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Counseling for Teens
Adolescence is a special time of development for young people, and can often present brand new challenges both for the young individual working hard to grow up and for the parents working hard to lead the family.
The moment when a young person reaches adolescence is actually a pretty big change, not just for them, but also for the whole family. Responsibilities at school and at home begin to increase, and social peer relationships take on a new level of importance. This is a common time for young people to begin to develop their own thinking about the world, about their values and about their beliefs. The simple, concrete thinking of childhood must give way to a more complex and abstract adult way of understanding the world. For younger and for older teens, oftentimes adolescence is when the human begins to struggle head on with difficult realities such as suffering, loss, and the bigger problems that face society. All of this can contribute to increasing tension for the teenager that can manifest in various ways.
Sometimes the pressure experienced by teens becomes internalized in negative thoughts, withdrawn behavior, and mood swings. Other times this pressure may be expressed externally by pushing back against the parents, teachers, or other peers in anger or defiance. Then there is the contributing factor of sexual development and how each teen has to navigate profound changes in the body and in the mind during puberty.
We see adolescence as a great time of hope, however – as an opportunity for deep growth in the young person’s development and also growth in the family. When approached with curiosity, openness, and solid psychological theory, both teenagers and parents can practice navigating these transitional years with an entirely new attitude oriented towards growth and resiliency. Teen counseling can help teens and parents make this change successfully.
We have clinicians on staff who are passionate about guiding both teens and parents though this phase of life, whether the presenting problems are big or small. We can work with teens together with the parents in family counseling or parent coaching, or also provide individual teen counseling if needed.
Our clinicians are skilled to handle various situations for teens such as, but not limited to: shut down or withdrawn teens, rebellious behavior, problems with social media or technology, suicidal ideation and self-harm behavior, identity development and failure to launch. Our therapists believe in a restored and thriving relationship between teens and parents, and will work with the family towards achieving it.