Teen Counseling

Are You Worried About Your Teenager’s Emotional, Social or Academic Wellbeing?

depressed teenager looking out window

  • Does your teen seem angry or distant?

  • Do you worry about the friends your teen is spending time with? Is your teen struggling with grades or behavioral problems at school?

  • Have you noticed your teen withdrawing and no longer engaging in activities they once enjoyed? Are you constantly arguing with your teen?

  • Do you sometimes feel like you don’t know your teen anymore?

  • Do you wish you knew how to better understand and communicate with your teen so you could help them make better decisions and feel successful and happy?

The teenage years are a time of exploration when teens typically challenge societal and parental boundaries and values. Teens also often struggle to understand their emotions and establish their own values and personal boundaries. They may feel misunderstood by adults, parents and even their peers. Many adolescents struggle with self-esteem, finding their identity and conflicts with peers and within their families. And, sometimes adolescents struggle with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety.

Parents are often frustrated, confused and unsure how to deal with the teen years.

teenager depressed in bed

Parents often feel that teens are being disrespectful or are always moody. They may also feel rejected or shut out as their teen undergoes their exploration into self. It can be hard to manage a teenager. And, parents constantly wonder: How much independence do I give my teen? How do I protect them? Sometimes parents impose too much control over teens or, withdraw too much, resulting in teens experiencing feelings of abandonment. It’s not uncommon for parents to struggle to find the right balance.

Teen Counseling Can Provide You And Your Teen With Insight, Support And Guidance

Teen counseling can support your teen as they face the difficult issues of adolescence. Teen counseling provides a safe space for your teen to gain clarity about their  identity, goals and relationships as they prepare to transition into the outside world. Teen counseling can also help you and your family navigate the adolescent years and provide you with strategies to help you improve communication with your teen and learn ways to avoid and manage conflict.

How Does Teen Counseling Help?

smiling adolescent boy with red hair and glasses

In teen counseling sessions, we create a safe, caring environment where your teen can communicate openly about confusing and/or painful thoughts and feelings.

Your teen will have the opportunity to examine relationships with family and friends, as well as learn more about who they are and want to be in the world. We can work on healthy ways to manage stress – both academic and social – achieving clarity about wants and needs, life goals, healthy vs. unhealthy coping mechanisms, healthy relationships, and setting and achieving educational and career goals.

We will also collaborate with you to help improve communication and understanding between you and your teen. The methods we use promote lasting change in a time-efficient manner. We understand that your family is busy and that you don’t want to spend years in therapy. Our  focus, then, is on maximizing our time together so that we make the most change in the least amount of time.

Although you may be ready to seek help, you still may have questions or concerns about teen counseling…

 

  • If your teen is experiencing difficulty, it’s important to seek help early. Research shows that early intervention for mental health issues or family conflict leads to the most effective results. The teen years don’t have to be difficult and full of conflict. With help, it is possible for your teen and your family to successfully navigate the teen years – which can be priceless. Also, you don’t have to be in therapy forever. We are respectful of your time and we can help you and your teen set manageable, achievable goals.

  • Many teens recoil at the idea of therapy, however, if you are concerned about your teen, it’s imperative that you assume your parental role and tell your teen that help is necessary. At the same time, it’s important that your teen has a voice in selecting the therapist. Try narrowing therapist choices down to 2 or 3 and empower your teen to choose. Also, while teens are often reluctant to come to therapy, an effective teen therapist knows how to connect with teens and address their reservations about therapy. Our therapists have worked with many adolescents and have the ability to quickly connect with teens and build a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship, which is the key to making progress.

  • Teen counseling can be helpful for teens struggling with a variety of issues, like conflicts with parents, difficulties in school or with friendships. Often, parents second-guess themselves when they’re considering teen counseling. But if you’re reading this, your parental instincts are telling you that you may need some extra help. We invite you to consider teen counseling as a space for your teen and your family to get an outside, experienced, knowledgeable perspective on your difficulties.

 

Our therapists are skilled at working with teens and helping you successfully navigate the challenges of parenting a teen.