Teen Therapy

Therapy bridges the gap between parents and teens.

Let’s face it; your teenager probably isn’t coming to you with every struggle they are experiencing in life. Through the expression on their face, body language, and nonverbal communication, you can see that they struggle. You want to help, but everything you say or do seems to be the wrong thing and pushes your teenager further away.

Working with teenagers requires a unique approach. It’s not realistic to expect your teenager to come to their first therapy session and share their entire life story with me – a stranger. Trust me when I say your teen doesn’t care that I’m a therapist and a “safe person to talk to.”

Teenagers need to feel safe and connected before they begin to let a therapist into their world. It is my job to build a connection with your teen from the moment they first arrive in my office.

I will learn from your teen what they need from me to feel safe and secure in our relationship. I will do my best to meet your teen’s needs for safety while also maintaining ethical boundaries to keep your teenager safe in and out of the therapy session.

Therapy helps teens navigate this challenging transition.

Through therapy, your teenager will gain a deeper understanding of their feelings, learn to express their feelings in socially acceptable ways, improve their ability to solve problems, learn and practice positive coping skills, and much more.

Although your teenager will be doing most of the work, you also play a significant role in their treatment success. Research shows that teens are more successful in achieving their treatment goals when they have a supportive caregiver.

There are several ways you can offer support to your teen throughout the therapeutic process.

Confidentiality is a big concern for most teenagers.

Your teen may choose not to share with you about their therapy session. This decision can be hard to accept for many parents.

However, your teen will be more willing to share in sessions when they are not worried about being questioned afterward. And when you think you know your teen, they may surprise you and share all about their therapy session with you.

Confidentiality works both ways. There may be things your teen isn’t comfortable sharing with you. If you feel there is something I need to know, talk with your teen about it before sharing it with me. Let them know why you think it is important information to share with me, and let your teen be a part of the decision-making when deciding what to share with me.

Gaining trust helps bridge the gap.

I’m asking you to trust in this process and your teen’s ability to change.

Providing your teen with positive feedback when you notice change is a great way to offer them support.

Your teenager will feel proud of their hard work and continue to utilize the skills they are learning when they know you are noticing their efforts.

Let’s help your teen make this transition in life easier on them – and you. I am willing to help both of you build that bridge. Give me a call today at (336) 289-4492.