Working with Adolescents and Teens

Parent Information Regarding Therapy

While we all know that teenagers and young adults experience emotional ups and downs as they grow and mature, occasionally their responses to both developmental and external stressors may become more severe and subsequently may lead to problems such as academic and/or social concerns, depression, anxiety, body image issues and acting out behavior (truancy, talking back, substance abuse, running away, etc.). Teenagers often pull away from their parents, are at times combative, moody, critical and absent-mined, leaving parents feeling frustrated and helpless. Therapy can provide essential support, education and other tools to parents as they navigate this challenging period of adolescence. Individual therapy can be helpful to an adolescent or young adult because it can provide a safe and neutral place to explore his/her problems. 

Teen/Young Adult Information Regarding Therapy

Individual and/or group therapy allows you to have a non-judgmental adult to talk to - someone who will let you explore how you really feel about any areas in your life that you are perhaps frustrated or troubled by. Because you are the expert regarding what you feel and think about your life, it is really important for you to have a safe place to talk about these issues. Often, a therapist can also work with your parents to better enable them to hear and understand what is happening with you. In therapy you are never blamed for things, but rather are given the opportunity to be honest and real about what you want and need for yourself.