- Does your child seem shy or timid?
- Has the teacher expressed concern about social skills?
- Do they prefer the company of younger children instead of their peers?
- Are you concerned about your child’s level of maturity or how they interact with other children?
- Does your son or daughter have problems making or maintaining friendships?
Social interactions are complex.
Interactions in childhood are much more complicated than they were 20 years ago. With cell phones, the internet, club teams, etc., the pressure on children to connect and develop relationships is much greater than their growth and development allow.
How a child develops and maintains friendships are related to their emotional health, development, social environment, and other factors. It is difficult to watch your child express sadness and hurt at being left out as a parent. The longer they experience these problems, the more severe they are, and the more damage they can cause your child.
You can’t get this time back. The sooner we can intervene and help a child learn to identify and appropriately express their needs, the fewer days they will miss out on.
We listen to children and understand their world.
At Psych Associates, our counselors take the time to listen to you and your child. We understand what they are going through and partner with each child to help them learn the skills to manage the complex relationships and situations they navigate daily.
If you are ready to help your child develop to their whole social self, call Psych Associates at 417-414-0333 or schedule your appointment online.
Some common challenges include shyness or social anxiety, trouble initiating or maintaining conversation, difficulty reading social cues, feeling “left out” at school or in extracurriculars, being hesitant to try new social situations, or struggling with rejection. Therapy helps uncover which issues are most relevant for your child and create strategies tailored to their strengths and local context.
If your child has persistent difficulty making friends—over several months—and this is impacting school attendance, self-esteem, mood, or causing distress, it’s a good sign to seek help. Also, if the child avoids all social settings, frequently expresses loneliness, or if you notice withdrawn behavior that seems more serious than typical peer challenges, therapy can be beneficial.
Effective techniques include social skills training (practicing greetings, conversation starters, listening skills), role-playing real-life scenarios, emotion regulation (learning to handle frustration, embarrassment, or rejection), family involvement (parent coaching), and exposure to social settings in manageable steps. Using these in Springfield means also considering local school situations, peer activities, and cultural norms.
Absolutely. Teens often face peer group dynamics, social media pressures, identity concerns, and more nuanced relational issues. Therapy for them may focus more on assertiveness, building deeper connections, handling peer rejection, balancing social media vs in-person friendships, and navigating transitions (changing schools, moving, etc.). Approaches are adapted to be age-appropriate and relevant to Springfield’s teen community.