In our Lewes-based consultation room, we provide expert-led child psychology assessments and therapy services for children, teenagers, and families in Sussex and the surrounding areas. These assessments are thoughtfully designed for us to get a clear understanding of your child’s emotional, behavioural and developmental needs.
The assessment phase
At Child Psychology Sussex, we can use a variety of evidence-based rating scales and questionnaires to assess the concerns you, your child or teenager has raised with us. This may include assessing their self-esteem and confidence, levels of anxiety and depression, their emotional resilience and support networks, and their executive functioning. This evaluation may be enhanced by information provided by parents or carers, by observations made at home or school, alongside discussions with education staff or other relevant professionals.
We may not need a formal assessment, and, perhaps after 1 or 2 meetings, we can arrive at a shared understanding about what caused the stress or difficulties, and what maintains it.
This big picture view allows us to tailor a support plan that meets the individual needs of your child, and help you in helping them thrive at home, at school and socially. We will summarise our understanding of the situation and make recommendations about what sort of therapy, specific interventions and strategies may help, which we will discuss with you and your child.
Individual therapy for a child, teenager or young adult
Parents and carers are welcome to attend individual therapy sessions with their child or teenager, if this is thought helpful and has been agreed with them. Alternatively, parents and carers can attend a joint session with their child or teenager on a regular but infrequent basis, to ensure they are aware of important themes addressed in therapy and that they are best placed to help at home. Sometimes, the parent or carer may be seen on their own as a means to address the difficulties that the child experiences.
Confidentiality is important, and how this works will be clarified and agreed with all involved.
Therapy will include age-appropriate talking, with or without Vivi, our therapy cat, present. We may use a range of toys and art materials to help children, teenagers, and adults relax and feel at ease. We may also give you handouts with ideas and strategies to try out at home. We have a compassionate, supportive, non-judgmental approach to help children, teenagers, and families open up, increase their insight, and learn to identify their feelings and the dilemmas and challenges they encounter. We aim to help young people develop better self-expression and communication, problem-solving, and coping skills, whether by helping them manage their strong feelings of anxiety, self-doubt, low self-worth, or anger, or by assisting them with troublesome relationships and setbacks.
It may also be helpful to use EMDR, CRM, CBT or another specific therapy format, for example, to help the child, adolescent, or young adult process trauma, attachment disruptions, anxiety, or depression.
Our goal is to help young people thrive and succeed in all aspects of their lives, whether that’s at home, school, or within their community.
Parent guidance and family therapy
Supporting a child, teenager, or young adult through emotional and behavioural difficulties can be both rewarding and challenging and exhausting. As part of our therapeutic work, we offer parent support/guidance and family therapy to explore your child’s and family’s needs and experiences, to help strengthen mutual understanding and respect, improve communication and relations, and support lasting change.
The aim is not to judge or blame, but to understand the meaning driving certain behaviours, uncover strengths, build mutual understanding, and support more constructive ways of relating. The support is tailored sensitively to your family’s unique set-up, values, and culture.
Adoptive and foster families can face unique challenges, and that’s why we offer tailored services providing mental health support for children and families trying to navigate the complexities of adoption and foster care. Please see the dedicated page on therapy and support for children in care and adoptive families for more information.
If you’re looking for parent/carer guidance or family therapy in Brighton or the Sussex area, or professional mental health support for children and families, then get in touch to arrange an initial consultation or learn more about our therapy services.