Teen Therapy

Why teen counseling?

Let’s face the fact that it can be difficult to understand and talk to teenagers. This is a time of change and transition from childhood that is often a trying time for teens and parents alike. It is often a challenging period of learning one’s identity, gaining independence and envisioning future goals, as well as developing the necessary skills to achieve them. Between academic demands, friend drama, peer pressure, identity development, moodiness, anxiety and stress, it would be expected that some help could be necessary during this stage of development.

Does my teenager need counseling?

This is a question that we hear often from parents. Many come to counseling wondering if their child is just being a normal moody teenager or if the issues they are dealing with indicate a need for professional help. Some of the more common reasons for seeking counseling for your teen are:

• Depression 

• Academic challenges or declining grades

• Family conflict such as divorce or blended family issues

• Self-esteem

• Isolation or friendship issues

• Suicidal thoughts

• Self-harm

• Anxiety and excessive worry

• Drug/alcohol use

• Abuse (emotional, physical or sexual)

• Difficulty managing emotions

• Social media/technology overuse or porn addiction

• Irritability

• Risky sexual behavior

• Problems with authority figures

What does counseling look like for my teen?

During the initial assessment, we often meet with the adolescent and parents together. This allows for both the teen and the parents to discuss the presenting problems and offer goals for therapy and ask any questions they might have. There are times when the counselor meets with the parents first before meeting with the teen. You can discuss your preferences with the counselor at the time you set up the appointment. As parents, you are a vital part of the counseling process for your teen. Meeting with you during your teen’s treatment gives us an opportunity to talk about the progress being made and helps us create a more effective treatment plan. Finding a balance between the teen’s privacy and sharing progress with the parent is important in order to encourage the teen to share openly with the therapist. Often, parent coaching will be necessary so you can learn how to best respond to your child and support and guide your teen outside of the therapy sessions. Family therapy may also be an important adjunct to individual counseling for the teen.

We will work with your teen to provide skills and strategies to empower them to make changes. Our objective is to help them become more resilient, develop healthier ways to cope with the stresses of life and achieve their goals.