Therapy for Teens
Do you find yourself worrying all day long about your teen? Have you noticed a change in mood and behavior, and have even noticed their grades starting to suffer? Do you ask them questions but they seem shut down, unwilling to talk, or even just irritable and frustrated with your questions?
A million thoughts run through your head…
“What are they not telling me?”
“Are they doing drugs?”
“What am I doing wrong as a parent for them to shut me out like this?
“How much should I push, and how much should I leave them alone?”
“What if by putting my foot down I really push them over the edge?”
One of the most important aspects to successful therapy with a teenager is building rapport, and our professional counselors have years of experience building rapport with teenagers. When it comes to your teens, our approach is both client and family centered. We work to empower your teen to come up with their own goals for therapy, while using family therapy to address any areas of parent concern, especially strengthening family communication.
Often times your teen is trying to figure out how to cope, but can often make unhealthy choices. It is not uncommon for teens to use methods like self-harm (cutting, burning), or drugs to manage their mental health issues. We will address these issues head on with the teen and the family using a safety plan, and/or a behavioral management contract to make sure your teen stays healthy and safe. Our therapists have been able to bridge the gap between many teens and their parents leading both the teen and their parents to feel less anxious, more in control, and more hopeful for the future.
We know that this can be a particularly anxiety provoking time for both parents and teens, but the benefits of seeking professional help are endless. Don’t wait and hope that things will just get better, take action and call us today to learn more about how one of our therapists can help your teen start feeling better and making better choices for their life today.
Here are some potentially helpful definitions regarding teens and treatment options:
Individual Therapy
In these private, one-on-one sessions, a therapist will typically use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help the teen make a connection between their thoughts and feelings, as well as understand how these impact their behavior.
Family Therapy
In this scenario, the teen would go to therapy with their parent(s) and sometimes even with siblings. This style of therapy can be very beneficial as it allows the family to communicate effectively and respectfully.
Which type of therapy will be best for the teen will be determined by a trained therapist. Often, he or she will use a combination of all three of these types of therapy.
If your teen is struggling right now and could benefit from therapy, please reach out today.
Group Therapy
Group therapy can be very effective because it allows teens to see how their peers handle their problems. Most groups have five to seven teens and one leader who will ask questions and guide the conversation.
Don’t wait, call us today and we will connect you and your teen with the right therapist to help you start addressing the issues and moving towards change today.