It is customary for us to go to a psychologist, like to a dentist, when it becomes impossible to endure anymore. We often hear from parents that the problem they have addressed has existed for several years. Why does this happen? The practice of turning to psychologists in our country exists relatively recently - a couple of decades. And here there are still more questions than clarity. What can a psychologist do? What problems do people come to him with? What happens at the reception? Where there is no clarity, myths appear. For example. Myth No. 1. Weak people go to psychologists. I am strong, I don’t need it. I can handle it myself. Admitting that there is a problem and taking action to fix it is a mature and courageous act. The weak are not capable of this. Myth No. 2. Sick people go to psychologists. I am healthy (my child is healthy). A psychologist is not a doctor. He only works with healthy people who are experiencing difficulties. A psychiatrist deals with mental illness. Myth No. 3: It will go away on its own. Maybe it will go away. But more often than not, the problem takes root, grows, or changes shape. For example, an aggressive child actually becomes calm and quiet. But... computer addicts. Myth No. 4. If my child needs a psychologist, then I am a “bad” parent, a “good” parent can cope on his own. This belief is not always conscious, often it is rooted in the subconscious. We tend to feel guilty for the child's problems and defend ourselves against it by denying the problem. But being good does not mean being perfect. It is impossible to be an ideal parent. And quite good. A good parent takes care of the child, doing everything IN HIS POWER! Taking your child to a specialist in a timely manner means taking care of him. It is worth showing the child to a psychologist in the following cases: - the child’s behavior has changed: he has become more withdrawn, lethargic, or restless; - nightmares have appeared; - phobias (fear of water, insects, certain places etc.); - the child began to show verbal or physical aggression towards peers or adults; - frequent tears, whims, hysterics that are difficult to stop; - the child is excluded from the circle of peers, he is a victim of ridicule and bullying; - in the absence developmental delays, the child began to study poorly; - the child has no initiative, lacks interest in games, studies, what is happening around him (this can manifest itself as depression); - plays computer games for a long time; - you became aware of cases of the child stealing money or things; - the child suffered violence. Even if there are no alarming symptoms now, remember - such trauma does not go away without a trace and causes heavy damage to the psyche! The sooner you seek help, the faster the situation will change. A problem that has existed for years will require much more time and effort to resolve. What happens at an appointment with a child psychologist? It all depends on what branch of psychology the specialist belongs to. Most often, art therapy, play therapy, or sand therapy are used for children. These methods are the most effective when working with children. Why? Because, firstly, for a child, play is the main way of learning and mastering the world. Including internal ones. Secondly, due to his age, it is difficult for a child to express in words what worries him; it is much easier for him to do this with the help of a symbol - a toy or a drawing. So, at the reception, the child plays and draws together with the psychologist. Why, when he does the same at home, does it not help? Because playing and drawing in a psychologist’s office is not an end in itself, it is a means of communication, a language that the little client speaks. A child psychologist speaks this language, so a game is not just a game, but a dialogue. A child, through play and creativity, shares his experiences and talks about what is happening to him. The psychologist helps him find a resource within himself and build other behavior patterns. But the child’s main resource is his parents. Changes are brewing in the psychologist's office. The parent, following the recommendations of the specialist, supports and consolidates these changes. Therefore, the positive effect of therapy is the result of the efforts of three.