How Therapy Can Help Children and Families Navigate Change

Change is an inevitable part of life, yet it remains one of the most challenging experiences for children and families to navigate successfully. Whether facing divorce, relocation, job transitions, new family members, or unexpected life events, families often find themselves struggling to maintain stability while adapting to new circumstances. Through my 25 years of experience working with children's mental health and teaching parenting skills, I've experienced how therapeutic support can transform overwhelming transitions into opportunities for growth and resilience.

Understanding How Change Affects Children and Teens Differently

Children and teens experience and process change very differently than adults. Their developing brains are still learning how to make sense of the world, and major transitions can be particularly destabilizing, as they lack the emotional vocabulary and coping skills to understand what's happening around them.

Young children often express their distress about change through behavioral change, rather than words. They might become more clingy, be developed in reaching developmental milestones, experience sleep disturbances, or show increased irritability. School-age children may struggle with concentration, fail to perform as usual in academics, or develop physical complaints like headaches or stomachaches. Adolescents might withdraw from family relationships, engage in risk-taking behaviors, or experience mood swings that seem disproportionate to the situation.

What makes change particularly challenging for children is their limited sense of control over their circumstances. Unlike adults who can often influence or prepare for transitions, children are frequently passive recipients of changes decided by others. This lack of agency can create feelings of helplessness and anxiety that persist long after the initial change has occurred.

My extensive work with complex and challenging cases has taught me that children's responses to change are highly individual. Some children are naturally more adaptable and resilient, while others require additional support to develop these skills. The key is recognizing that there's no universal timeline for adjustment and that each child's needs must be understood within their unique developmental context.

The Ripple Effect of Family Transitions

Family changes rarely affect just one person. When one family member is struggling with a transition, it often creates a ripple effect that impacts everyone's emotional well-being and family dynamics. Parents may become overwhelmed trying to manage their own adjustment while supporting their children through the same change.

This is where my training in family systems theory becomes particularly valuable. Family systems theory recognizes that families are interconnected and that changes to one part of the system inevitably affect all the other parts. Rather than focusing solely on individual symptoms or behaviors, this approach involves helping families understand how one’s responses to change influences another and how families can interact in healthier ways.

For example, when parents are going through a divorce, children often pick up on parental stress and conflict even when adults try to shield them from these difficulties. Children may begin acting out or developing anxiety symptoms not just because of the divorce itself, but because of the overall family tension and uncertainty they're sensing. Addressing these dynamics at the family level often proves more effective than working with individual family members in isolation.

Supporting Children Through Divorce and Separation

Divorce represents one of the most significant transitions many families face, and my specialized training in parenting for divorcing families has shown me how crucial proper support can be during this process. Children of divorce face unique challenges that require specific understanding and intervention strategies.

During divorce proceedings, children often experience conflicting loyalties, fear of abandonment, confusion about family structure, and uncertainty about their future living arrangements. They may blame themselves for their parents' separation or worry about having to choose sides between parents they love equally.

My approach to supporting children through divorce focuses on helping them understand that the divorce is an adult decision that has nothing to do with their behavior or worth. Through age-appropriate conversations and the use of creative therapeutic techniques, children can learn to express their feelings in a neutral environment while developing coping strategies for managing the ongoing changes in their family structure.

Parents going through divorce also need support in learning how to co-parent effectively while managing their own emotional responses to the separation. I work with parents to develop communication strategies that prioritize their children's emotional needs while establishing healthy boundaries that support everyone's adjustment process.

The Role of Drama Therapy in Supporting Children

My training in drama therapy provides unique tools for helping children express and process difficult emotions related to change. Traditional talk therapy can be challenging for children who lack the verbal skills to articulate complex feelings. Creative arts therapies can bypass the conscious mind that might otherwise inhibit the expression of feelings. Play, storytelling, humor, metaphor, and imaginative exploration harnesses spontaneity and transcends routine in order to allow greater healing.

