Adolescents face many challenges as they grow into adults. They may have trouble finding employment, forming healthy romantic relationships with the right person, and keeping them for a long time without having had much life experience yet! That's where our teen counseling services come in. We provide therapy sessions tailored to your teenager's needs at different stages of development, so you know your kid(s) will be safe while getting help understanding themselves better or working on skills necessary later down the road. We've had many young adults come back to say that they are so glad they learned the skills they did in therapy as they watch friends still struggling with the issues that came up in adolescence.

Therapy with adolescents is usually a combination of traditional "talk therapy" and age-appropriate activities, including art projects, therapeutic curriculums/worksheets, or games. Sessions with our adolescent counselors are guided by the teen's interests and preferences at this age. If they want to talk the whole session, we can talk. If they wish to have more structured activities, our teen therapists will have activities in the session. 

Skill Building and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

For teenagers, therapy provides a confidential, unbiased, safe space where they can explore thoughts, feelings, choices/consequences, and goals. While parents or caregivers are encouraged to participate in the initial assessment and treatment goal setting, most return sessions are only between the therapist and teen. Parents may join therapy sessions as needed with teen consent. We encourage adolescents to share their thoughts, feelings, and the skills they learn in therapy with their families at home. Parents are encouraged to share any concerns with us through email before sessions, so we may best address any recent issues. As there are limits to confidentiality, we will inform parents of any shared safety concerns.

Should My Teen Start Therapy?

Going to therapy can be an effective way for teenagers who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. Teenagers participate in therapy for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to the following:

• life transitions (moving, divorce/remarriage
• starting new school
• difficulty adjusting to life changes)
• anxiety/worries (separation, social, generalized, panic, OCD-type thoughts/behaviors)
• depression (may present as irritability, emotional outbursts, lack of interest in activities, fatigue)
• ADHD (impulsiveness, hyperactivity, attention problems)
• behavior issues (oppositional defiance, anger outbursts, temper tantrums, aggression)
• social issues (difficulty developing or maintaining friendships, conflicts with peers, dating issues)

The transition from childhood to adulthood can be difficult for some teenagers. The stress of figuring out what they want in life and how it all fits together puts pressure on teens, but thankfully we are here to help. Whether these issues are recent/emerging or chronic/worsening, therapy can help!