therapeutically with children, adolescents and their families in a variety of settings including the NHS, schools and in my own private practice.
I help children with a wide range of difficulties which may impact on their development, personal relationships and school life. These may include low mood, depression, anxiety, separation and attachment, behavioural concerns, withdrawal, gender identity, self-harm and eating disorders.
As a senior Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist in the NHS I have a wide range of experience treating young people aged between 0 to 18 years suffering from complex mental health difficulties.
My approach is flexible and creative, integrating Psychoanalytic knowledge of child development with therapeutic skill to help children, adolescents, parents and carers in understanding emotional difficulties.
I am a full member of the Association of Child Psychotherapist (MACP) and adhere to their ethical standards of practice. The ACP is registered with the Professional Standards Authority for health and social care. www.child psychotherapy.org.uk
CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPY
Child Psychotherapy aims to make sense of a child’s troubled thoughts or feelings, particularly when they are expressed in behaviour that causes distress to themselves and those around them.
A Psychotherapeutic approach is always tailored to the individual in an age appropriate way in order to make sense of how the young person is expressing their thoughts and feelings.
I offer both long term and short term psychotherapy as well as specialist assessments to help parents, carers or professionals in understanding a child's state of mind. I am experienced in treating children and young people with a range of difficulties including but not limited to:
Low mood or depression
Anxiety
Bereavement
Eating difficulties
Temper Tantrums
Behavioural concerns
Separation and Attachment difficulties
Self Harm
Intrusive thoughts
Complex developmental Trauma
I am committed to providing children with a safe, containing, therapeutic environment that allows for a space to make sense of their experiences and feelings which over time serves to relieve symptoms and allow the child to continue with their development.
Length and intensity of therapy depends on each child’s needs and will be discussed after initial consultation with parents and (usually three) assessment sessions with the child. Periodic meetings with parents are offered throughout therapy.
ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
A wide range of concerns bring adolescents to therapy, perhaps feelings of depression or anxiety, self harm and relationship difficulties.
Sometimes such feelings occur in the context of transition, for example starting at a new school or university but often the issues are more longstanding and require exploration. The therapeutic process aims to help understand and resolve difficulties by increasing awareness of underlying feelings, and beliefs and the way this influences their relationships and self esteem.
By feeling understood and developing a thoughtful relationship with their therapist, the young person can gain relief and find healthier ways of managing their difficulties.
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists like myself are qualified to work with young people up to the age of 25 years.
EATING DISORDERS
I have a specialism in working with adolescents suffering from eating disorders. I work in a developmentally informed way seeking to understand what might be underlying and driving the eating disorder. This approach aims to promote self-development, emotional expression and the toleration of emotional states in self and others.
In my experience long term psychotherapy provides a long lasting solution to this extremely serious mental health condition and aims to prevent the eating disorder becoming the established pattern of coping with unmanageable feelings. Psychotherapy works best once the immediate concerns around physical health are contained and held in local NHS services.
CONSULTATION WITH PARENTS AND CARERS
As a child psychotherapist I often meet with parents and carers without the child present to help them make sense of their child's difficulties.
I have considerable experience in helping parents and infants overcome significant difficulties around sleeping, feeding, separation anxiety, outbursts and tantrums.
Adolescence can be a confusing and challenging time for parents who are often concerned that they are losing touch with their child and at a loss of how to support them. My work with parents often opens up new ways of approaching difficulties so that parents feel more confident in helping their child negotiate the challenges of growing up.