Drama therapy techniques sometimes involve the use of toys, objects, or puppets to act out family scenarios, creating stories about characters facing similar challenges, or using role-playing to practice new coping skills. These approaches are natural and engaging to children, providing powerful opportunities for emotional processing and skill development.

Through creative expression, children can explore different perspectives on their situation, practice new responses to challenging circumstances, and develop a sense of mastery over their experiences. Rather than feeling powerless in the face of change, they begin to see themselves as capable of adapting and finding creative solutions to problems.

Building Resilience Through Somatic Approaches

As with adults, children’s bodies can hold stress and trauma from difficult transitions in ways that can only be released through the body. As such, purely cognitive approaches can be inadequate. My emphasis on embodied and somatic approaches recognizes that helping children develop a healthy relationship with their physical sensations, breath, impulses, and feelings is crucial for emotional regulation, as well as long-term resilience.

Somatic techniques for children might involve simple breathing exercises, movement activities that help discharge nervous energy, or mindfulness practices adapted for their developmental level. These approaches help children recover from stress, develop emotional intelligence, develop and practice healthy communication skills, and develop self-regulation skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

When children learn to tune into their bodies and understand the connection between physical sensations and emotions, they develop greater self-awareness, that can evolve into self-advocacy through assertive communication. This embodied awareness becomes particularly valuable during transitions when stress levels are elevated and usual coping strategies might feel inadequate.

Helping Families Develop Communication Skills

Effective communication becomes even more crucial during times of change, yet those times are often when families struggle the most to communicate clearly and respectfully. Stress and uncertainty can cause family members to fall into established and reactive patterns that can escalate conflict, rather than promote understanding and connection.

My work with families focuses on developing communication skills that involve self-care, as well as respect and mutual understanding. This includes teaching active listening techniques, helping family members express needs and concerns constructively, and establishing family meetings or check-ins between sessions that provide regular opportunities for open dialogue.

Children particularly benefit from learning that their thoughts and feelings are valued and that they have a voice in family discussions, even when they can't control major decisions. When children feel heard and understood, they're more likely to cooperate with necessary changes and less likely to act out their distress through behavioral problems.

Creating Stability Within Change

One of the most important therapeutic goals when working with families in transition is helping them create stability and predictability wherever possible. While some aspects of their lives may be changing dramatically, identifying areas where routines and consistency can be maintained provides an important anchor during turbulent times.

This might involve maintaining bedtime routines, continuing favorite family traditions, or ensuring that children can stay connected with important relationships like extended family or close friends. Sometimes creating new traditions or routines specifically designed for the changed family structure helps everyone adjust while building positive associations with their evolving family.

My approach emphasizes building on existing child and family strengths and resources, rather than rooting out problems or deficits. Every family has developed ways of coping and connecting that have served them well, and therapeutic work often involves identifying these strengths in the interest of furthering and adapting them to meet current challenges.

The Importance of Timing in Family Therapy

Working with families during transitions requires careful attention to timing and pacing. Families in crisis often want immediate solutions, but lasting change typically requires practice and time for adjustment and integration. My experience has taught me the importance of moving at a pace that honors the family's readiness for change while providing adequate support during the adjustment process.

Sometimes families need time to stabilize before they're ready to engage in deeper therapeutic work. Other times, early intervention can prevent problems from becoming more entrenched. My assessment process helps determine what type and intensity of support would be most helpful for each family's unique situation.

Supporting Parents in Their Leadership Role

Parents facing major life transitions often feel overwhelmed, distracted, and uncertain about how to support their children effectively. They may question their parenting decisions or worry that they're not handling the situation well enough to protect their children from emotional harm.

My years of teaching parenting skills in various settings have shown me that parents benefit tremendously from understanding child development principles and learning concrete strategies for supporting their children through difficult times. When parents feel more confident and equipped, their children typically respond with improved behavior and emotional regulation.

This doesn't mean expecting parents to become perfect or to shield their children from all distress. Rather, it involves helping parents understand their crucial role in providing emotional safety and stability and model recognition that difficulty during transitions is normal, and even beneficial, toward the goals of learning, gaining strength and building resilience.

