TEEN/ADOLESCENT THERAPY

• Does it feel like an uphill battle with your teenager?

• Does it seem like your teen is shutting you out and resisting to talk to you?

• Is your teen overly sensitive, self-conscious or easily irritated?

• Is your teen withdrawn, and spending hours alone absorbed in electronics (cell phone, computer, video games, etc.)?

• Is your teen struggling academically and/or socially in school?

• Is your teen defiant and oppositional, and/or seems apathetic about life?

• Does your teen seem to have very low self-esteem, a low self-concept or is sad often?

• Does your teen worry excessively about school, peers/friends, the future?

• Are you worried that your teen is making unhealthy choices?

• Does your teen have difficulty in his or her relationships with friends, authority figures or relatives?

• Do you feel powerless about how to help your teen through the tumultuous turmoil of adolescence and desperately wish you could restore the relationship you once had?

The teenage years are a time of self-exploration and self-discovery and a quest for independence. While adolescence can be exciting and new, it can also be a time of ambivalence with a whirlwind of emotions. Often, teens experience complicated emotions related to their self-concept, academic performance, relationships with peers/friends and family members, and the future. Many try to deal with problems and difficulties on their own without asking for help, and this can cause increased emotional struggle.

Teens may suffer from excessive anxiety regarding school grades, self-concept, fitting in with peers, social situations or future goals. Others are outwardly defiant, easily irritable and become angered when faced with complex situations. Some teens suffer from depression and may withdraw from their world and avoid people (especially their parents). There are times that your teen may make poor decisions and partake in risky behaviors. Parents have to remember that their children often behave like this because they are confused and are experiencing some kind of emotional pain, and teens lack the self-awareness and psychological skills to deal with such intense emotions and life situations in a healthy manner.

Psychotherapy can help with these difficult times. Adolescent therapy invites teens to connect to a trusting, compassionate and nonjudgmental therapist in a safe and engaging space. By exploring the connection between their thoughts, feelings and behaviors, as well as identifying their strengths and insecurities, teens gain immense self-awareness and ultimately, self-confidence. Through the use of psychodynamic therapy and CBT and mindfulness techniques, teens learn to love themselves, as well as learn healthy coping skills to use in times of stress, anxiety, frustration, sadness and ambivalence. By gaining empathy and understanding, and feeling the support and validation of an experienced therapist, teens can benefit immensely from therapy, which can lead to healthy expression of thoughts and feelings, as well as healthy and happy relationships.