Adolescent Therapy

Adolescence can be a challenging time for individuals both physically and emotionally. Some issues adolescents receive psychotherapy for include anger or aggression, poor academic performance or other academic issues, conflict with peers, parents or other authority figures, anxiety or fear, depression, alcohol and/or drug use/abuse and inappropriate sexual behavior.

The therapist provides emotional support to adolescent clients, helping them to feel heard and understood. The relationship that develops between the therapist and adolescent is of the utmost importance. When an adolescent feels comfortable and safe, s/he is much more likely to express his/her feelings, which in turn makes the therapeutic process more likely to be successful. Over time, the psychotherapeutic process aids adolescents in identifying, understanding, and coping with their feelings in healthy ways. Adolescents are encouraged to identify and implement new solutions to reoccurring problems. Clients are taught skills that help them achieve and maintain emotional health during adolescence and ideally throughout the rest of their lives.

Adolescent therapy may involve an individual child, group of children, family or multiple families. Areas of exploration addressed in therapy include the adolescent’s current problems, history, developmental level, ability to cooperate with treatment and possible interventions. Adolescent psychotherapy is often used with other treatment approaches like behavior management and medication management. Working with school staff/personnel can also be helpful in adolescent treatment.