TEEN THERAPY
Has Your Teen Become Someone You No Longer Recognize?
Is your teen exhibiting troubling behavior, and you don’t know how to help? Have they been struggling in school or engaging in risky behaviors, such as using illegal substances, disordered eating, or self-harm? Although you realize intervention is needed, do you feel ill-equipped to provide solutions without outside support?
As your teen enters their adolescent years, it might be hard for you to remember the happy, carefree kid they once were. You may have noticed a gradual change in their temperament and behavior that worries you. Perhaps they have become withdrawn, anxious, or depressed but won’t confide in you about what’s wrong. Or maybe they are prone to emotional outbursts and struggle to control their anger which could strain their relationships with friends and loved ones.
You May Feel Out Of Your Depth As A Parent
To see your child in pain is one of the worst things a parent can experience. If they have retreated from the friends and activities they once enjoyed, or, perhaps, engaged in suicidal ideation, you are probably concerned not only about their mental health but also their physical safety. As scary and isolating as this experience is, you are not alone. Many parents have faced similar situations and sought out counseling for their teens.
By building a relationship with a therapist—an unbiased and non-judgmental adult—your teen will have a safe and confidential space to discuss their challenges. In therapy for teens, they will learn helpful coping strategies to manage anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress more effectively.
Many Teens Could Benefit From Mental Health Support
Today’s teens struggle with mental health on an unprecedented scale. According to statistics gathered by the World Health Organization (WHO), "Globally, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 15 percent of the global burden of disease in this age group." [1]
Adolescence is a tumultuous time marked by transition, development, and growth. When we add the stressors of the 21st century into the mix, it’s no surprise that anxiety and depression are prevalent among teens. On an individual level, many adolescents face intense academic pressure, cyberbullying, and the anxiety of social media comparisons. On a larger scale, they are coming of age against a backdrop of political upheaval, global conflict, and a climate crisis that threatens their future.
Social Media Can Be Particularly Damaging To Teens
In recent years, research regarding social media has confirmed our worst suspicions about its harmful effect on children and teens. “Numerous studies show that higher levels of social media use among children and adolescents are linked to adverse effects, including depression and anxiety, inadequate sleep—which can disrupt neurological development and lead to depression and suicidal behaviors—low self-esteem, poor body image, eating disorder behaviors, and online harassment.” [2]
Unfortunately, most parents struggle to keep up with the numerous issues their teens are exposed to. It’s hard for us to know how and when to intervene, especially at a time in our child’s development when they seek independence and prefer to confide in peers over parents.
The good news is therapy offers a supportive platform for your teen to gain insights, develop self-awareness, and cultivate emotional regulation skills they can take into adulthood. At Prospering Hope, we offer counseling to help your teenage child overcome obstacles such as anxiety, depression, trauma, substance abuse, eating disorders, and issues related to LGBTQ+ youth.
Counseling Can Help Your Teen Develop Skills That Foster Self-Love And Emotional Awareness
Teenage therapy is designed to help your child develop self-awareness, self-compassion, confidence, and a sense of purpose. By approaching your teen with empathy and understanding, their therapist will act as their coach, creating a plan to help them navigate their challenges. Through open dialogue, we will explore topics your child may not feel comfortable discussing with you, such as emotions, relationships, or life transitions Learning to treat themselves more kindly will help them become more resilient, prioritize what matters to them, and set themselves up for success.
For your teen to benefit from counseling, it is essential that they feel safe speaking openly and trust the person they are talking to. Building rapport with a counselor who doesn’t come across as another authority figure your teen must obey is crucial to the process. Receiving feedback from parents can be very helpful, as it allows us to better understand your teen's interests and tailor therapy accordingly. It may take some time for your teen to feel comfortable, but being patient throughout this process is worthwhile.
How Teenage Anxiety And Depression Therapy Is Structured
Initially, we want to understand what your teen’s greatest challenges are. That way, we can collaborate on an effective treatment plan that targets these stressors and provides relief early in the process.
We will normalize counseling for your teen, explaining that it's a safe space to talk about what's on their mind and learn helping coping strategies, like mindfulness, to manage difficult emotions as they arise. By incorporating games like Jenga with words into our sessions, we ensure that therapy remains engaging and accessible for your teen.
Therapy with your teen will be confidential unless your child consents to you attending one or two stand-alone sessions with them. We aim to help them feel as comfortable as possible sharing personal information, so maintaining confidentiality will be key to building trust. Nevertheless, we will check in periodically to inform you of your child’s progress.
Our Customized Approach To Therapy Will Ensure Beneficial Results For Your Teen
When working with adolescents, we offer evidence-based modalities for teens such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), Family Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), and experiential therapies like art or music therapy. The approaches we decide to incorporate will depend on your child’s specific needs.
In particular, CBT and DBT provide teens with hands-on tools they can use to identify negative self-talk and mindset, shift thinking patterns to more helpful thoughts and beliefs, improve emotional regulation, and build up tolerance to distressful situations. ACT for teens helps them identify and define their values to ensure they are living in alignment with what they care about the most.
Partnering with a therapist can help your family identify solutions to problems that may be difficult to tackle alone. No matter what your teen struggles with, counseling offers hope, compassion, and support.
But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Teen Counseling Is Right For You…
As a parent, how involved will I be in counseling for my teen?
Although sessions between your teen and their counselor will be confidential, we encourage parents to actively participate in their teen’s success throughout therapy and beyond. We can discuss ways to best support your teen at home by sharing strategies and techniques they learn in counseling sessions. Additionally, we can schedule regular check-ins with you to keep you updated on their progress.
My teen is worried that seeing a therapist means something is wrong with them.
Understandably, your child may have some reservations about attending therapy. However, when working with a counselor, your teen will learn that therapy is not about fixing something that’s wrong with them; it's about learning better ways to manage challenges and feel better. Therapy for teens strives to provide a welcoming, safe environment where your child feels comfortable opening up and expressing their thoughts and emotions without fear of judgment or being misunderstood.
Won’t talking about their issues in counseling make my teen feel worse?
It's understandable to feel apprehensive about therapy, especially if your teen worries things might get harder before they get better. However, getting pushed out of their comfort zone can actually be a sign that we're starting to explore important issues. As therapists with experience working with teens, we can support them every step of the way. We will move at a pace that feels comfortable for them and, together, work towards positive change.
Help Your Teen Get Back On Track
If your teen is struggling to find their place in the world, they can benefit from a safe and supportive space to learn, grow, and thrive. For a free 15-minute consultation to find out more about Prospering Hope’s in-person counseling and online teen therapy or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 832-856-1807 or visit our contact page.
[1] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
[2] https://www.aecf.org/blog/social-medias-concerning-effect-on-teen-mental-health
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