At Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri, we are proud to provide low-cost, high-quality mental health counseling and psychiatry services to children and families across the state. While these services are essential for addressing a wide range of mental health challenges, many people may not fully understand the difference between therapy and psychiatry. Knowing which professional to turn to when your child is experiencing a mental health issue is crucial for getting the right support at the right time. This guide will help you better understand these distinct yet complementary approaches to mental health care.

Counseling: A Therapeutic Approach

Mental health counseling focuses on addressing emotional, social, and behavioral concerns through talk therapy. Licensed therapists, counselors, or social workers provide counseling to help individuals understand their emotions, develop coping strategies, and improve relationships. Common therapeutic techniques include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, Play Therapy, and Family Counseling.

Counseling is ideal for addressing issues such as Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, Stress Management, Relationship Challenges, Disruptive Behaviors and Autism Spectrum Disorders. Sessions are typically held weekly or bi-weekly, fostering a continuous, supportive relationship between the counselor and the client. This process helps clients navigate life’s challenges and build resilience over time.

At LFCS, our counseling services are tailored to children and families’ unique needs, ensuring evidence-based care that promotes growth and healing. Learn more here.

Psychiatry: A Medical Perspective

Psychiatry focuses on the medical evaluation and treatment of mental health disorders. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions, often through medication management and other medical interventions.

Psychiatry is particularly effective for managing conditions such as ADHD, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, Psychotic Symptoms, and Anxiety. Psychiatrists conduct comprehensive evaluations and develop personalized treatment plans, which may include prescribing medications to stabilize symptoms. Follow-up sessions are typically less frequent than counseling sessions and focus on reviewing and adjusting treatment as needed.

LFCS psychiatry services provide children and adolescents with access to specialized care, including evaluations, medication management, and care planning. Learn more here.

The post Counseling vs. Psychiatry: Knowing The Difference first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

Anticipatory Grief

This is the grief we feel when we know a loss is coming. Birth parents may feel anticipatory grief when making the adoption plan, particularly as the day of placement draws near. Birth parents in foster care may also experience this grief type once they realise their case will end in termination of rights.

Ambiguous Grief

You can think of this as grief for someone who still exists in the world, but isn’t physically present or whose identity has changed to become someone unknown to you. The child placed for adoption is lost to their parents, even though the child may be thriving in their adoptive home. The opposite may be true for the foster-adoptee, who grieves the loss of their birth family member who is no longer allowed to live with them due to safety concerns.

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The post Emily’s Essay first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

Jasmine’s mother Kim began noticing that she seemed more withdrawn and irritable than normal. While many teens experience mood swings, these behaviors were a drastic shift from the cheerful, caring girl that Kim knew. She feared that something was wrong but couldn’t get Jasmine to share what was upsetting her. Desperate for help, Kim reached out to LFCS and Jasmine began meeting with her therapist, Lisa.

Throughout the sessions, Jasmine began slowly sharing with Lisa her experience with debilitating anxiety. Every day, whether at home, school, work, or with peers, she continuously questioned if she met the standards of others. She only judged her achievements and feelings of happiness based on the reactions of other people. Through her work with Lisa, Jasmine learned to find her own happiness, success, and satisfaction for herself, independent of the approval of anyone else. This realization allowed her to discover new ways of coping with her fears and learn skills to reduce her overall anxiety

The results were a great boost to her self-confidence and self-esteem. As Jasmine became willing to try new experiences at school and advocate for her needs, she began to feel more comfortable in her own shoes. Today, Jasmine says she has the tools necessary to express her needs and feel satisfaction with herself without external approval. Jasmine is now attending college and thriving in her campus life. She credits her relationship with Lisa as a turning point in her life and is forever grateful for the skills she has learned.

Jasmine’s story is perfect example of how LFCS Behavioral Health services can improve the lives of those struggling with their mental health. Evidence-based practices, emphasis on building strong relationships, and teaching skills that build sustainable success are why LFCS is known as the place to go when the children of Missouri need help. For more information on our Behavioral Health services, please visit lfcsmo.org/counseling.