Integrating Multiple Therapeutic Approaches

My training in various therapeutic modalities allows me to create individualized treatment approaches that meet each individual’s or family's specific needs and preferences. Some families respond well to structured cognitive-behavioral approaches that provide clear strategies and homework assignments. Others benefit more from a drama therapist’s use of narrative therapy techniques to engage clients more playfully in defeating obstacles and “rewriting" the story they tell of the changes they're experiencing.

Identifying and working with parts of the self, as in internal family systems theory, is a valuable means of building a wise inner authority in the client and addressing how parts of the self can sabotage a person’s functioning when unrecognized or in conflict. Drama therapists are particularly skilled at accessing these different parts of the self and facilitating their dialogue, in order to improve self-awareness and self acceptance as the parts become more collaborative and integrated.

The Long-Term Benefits of Professional Support

Families who receive therapeutic support during major transitions often develop skills and insights that benefit them long after the initial change has taken place. Children learn by their parents’ receptivity to therapy that they can cope with difficult situations and that seeking help is a sign of strength rather than weakness. Parents develop greater confidence in their ability to guide their families through challenges.

Perhaps most importantly, families often emerge from therapeutic work with stronger relationships and improved communication patterns. The process of navigating change together, with professional guidance, can actually strengthen family bonds and create greater resilience for future challenges.

Working Within Your Family's Values and Culture

Every family has unique values, cultural background, and beliefs that influence how they experience and respond to change. My approach to family therapy honors these differences and works within your family's existing framework rather than imposing external expectations or solutions.

This cultural sensitivity is particularly important when working with families from diverse backgrounds who may have different perspectives on seeking professional help, discussing family problems, or expressing emotions. I take time to understand your family's values and preferences to ensure that our work together feels respectful and relevant to your actual circumstances.

What to Expect When Working Together

If your family is facing a significant transition and you're considering therapeutic support, you might wonder what this process would look like. Our work together begins with understanding your family's specific situation, the changes you're navigating, and what type of support would be most helpful.

Family therapy sessions may involve everyone who is significantly affected by the transition, though sometimes individual sessions with children or parents can be beneficial as well. The frequency and duration of our work depends on your family's needs and the complexity of the changes you're managing. Sometimes parents have interparental conflict to resolve, or could use some help developing a more unified parenting approach, before involving the children would be appropriate

Throughout our work together, I pay attention to what's working well for your family and to where there are wounds or conflict. The goal is always to build on your existing strengths while providing new tools and perspectives that can help you navigate current and future transitions more effectively.

Moving Forward with Confidence

Change will always be part of life, but sometimes involving a professional feels supportive. With the right support and guidance, periods of change can become opportunities for growth, increased resilience, and stronger family relationships.

My 25 years of experience working with children's mental health and supporting families through complex challenges has shown me repeatedly that families have tremendous capacity for adaptation and healing when they receive appropriate support. Whether you're facing divorce, relocation, loss, or other major life changes, therapeutic support can help your family not just survive these transitions but emerge stronger and more connected.

Working with a solo practitioner means that your family's therapeutic journey isn't constrained by insurance limitations on session frequency or approved treatment approaches. This freedom allows us to focus entirely on what your family needs to navigate change successfully, without external pressures to rush the process or limit our therapeutic options.

If your family is currently facing significant changes and you're wondering whether therapeutic support might be helpful, I encourage you to reach out for a consultation call. We can discuss your family's specific situation and explore whether my approach to supporting children and families through transitions feels like a good fit for your needs.

Every family's journey through change is unique, and you deserve support that honors your individual circumstances while providing the guidance and tools needed for successful adaptation. Contact me today to learn more about how therapy can help your family navigate change with greater confidence and resilience.

Hi! I’m Julie Weigel, and I’m a Licensed Therapist in California who specializes in relationships, family therapy, and child/adolescent therapy.

Contact me today to schedule your free consultation call and begin exploring how personalized therapy might support your unique journey toward greater well-being and personal growth.