How much does it cost to consult a psychologist for children

Most of us associate childhood with carefree fun and play. Of course, sometimes a child does not want to go to school, or sometimes he is just not in the mood and is more capricious than usual. But overall, it's a happy time without deprivation. But if a child becomes withdrawn or especially violent? In this case, parents should seek counseling from a psychologist. But how to find a good psychologist and how much do his services cost? Let's find out in this article.

The cost of consulting a child psychologist in Russia

The cost of consulting a child psychologist can vary significantly depending on different factors and their combination. For example, the price is influenced by:

• In-person counseling or online counseling;
• the region in which you live;
• the qualifications of the specialist;
• the demand for a particular specialist;
• the complexity of the case you are seeing a psychologist with.

Here we look at the average price for the first visit to a child psychologist in Russia when applying online and in person in different regions of the country.

Do not forget that this is only an indicative cost, more precise prices will depend on the specific specialist, and the issue with which you want to address it.

When do I need to see a child therapist?

A parent's divorce, the loss of a guardian, or problems at school - the reasons for negative behavioral changes in children are varied. But the reason for a visit to a psychologist can be not only a strong shock, but also other difficulties. 

For example, a problem with concentration or problems with regulating emotions such as intense anger, fear or sadness may be a reason to see a therapist.

If you see that your child's behavioral problems do not go away, but rather worsen over time, or if your child has experienced severe stress, this is a reason to see a specialist. 

But sometimes parents are not sure if they can handle the problem on their own or if professional support is needed. 

Please see examples of situations and complaints that need to be addressed to a psychologist: 

• incipient disturbances in the relationship between the infant and the parents;
• difficulty falling asleep and waking up in a child;
• developmental delay;
• children are not coping with age-appropriate pacing;
• children cannot survive the separation from their parents in kindergarten and school.
• speech disorders, such as stuttering
• Lack of concentration, learning disabilities, severe motor agitation
• Contact and relationship disorders;
• Eating disorders (anorexia, vomiting, and overeating)
• Unsocial behavior such as stealing, running away, skipping school, aggression.

How does the first session at the child psychologist go? What to start with?

When parents decide that their children need psychotherapeutic support they usually start by finding the right psychologist. The following factors are worth considering when choosing a psychologist:

• education and qualifications of the specialist;
• work experience;
• cost of admission;
• convenient location or the ability to get a consultation online;
• job reviews;
• The presence of the psychologist's own children

When the psychologist is chosen, you should contact him/her and briefly explain your situation. It is worth discussing with the psychologist whether your daughter/son should be present at the first meeting or whether you will go to the meeting without your child. It depends on the individual case, and also on the age of your child.

At the initial consultation you will calmly describe the reasons that prompted you to seek therapeutic help for your child, talk about your child and ask any questions you may have. The psychologist, in turn, will also ask you additional questions and in the course of the conversation will be able to assess how he can be helpful in your situation. 

Sometimes it turns out that it is not the child who needs therapy in the first place. Rather, parental counseling, family therapy, or individual therapy for one of the parents may be necessary.

How many sessions with a child psychologist are required 

If your daughter/son did not attend the first interview, the next meeting should take place with him. The psychologist will see how your child perceives his/her situation, feelings and problems.

Psychotherapy can only be successful if the child trusts the psychologist and is willing to accept his help. Together with you and your child, the specialist will look at the goals to be achieved through therapy, if necessary, and estimate how many sessions are likely to be needed to achieve these goals. He will also tell you how often psychotherapy sessions with you and your child would be optimal.

Sometimes young children need a little more time in the first therapy sessions to break away from the caregiver who brought them to the practice and to reach a new, as yet unfamiliar situation. The mother/father then stays in the room for as long as the child needs. 

Collaboration with parents plays an important role in psychotherapy with children. This is why the exchange between you as parents and the psychologist is as much a part of the treatment of your child as it is a joint conversation with you and your daughter/son.

It is practically impossible to say in advance how many sessions with a psychologist you will need and how often they should be held. Everything is very individual. Sometimes it only takes a few sessions, and the situation calms down in a very short time.

To get an answer to these questions, you need an initial consultation with a specialist.

Psychotherapy treatment is considered successful when symptoms subside and children feel better in the long term. It is important to remember that psychotherapy does not eliminate all mental problems. Even afterwards, life will continue to have ups and downs, easy and difficult phases. Conflicts will need to be resolved and crises will need to be overcome.

Conclusion

As we can see, the situations in which it is worth consulting a child psychologist are very different from one another. Even in the same case, such as a divorce of parents, for example, one child will need help, and another is able to cope with it independently or with the help of relatives. But we are of the opinion that it is better to go to a specialist too early (even when the need for help is not obvious) than too late. The earlier you start to act, the less time it will take to solve the problem.