* https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/press-release/latest-federal-data-show-that-young-people-are-more-likely-than-older-adults-to-be-experiencing-symptoms-of-anxiety-or-depression/

** https://mhanational.org/issues/2023/mental-health-america-youth-data

The post Combatting the Mental Health Epidemic: Jasmine’s Story first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

Maya was a typical elementary school student. She had a several friends, enjoyed going to school and spent two nights a week at the dance studio. Unfortunately, as the years passed, school shootings became a more common occurrence. Intruder drills had to be practiced and teachers regularly spoke with students to prepare for the worst.  These experiences overwhelmed Maya. School was supposed to be a place where she felt safe and it had quickly become the opposite.

Fortunately, Maya’s parents noticed the shift in her behavior and sought help from LFCS. Watch their story below.

Anxiety disorders affect 1 in 8 children.

If your child is struggling with anxiety or depression, let us help! Contact us today to set up a consultation.

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Until this year, Ethan was one of the latter. His days at school were full of fear and anxiety. He cried almost daily, feeling like he didn’t fit in and no one liked him. The beginning of the school year was especially difficult. Summer break had given him just enough time to let go of his anxieties before having to face them all again.

After one particularly difficult day in the beginning of 6^th grade, Ethan’s teacher referred him to LFCS for counseling. His parents agreed that he needed additional support in order to be successful in and out of the classroom. Although reluctant to talk to a stranger about his feelings, Ethan agreed.

Weeks passed without much progress. It was difficult for Ethan to put his feelings into words. A breakthrough came when the counselor asked Ethan about his friends. Ethan broke down. “I don’t have any friends,” he said. “No one likes me.” Tears rolled down his cheeks.

The sessions that followed were life-changing for Ethan. He and his counselor talked about the traits of a good friend. They drew pictures and created word clouds about friendship. Ethan’s therapist also incorporated roll play into their sessions so he could experience positive social exchanges. Soon, Ethan gained confidence. He starting applying his newly learned skills when talking to classmates. To his surprise, his interactions were positive and with each conversation Ethan’s fears were replaced with assurance.

Today, Ethan is excited and ready for school to start again. He will be in 8^th grade; a bright, friendly, funny, and well-liked young man. He spends his weekends talking, texting and playing video games with his friends – the boys Ethan once thought couldn’t stand to be around him.

If someone you love is struggling with anxiety or depression, they are not alone. In the United States, 8% of children aged 3-17 years have diagnosed anxiety. Contact LFCS today to make an appointment with a licensed counselor or to learn more about treatment options.

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During a routine well-check needed to enter high school, Darren’s physician recommended he speak to a counselor. He seemed to display symptoms of anxiety and depression. Because high school can be a significant transition for many kids, the doctor felt Darren would benefit from the positive impact of therapy. He was referred to LFCS.

Darren’s fears flooded his mind: How can I sit in a room with a complete stranger and share my deepest secrets? Will I have to talk about the incident? I can’t even tell my parents – the two people who love me most.

Wanting to be freed from the burden of his silence, in his first session at LFCS, Darren blurted out, “My parents’ friend abused me and no one knows about it.” There it was. The truth was out. The facts of what happened were no longer trapped in his mind to torment him.

To his surprise, the counselor expressed understanding and thanked him for trusting her enough to share. Together, they discussed the crushing weight of living with trauma and the importance of working through Darren’s feelings.

Over the next few months, Darren became happier, more talkative and more confident. He was truly able to be a kid again. Darren was finally able to tell his parents about his experience. They were overwhelmed with guilt for not protecting their son. Together, they notified the authorities and his parents cut all ties with his abuser. Although therapy could not erase the abuse, his sessions with his LFCS counselor provided an opportunity for Darren to look forward to his future free from the weight of his past.

Of sexual abuse cases reported to law enforcement, 93% of juvenile victims knew the perpetrator.

(Snyder, Ph.D., 2000)

The post Surviving the Shame of Sexual Abuse first appeared on Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

Joel’s history teacher was concerned. In recent months, he had missed days of school and when he was in class, Joel seemed on edge and disinterested in classroom activities. The previous semester, Joel had been very engaged and had even shared his hopes to attend college to study ancient history. “What happened?” Joel’s teacher thought.

