We all experience times that are challenging and the teen years are certainly no exception. Your teen is changing rapidly before your eyes, and your role parenting a teen is changing also. Whether your teen may be experiencing anger, sadness, or indifference, therapy provides a space for her to share these intense emotions without judgement, which is vital during adolescence.
You may be quite aware of these intense feelings from your teen but be confronted with “a wall” when you ask your daughter questions or try to elicit any information. Therapy can be a valuable tool for exploring your teen’s internal world in a non-judgmental, accepting environment. Some therapeutic goals that I focus on in my work with teen girls are:
- Improved problem-solving
- Strengthened skills and confidence in handling relationship dynamics
- Improved awareness and expression of needs and boundaries
- Improved self-esteem and confidence in self-expression
- Better coping strategies to handle stress
Psychotherapy can help support these goals and my focus is to create an environment that facilitates helping teen girls work through their challenges and complications of their internal world. Teens are often receptive to new ideas and new ways of looking at aspects of themselves and the world around them, which can transfer into an optimal opportunity in the therapeutic setting.
At the same time, it’s also normal as part of their development process to think and feel that they have all the answers or have them at their ready access through friends, facebook, blogs, etc. Choosing therapy as a resource, however, provides an opportunity for your teen to explore these feelings and questions with a trusted professional who can facilitate a process leading to enhanced mood, improved decision-making and initiative taking, and increased strategies your daughter has to communicate effectively, set boundaries, and cope with her overwhelming feelings.
For teens, I incorporate Cognitive Behavior Therapy, a practice that addresses the overwhelming thoughts and feelings which lead to anxiety and depression. Depending on your teen’s interests and responsiveness, I also use art, music, movies, journal writing, and nature to add to their self-observations and self-expression. Humor is always an asset as well.
Areas Where I Can Help:
- Academic concerns
- Lack of motivation
- Isolation
- Parent separation and divorce
- Struggles with peer relationships
- Stress management
- Social Skills
- Boundary setting
- Assertiveness
- Physical illness
- Grief/loss