Counseling for children, young people, families and educational staff

Where can I go if I or my child need help?

You can either:

• Contact Reception by email or phone (see contact information at the bottom of the page)
• Ask for a consultative meeting in your child's day care institution / school
• Contact Pedagogical Psychological Counseling (PPR)
• Apply for participation in a group course through the Child and Youth Counseling (read more below) 
• Book an appointment for open anonymous counseling
  Counseling takes place on Thursdays from 14.00-17.00 by personal attendance in Havnbjerg every week and in Sønderborg every 14 days (even weeks) or by telephone. You can come unannounced between 15.00 and 16.30, but in that case there may be a waiting period or you will be referred to the following week.

What is Pedagogical Psychological Counseling (PPR)?

If you as a parent or your child's institution or school are concerned about your child's learning, development and well - being, you can get help from PPR.

PPR (Pedagogical Psychological Counseling) offers pedagogical psychological counseling and guidance for children, parents and staff in day care and school.

It may be that you as a parent experience that your child:

• Has language and hearing difficulties
• Has sensory and motor difficulties 
• Does not develop as expected or is frustrated

In such cases, PPR can help.

Contact

Head of Pedagogical Psychological Counseling
Lone Nørgaard Andresen
E-Mail:  lnan@sonderborg.dk

Group courses for children 

For children who are relatives of a parent with a physical or mental illness and/or abuse (MindU) - Group course for children aged 8-18

MindU is a group course for children/young people of parents with mental illness.

In the course, children/young people meet other children/young people who are in a similar situation to themselves. Throughout the group course, work is done on the child's strengths in relation to self-esteem and self-understanding, based on the family's challenges, alternating between activities, games, exercises, films and socializing.

There are 8 sessions of 2 hours for the child/young person as well as 2 sessions of 2 hours for parents and 1 session of 2 hours for selected teachers. The course takes place on Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.   

Divorce group for children in families affected by divorce - Group course for children aged 8-18 years

The Divorce Group is a group course for children and young people who have divorced parents.

In the divorce group, we work to give the children/young people the opportunity to put into words their thoughts and feelings in connection with their parents' divorce. For most children and young people, it is a relief to meet others in the same situation as yourself. In the group, we work with, among other things, storytelling, film, drawing, physical activities and games.

There are 8-10 sessions of 2 hours each, which take place at Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

If you would like clarification regarding participation in the group course, contact Reception (see contact information at the bottom of the page).

Grief group for children who have lost parents or siblings - Group course for children aged 6-18 years

A bereavement group is an offer for children/young people aged 6-18 who are about to lose or have experienced the loss of a parent or sibling or other close caregiver.

The child/young person can participate in the grief group when they are ready. Some children/young people may need to start in grief group courses before death, others start shortly after death, while others only experience the need after several months or years.

In the grief group, we talk, among other things, about the many emotions of grief, about how no one grieves the same, about caring, about losing, about life/death, about the reactions of the outside world, about the future and about much else.

We want no child and young person to be left alone with their grief.

There are sessions of 1½ hours every two weeks, which the child/young person can attend, as long as it is assessed that the child needs it. The course takes place at the Dairy, Løngang 2, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.

For siblings of children with diagnoses - Group course for children aged 8-18 years

Sibling groups for children with diagnoses is a group course for children/young people who have a sibling with a physical or mental disability, such as autism, ADHD, etc 

It can be difficult to understand the reactions of one's siblings, as they can be experienced as different, unpredictable or very controlling at home.

The course will alternate between presentations, small films and activities and spans 8 sessions of 2 hours as well as 2 sessions of 2 hours for parents and 1 session of 2 hours for selected teachers.

The course takes place on Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.

For children placed in foster families - Group courses for children aged 8-18 years

The network group is a group for young people who are placed in foster families and who have the courage and desire to meet other young people who are also placed in foster families in Sønderborg Municipality.

The goal of the Network Group is to strengthen young people's well-being through better understanding of their own feelings and reactions and to offer a network between young people.

Through presentations, discussions, exercises and activities, we will work with the young people's self-understanding in a community with other children/young people who, like themselves, do not live with their biological family.

The group meets every two weeks at Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.

LGBT+ group - group course for LGBT+ people aged 13-18.

The LGBT+ group is for LGBT+ people aged 13-18. 

As a participant, you gain a community and knowledge about and the opportunity to reflect on topics related to the LGBT+ spectrum. There will be a special focus on dealing with the physical, psychological and social challenges that LGBT+ people may experience.

The course alternates between discussions, presentations, films and activities and extends over 6 sessions of 2 hours with start-up or spring and fall. 

The course takes place at the Dairy, Løngang 2, 6400 Sønderborg. 

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.
 

Group course for parents

Divorce group - Group course for parents

In the parents' group, we support you as parents in maintaining a focus on the well-being of the child/children and reducing conflicts. This is a process where methods and techniques are presented in relation to improving the dynamics of the relationship between the parents.

The course will consist of a theme-based presentation and involvement of the group with a focus on 'what's going on'.

We focus on looking ahead, and the participants thereby get concrete tools that can be used at home, as well as homework that parents have to work on.

The course extends over 7 sessions once every two weeks Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.

