Pediatric Counseling: Cross-Culturally and Developmentally Responsive

In this paper, I present a framework and strategic plan intended to advance the profession of counseling in order to effectively treat our young children ages birth to 5 years. Counselors are instilled with skills and knowledge to deal with the implications of treating the pediatric population. By incorporating the basic pedagogies and assumptions in counseling, clinicians can minimize the difficulties young children endure through transformative acts of love and courage. Pediatric counseling is presented as an alternative to existing approaches for working with young children consisting of a set of principles that are both culturally and developmentally responsive to the mental health needs of young children.