Teens

Teens – Adolescents can be tricky when offering counseling.  The therapy needs to have an element of child therapy combined with adult therapy to find that sweet spot of teen therapy.  Teenagers are often playful and yet still have trouble with expressing and explaining their feelings.  They question their own self worth as they compare themselves to their peers.  Adolescents often benefit from the use of music, sand tray, games, physical movement, sports, and art.  As they develop a sense of safety and good rapport with their therapist they are able to express themselves better verbally.  Teens also are able to access information from books, Eye Movement Desentization Reprograming (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and other therapies related to adult therapy.

Social interactions are an important part of an adolescent’s development.  We offer several groups that offer social interactions with their peers.  The groups help teenagers understand that they are not alone in their thoughts and feelings. These groups utilize psychoeducation, sharing experience, social activities, art, and workbooks.  Each week the adolescent sets goals to practice what they have learned and reports back to the group how it went.