Teen/Adolescent Therapy

Is your teen having a difficult time? Is he/she acting out more at home and at school? Have you noticed a change in your teen’s mood? Is your teen more reactive and more emotional lately? Have you noticed any changes in your teen’s eating or sleep? Is your teen excessively using drugs or alcohol? Is your teen engaging in dangerous or increasingly risky behavior, to the point that you are concerned? Have you noticed a change in your teen’s performance at school? Is your teen having trouble enjoying things that he/she used to? Is your teen refusing to do things or avoiding things he/she used to do? If so, your teen may benefit from therapy.

What are the common mental health issues that teens struggle with?

Teens struggle with many similar issues as adults. The most common mental health issues in teens are:

· Depression

· Anxiety

· Eating disorders

· Attention issues

· Behavior problems

Some of the additional issues that teens can face are:

· Use of drugs and alcohol

· Engaging in risky behavior

· Suicidal thoughts or actions

· Cutting or other self injurious behavior

· Social issues and challenges

· Self esteem and confidence issues

· Challenges resulting from family conflict or divorce

· Academic problems

· Struggles with identity development

· Withdrawal from family and/or friends

· Difficulty managing their moods

· Intense mood swings

Click here if you would like more information about anxiety treatment.

Click here if you would like more information about depression treatment.

How to know if your teen may need therapy?

Some teens will tell their parent that they are struggling and that they would like help from a therapist. Others will not. It can be challenging to determine if therapy is the right option for your teen, especially since the typical warning signs of mental health concerns are very common in teenagers, including changes in personality, increased emotionality, changes in sleeping or eating, and changes in ability to enjoy previously pleasurable activities. Often these changes can happen during the teenage years and are not indicative of more serious mental health concerns.

In order to determine if these changes are a sign of more serious mental health issues, you should consider two things: how distressing these changes are for both your teen and your family and if these changes are impacting your teen’s life and daily functioning. If the answer is yes to either of those questions, then you should explore therapy for your teen. If you are still unsure if your teen would benefit from therapy, it is best to consult a psychologist to discuss your concerns.

Teen / Adolescent Therapy

Teen therapy involves talking about their challenges, focuses on validating their feelings, and provides them skills to handle their feelings more effectively. Everyone is unique so we will set up a customized and distinctive treatment plan based on your teen’s needs and challenges. We utilize a variety of treatment methods, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and psychodynamic therapy to create the most effective plan possible. Some of the typical goals for teens are:

· working on communication skills and learning how to open up more

· improving self esteem

· managing anxiety

· managing depression

· improving social relationships

· improving coping skills and reducing unhealthy behaviors

· improving their relationships with family members

· reducing risky or unhealthy behaviors

· understanding their emotions and how to manage and respond to them effectively

Are parents involved in teen therapy?

This is a very common question that we receive. The short answer is it varies. Parents are typically involved in the initial appointment and will be involved periodically based on the needs of the patient and family. However, this will vary depending on the specific issues that the teen is working on and the needs of all concerned. For example, an older teen that is working on reducing anxiety may not have their parent as involved. Conversely, a teen with suicidal thoughts and safety concerns would have their parents involved more frequently. During the initial appointment, the teen and at least one parent will often participate and your therapist will work with the teen and parent to set up a plan for how involved the parents should be. Parents also always have the option to reach out to their teen’s psychologist outside of sessions to speak about any concerns and discuss their teen’s progress. If you have any questions about parent involvement or how confidentiality can affect parent involvement, feel free to reach out to us at (818) 495-5705.

Call to schedule an appointment for teen/adolescent therapy today!

If you are ready to take the next step and explore therapy for your teen, we offer a free phone consultation to see if we are a good fit and to answer any questions you may have. Please give us a call at (818) 495-5705 or click to contact us.