Teens
- Tired of fighting with your teen?
- Are your teen’s moods normal or are you wondering if he/she is exceptionally angry, annoyed or out of control?
- Have you noticed cuts, burns or any other self-injury?
- Are they having difficulties at home, school or socially?
- Have there been significant changes recently?
- This is developmentally a difficult time for teenagers…and their parents. Remember back to when you were this age and all the things that affected you. Today’s teens are exposed to more challenges than ever before. This, in turn, has made it harder to for moms and dads to parent their children.
- There are ways counseling can help.
Family Therapy with Teens
This form of therapy can bring you and your teen closer together. It provides a forum to discuss whatever is on your minds. Whether it’s about a family issue, such as divorce, or you’re trying to help your teen with a problem, such as drugs and alcohol, anorexia, self-image, or depression, family therapy can offer a supportive environment to foster better communication. It can bring hidden issues to the surface, enabling you and the therapist to find the right treatment, if needed, for your teen. Your adolescent may feel safer sharing with you in this setting since the therapist becomes a neutral third party.
Individual Therapy for Teens
Your teen may not want to talk with peers or with you – she may feel most comfortable sharing with just one person. That’s when individual therapy with a trained therapist can help. Teens who prefer to meet with the therapist alone often need this time to establish trust with another adult who they view as just another authority figure before being able to meet as a family.
Art, Music & Movement Therapies for Teens
Your teen doesn’t need to be an artist or a musician to benefit from these forms of therapy. The goal with each is to provide a comfortable and effective avenue of expression for your adolescent. Perhaps he just can’t talk openly. Instead, drawing or painting pictures that reflect his feelings, hopes, fears, and goals can heighten his self-awareness. The artwork becomes a tool for him to explore issues with a therapist. Music therapy generally focuses on healing. Your teen might listen to music recommended by her therapist. She also might be encouraged to write songs, perform music, or discuss lyrics, activities designed to help her heal from physical or emotional wounds. Music therapy is also very effective in reducing stress and helping your teen feel more balanced