Ready for baby (before the 20th week of pregnancy) - Group course for parents-to-be

Ready for baby is an offer for parents. The offer starts during pregnancy and runs until and including the child's first year of life. The course is for parents-to-be who need help and support to be able to handle the new challenges as parents and to be able to create a good and close contact with the child. The course contributes to getting you and your partner ready for a safe start as parents.

Before the birth, you will, among other things, gain knowledge about birth and infants, including diet, sleep, development, contact and attachment to the child, relationships, family, parental role, health, habits and lifestyle. After the birth, we will discuss some topics that are appropriate to the child's level of development, as well as starting from your everyday life with the child.

The course extends over 4 sessions of 2 hours before the birth on Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg as well as 2 sessions of 2 hours with the midwife.

If you want clarification regarding participation in group courses, contact your midwife or health nurse.

Mothers with a postpartum reaction - group course

Postpartum reaction groups are a group course for mothers with a postpartum reaction, where there is an opportunity to meet other mothers who also have a postpartum reaction. The group course is without children.

In the group course, there is an opportunity to share experiences in a safe environment, where all the group members have the opportunity to contribute their thoughts, considerations and experiences. It can be, for example: the role of mother, the contact between mother and child, feelings of unaffordability, etc

The group meets for 2 hours at a time every two weeks at Borgmester Andersens vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

If you want clarification regarding participation in group courses, contact your health nurse.

Good start baby (0-1 years) - Group course for parents of young children

Good start baby is an offer for new parents who want to be strengthened in the new parental role and strengthened in creating a safe and developmentally supportive environment for their child.

In the course, we will discuss some themes that suit the child's level of development, as well as starting from your everyday life with the child, where you are experts in your child's life.

Through presentations and group discussions, we will, among other things, talk about reading the child's needs and creating a good and developmentally supported contact. Handling the child's crying, as well as allowing and understanding the child's need to explore etc.

The course extends over 8 sessions of 2 hours during the child's first year of life Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

If you want clarification regarding participation in group courses, contact your health nurse.

Life with toddlers (2-5 years) - Group course for parents of toddlers

Life with toddlers is a group course for parents with children aged 2-5 who find that family life with toddlers can be challenging and who want help to understand and meet the child's needs.

The group course consists of presentations from the group leaders, joint discussions and exercises. The starting point is the individual participants and their challenges and experiences.

The course extends over 6 sessions of 2 hours each in the Health Centre, Grundtvigs Allé 150.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.

The family in focus (6-12 years) - Group course for parents

The family in focus is a group course for parents with children aged 6-12 who want to support their child in developing a positive self-image.

We offer a group-based course with a focus on:

1. Parental role: Get tools to strengthen your role as a parent and create a safe environment for your child.
2. Create a healthy understanding of the body: Get tools to guide your child towards accepting and appreciating his body, as well as gaining a greater understanding of handling emotions.
3. Conflict Management: Learn effective ways to handle conflict and communicate positively with your child.

The course extends over 8 sessions. Your child participates twice.
The course takes place on Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

Apply for participation in the group course here. When you apply for participation in the group course, you will be contacted by one of the group leaders. Here you will find out together whether the offer is right for you.
 

Course for families

Individual courses and individually arranged family courses 

As a citizen of Sønderborg Municipality, you have the opportunity to receive a specially arranged family-oriented course based on the challenges experienced by the child, the young person, the parents and/or the family. The course can, for example, start from divorce, family life, upbringing, feelings, personality and identity, inappropriate behavior or kindergarten, school and education.

If you would like clarification regarding participation in the course, contact Reception (see contact information at the bottom of the page).

For children and young people with anxiety (Cool Kids) - Group course for families (children aged 8-18 and their parents)

Cool Kids/chilled is an easier course of treatment for children/young people with anxiety. The group course requires that the child/young person has been screened for their anxiety problem. The group course is based on cognitive behavioral therapy, where you work from and with manuals over a set number of sessions. In the group, the children/young people participate on an equal footing with the parents. However, there is a difference in how much the parents must participate with the young people (14+).

Various exercises are included at group level as well as exercises and homework in the individual families.

In the Cool Kids group, the children/young people practice facing their anxiety and working with it in a safe environment.

The course extends over 10 sessions of 2 hours duration, 1 information meeting before the course and 2 follow-ups together with the school and network at Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

If you would like clarification regarding participation in the group course, contact Reception (see contact information at the bottom of the page).

For emotionally challenged children (Mento) - Group course for children (3-18 years and parents)

Mento is a group course for children/young people aged 3-18 who experience emotional challenges and are often misunderstood/feel misunderstood by their surroundings. In the group process, the parents participate to different extents depending on the age group and problem.

The course works with the child's/young person's and the parents' and the network's understanding of behavior as an expression of emotional difficulties through presentations, dialogue, exercises and activities. From this, new action strategies are developed around the child/young person when life becomes difficult.

The course extends over 10 sessions of 2 hours duration, 1 information meeting before the course and 2 follow-up meetings together with day care/school and network at Borgmester Andersens Vej 26, 6400 Sønderborg.

If you would like clarification regarding participation in the group course, contact Reception (see contact information at the bottom of the page).