The school counselor was notified and after a conference call with Joel’s father, they all agreed Joel needed to talk to someone. The school counselor recommended Lutheran Family and Children’s Services (LFCS) in addition to regular meetings at school.

Joel began meeting with his LFCS therapist weekly. As their relationship developed, his therapist discovered that Joel’s behavior-changes began when he learned about his father’s drug use and criminal activities. This knowledge overwhelmed Joel with fear and anxiety.

A hotline call was made, and following an investigation, Joel’s father was arrested. His grandparents welcomed him into their home, providing Joel with stability and safety he hadn’t felt in nearly a year.  With prescribed mediation and the implementation of communication and coping skills he learned in counseling, Joel’s anxiety and depression were under control.  He soon began to flourish in his new school and environment.

Now 16 years old and driving, Joel feels like he is right where he needs to be.  He passed all of his classes last year and is starting to look at nearby colleges.

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April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. At LFCS, we want to talk about this public health issue and what we can do to address it.

Here are just a few of the staggering statistics:

• One in 4 children experience some form of child abuse or neglect in their lifetimes.
• Thirty-two Missouri children died from abuse or neglect in 2017, 70% of whom were two years old or younger.
• Parents, stepparents or other primary caretakers account for the majority of perpetrators in child abuse and neglect cases.
• Poverty, on-going community violence, and weak connections between neighbors are related to a higher risk for child abuse and neglect
• The estimated average lifetime cost per victim of nonfatal child abuse and neglect was $210,012
• The total lifetime economic burden resulting from new cases of fatal and nonfatal child abuse and neglect is $124 billion

LFCS provides several areas of support to prevent child abuse and neglect as well as manages the social and behavioral ramifications of cases that were not prevented. We do so through our two pillars of service: Foster Care and Family Services & Behavioral Health and Community Prevention Services.

Foster Care and Family Services programs provide education to parents and care for children to decrease the risk of child abuse or neglect. Services include:

• Respite Foster Care
• Foster Care Case Management
• Pregnancy and Parenting Services
• Home Visitation

Behavioral Health and Community Prevention Services programs are available in 15 offices statewide on a sliding fee scale, as well as 60 schools in eight Districts across the St. Louis area. Services include:

• Counseling
• Child Psychiatry
• STEP-UP, a youth development program

If you find yourself in need of any of the above services, please contact LFCS. Together we can save children and families in Missouri.

April 6, 2018 is Wear Blue Day. Show your support and help spread awareness by wearing blue. Take a photo and share it on the social media with #GreatChildhoods and tag @LFCSMO.

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There can be several causes for test anxiety including fear of failure, lack of preparedness, and past history of struggling on tests. Luckily, there are simple strategies that you can use to help your child cope with their anxiety.

Try these strategies with your child:

Be prepared. Develop good study habits. Study at least a week or two before the exam, in smaller increments of time and over a few days (instead of pulling an “all-nighter”). Try to simulate exam conditions by working through a practice test, following the same time constraints.

Develop good test-taking skills. Read the directions carefully, answer questions you know first and then return to the more difficult ones. Outline essays before you begin to write.

Maintain a positive attitude. Remember that your self-worth should not be dependent on or defined by a test grade. Creating a system of rewards and reasonable expectations for studying can help to produce effective studying habits. There is no benefit to negative thinking.

Stay focused. Concentrate on the test, not other students during your exams. Try not to talk to other students about the subject material before taking an exam.

Practice relaxation techniques. If you feel stressed during the exam, take deep, slow breaths and consciously relax your muscles, one at a time. This can invigorate your body and will allow you to better focus on the exam.

Stay healthy. Get enough sleep, eat healthfully, exercise and allow for personal time. If you are exhausted—physically or emotionally—it will be more difficult for you to handle stress and anxiety.

Visit the counseling center. Schools are aware of the toll exams can take on students. They have offices or programs specifically dedicated to helping you and providing additional educational support so that you can be successful.

Shared from The Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

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