When you have a child in treatment for emotional or behavioral problems, it can be hard to know when it’s time to stop. What role should parents, the therapist and the child have in reaching that decision? And how can you ensure that the ending will be a positive experience for the child?
In general, our experts say, it’s time to wind down therapy when your treatment goals have been met. That could mean, say, getting the child back in school, reducing symptoms of anxiety or depression, or seeing fewer tantrums. On the other hand, if treatment isn’t working — if the child hasn’t made progress — it may be time to change course and consider a different approach. (See Ending Therapy When It’s Not Working. And for tips on how to take children off medication safely, see How to Take Kids Off Medication.)
This article was originally posted on childmind.org, written by Caroline Miller. To view the article in its entirety, click here.