By Dr George Baldwin, Clinical Psychologist at Nafs Health
As a Clinical Psychologist working for Nafs Health, with experience supporting children from the age of 3 right through adolescence, I’ve seen just how powerful therapy can be in helping young people understand and manage their emotions. Whether it’s big outbursts, ongoing anxiety, low mood, or simply feeling overwhelmed by life’s challenges, therapy offers a safe, structured space to make sense of it all.
At Nafs Health, I work with individuals and families in Bury St Edmunds and also virtually - so wherever you are, my support is available.
The term ‘emotional regulation’ is the ability to manage our emotional responses in a healthy, flexible way. For children and teenagers, this skill is still developing. Big emotions are part of growing up - but when those emotions become overwhelming or hard to manage, it can affect mood, behaviour, relationships, and school performance. That’s where therapy can really help!
In my sessions, we work together to build a shared understanding of what’s happening. This often includes:
Exploring triggers: What situations or thoughts tend to lead to big emotional reactions?
Noticing patterns: Are there common themes in how emotions are expressed or managed?
Learning strategies: We build a personalised toolkit of skills - such as breathing exercises, thought-challenging techniques, communication tools, or grounding methods - that help children and teens feel more able to recognise and cope with their feelings.
Understanding past and present: Sometimes difficulties with emotional regulation are rooted in earlier experiences or changes in a young person’s environment. We can explore this at a pace that feels right for the child or adolescent.
My therapeutic approach as a Clinical Psychologist can encompass Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Systemic Therapy, which means I can support not just the individual, but also work with families where appropriate. This can be especially helpful when emotional regulation challenges are interacting with relationships at home or school.
For younger children, even as young as three, therapy might involve play-based techniques, stories, drawing, or role-playing, as gentle ways of helping them explore feelings and gradually build up their ability to label and express emotions healthily. My sessions with younger children often include parent or caregiver involvement, so we can work as a team to support emotional development both in and out of the therapy room.
With adolescents, we may focus more directly via talking therapy on thoughts, behaviours, and identity development. Therapy can offer a confidential space to talk about things they may not feel comfortable sharing elsewhere, and it can help build self-awareness and emotional independence as they move toward adulthood.
It’s important to note that emotional regulation isn’t about stopping or suppressing difficult feelings - it’s about learning how to understand, express, and manage them in ways that feel safe and constructive. Whether your child is 3 or 17, therapy offers a powerful opportunity for growth, healing, and resilience. If you’re wondering whether therapy might be helpful for your child or teen, please feel free to get in touch with NAFS Health to discuss more about what support could look like.