Teen Counseling
Have you been worried about your teen lately?
Is your teen having difficulties with school?
Has your teen seemed to be more withdrawn, sad, or worried?
Is your teen going going through a difficult time or preparing for a transitional period in their life?
Are you exhausted and/or don’t know what else to try with your teen?
Puberty and adolescence is a unique and transformative period in a teen’s life. It is a time of profound physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Teens are navigating the transition from childhood to adulthood, and this period involves an exploration in identity development and social relationships. Though this time can be difficult for teens, it can be just as challenging for the parent or guardian. As parents and guardians, there is only so much that parenthood has prepared you for, and your child deserves a safe space to start to learn how to process their thoughts and feelings in a professional, clinical environment—and therapy is that space.
Teens Face More Unique Challenges Now More Than Ever
Recent research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has suggested that mental health rates in teens have almost doubled in the past decade, specifically with rates of depression and anxiety. Some studies have even suggested that the use of social media has influenced rates of depression and anxiety due to an increase in unhealthy social comparison.
Emotional Development: Teens often struggle with intense emotions and mood swings, and adolescence can be one of the first periods where teens start to understand the concept of emotional regulation—specifically in more extreme emotional states. They are learning to regulate their feelings and adapt to complex social interactions, which can be overwhelming. In addition, some teens tend to also get introduced to and start to engage in substances in more sexual experiences, and this can invoke a variety of intense feelings.
Identity Formation: One of the central tasks of adolescence is identity formation. Teens begin to explore and establish their own beliefs, values, and self-concept, often questioning the values of their parents and society. If your teen is experiencing confusion on who they are and what they want, therapy can help guide your teen to their authentic self.
Social and Peer Pressure: Peer relationships become increasingly significant, and the pressure to conform to peer norms can lead to risky behaviors, such as substance abuse, sexual behaviors, or unhealthy relationships. Now more than ever, social media has been shown to influence teens and introduce more virtual “spaces” for teens to socialize with people.
Academic Stress: Teens often face the existential question throughout adolescence of their future and what their future looks like for them. Often time, teens may feel pressured by society or their parents on what they should do after they graduate high school, however, there are more alternative careers that do not require high education with the rise of technology and social media. On the other hand, teens can face a difficulty of emotions and issues with managing school that ultimately end up affecting their academic performance. Whether your teen is questioning the meaning of school and their future or is struggling managing their academic responsibilities, therapy can help address the root of behavioral and emotional issues before they effect your teen throughout their adulthood.
It is important to recognize that these issues are common in most teens and to understand the issues that many teens face throughout their adolescence. A therapist who your teen feels comfortable talking to can help your teen start to become of aware of negative thoughts or behaviors and start to work on them instead of waiting until they are an adult. Adolescence consist of many crucial periods of development and therapy can help your teen get a head start on negative patterns to be a better them.
How Teen Counseling Can Help
It is common for many parents to feel lost at some point throughout their child’s adolescent development. It’s not easy raising a teen nowadays, and it can be overwhelming for even the most highly functioning parent or guardian. Teen counseling can help address issues that affect your teen and teach your teen skills that transcend into other aspects of their life. A therapist whom your teen is comfortable with can be a transformative experience to address issues that your teens is facing before they start to have a longer lasting impact of your teen.
One of the most challenging things regarding teen therapy is finding a therapist whom your teen feels comfortable with, and we offer free, 15-minute consult calls for you and your teen to ensure that your teen feels comfortable starting therapy. Though teens cannot consent for their own services, our therapists maintain confidentiality with your teen as if they were any other client. In other words, your teen does not have to worry about their therapist disclosing anything in session to their parent. In fact, all teens that are capable and comfortable filling out their own intake form have the option to fill out their own intake forms so that they can be assured privacy as they disclosure things that they may not want their parents to know.
As a parent or guardian, it can be difficult wanting to naturally know what your child is disclosing in therapy, however, the therapeutic space for your teen is their space—not yours. While it can be challenging at first, our therapists are trained to disclose to you only what is legally and/or ethically required. If there is something that comes up in your teens session that the therapist needs to address, they will do so appropriately with your teen and yourself.
Common Questions About Teen Counseling
What if my teen is not interested in therapy?
That’s a great question! It is normal for teens to have some resistance towards therapy. You shouldn’t force your teen to come to therapy. If you do, your teen is likely to shut down, not answer honestly, and not take it seriously. In addition, “forcing” your teen to try therapy may create negative feelings with your teen towards you. If your teen is not sure if therapy is right for them right now, we offer free consult calls for you or your teen to discuss any concerns and to get a sense of their potential therapist.
Am I able to sit in on my teen’s sessions?
For the most part, no. Though your teen is a minor and needs their guardian consent for services, they are bound to same therapeutic principles, ethics, and limits of confidentiality as adult. While there may be times where your teen’s therapist may recommend that their parent or guardian come into part of a session, the teen must give permission. Long story short, the client is your teen, not you. Your teen’s sessions is your teen’s session, and your teen’s therapist will facilitate joint sessions when appropriate.
My teen and myself have a busy schedule. Is there any options that can accommodate our schedules?
Absolutely! We offer virtual session for teen counseling as long as the teen is in a private space with a parent, guardian, or competent adult that the guardian is comfortable with in case something happens. Essentially, it is not best practice for minors to conduct telehealth sessions in a space without a parent or guardian (or adult) nearby. For example, a teen can do telehealth in a private room at home as long as there is an adult in the household or a teen can have a telehealth session at school in a private room as long as there is a school official in the building. Though it is rare that situations arise over telehealth with clients, our therapists always follow best practices to uphold the safety of theirselves and their clients.
Therapy during adolescence can help raise awareness and prevent behaviors and conditions from getting worse as you or your child continue to mature. To learn more about therapy for yourself or your child, contact us or book a free consult call!
