Individual Counseling for Teens

If you are a teen and you landed here, congrats!   More and more teens are proactive about their mental health and that might include doing your own search for therapy. Maybe you parents suggested it, or a counselor  at school, or you just know you want some support.

The internet has lots more resources about mental health now than in the  past, and teens  can get information on topics that are hard to get in school or from friends. There are on-line therapy sites, and  even AI therapy, and they all have something to offer. 

But here’s a caution for you.

There really is a lot of junk floating around and  when it  comes  to your well-being, you want to know the source has your best interest as a core value.

Friends often have various degrees of knowledge and/or experiences with mental health issues;their own, or a family member’s.  Sometimes, they can be  really helpful in talking with you about what they know. They may have strong opinions on types  of  therapy, medication, confidentiality, ect., and it’s important for you to do your own research, to get accurate information. 

Here’s where talking to a real therapist can be most helpful.  A therapist who works with teens and has a way of connecting with them, is someone you can count on to tell you the truth, and help you have a good  first experience with therapy. 

How do you find the right therapist for you? You gotta shop around! 

Your parents might have gotten some recommendations from a school counselor, or a friend, and you can be  open to hearing about their suggestions about a therapist. You are also capable of doing your own research and getting some suggestions from an adult that you trust. 

Most therapists offer a free consultation. Your parent(s), and you can talk to one or several therapists, , usually by zoom or phone, and ask questions to get a sense of if they are  a good fit for you. 

You aren’t obligated to a certain number of  sessions, but it’s important you attend at least 3-4 to get a good sense of how the  therapy is  going to go. There are lots of types of therapy, and many different methods, but all of  them should include steps for you  to take: first,learning about how they will help you,  and then practicing them in real life. This kind of homework can be life changing! 

If you are here, there is a good chance you know you want support to make some changes. You probably know many different reasons why teens go to  therapy. 

Here are issues I can help you with

-School problems: avoiding or refusing to attend, or a negative change in your school participation.

-Struggling with ADHD, or coping with being on the autism spectrum 

-Feelings of sadness that may relate to family conflict, divorce, death of a loved  one, or on-going symptoms of  depression

-Anxiety that may be about your lack of  confidence, or the unfair expectations of others

-Changes in your sleep or eating patterns

-Dependence on drugs or alcohol

-Problems with peers, loss of friendships, loneliness

–Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy

– Avoiding school

– Feeling like you are good enough

– Increasing conflicts with family or friends

Whats’ next?

I’d love to meet you and see if we are  a good fit for helping you get to a better place. Yes, you can contact me on your own, by clicking the free consult button. I’m happy to introduce myself to you and listen to what concerns you have.  After that, if you want to take the next step, let your parents know and they can contact me to set up an appointment to talk with me.

 

 

 

 

You are tired of feeling stuck. You want to talk with someone who gets you.  You want therapy to actually improve your life.  

If you are ready to take the first step,  I am ready to hear your story.

It can be scary to reach out to a therapist for the first time. You want to know it will be  worth your time and  that they can actually help you. I want you to know some things about me to get a sense of my personality, experience, and how I can help you move forward towards your best life.

Why I do it.

All my life I have felt a connection with teens, their families, and young adults.  I have been a foster parent to many teen boys, and supervised a group home for it girls. In my many years working at the high school social worker, I have walked along side students and their times of grief, anxiety, isolation and yes times of joy.  I am grateful for every encounter with a teen who is ready, and asking for help, even when their behavior is confusing. After all these years, yes, it’s a lot of years!, I love partnering with teens and their families  as they take steps to improve their confidence and relationships.

What is it like to work with me?

Teens, their parents, and adults  say I’m honest, compassionate, and direct. All of your emotions, and thoughts are safe with me, even the ones uncomfortable to you. Hopefully we will even had have some fun along the way and celebrate all the steps in your progress.

Here are some of the things you can expect in our work together.

I will help you listen deeply to your self, and this is the most important skill for you to recognize your needs. We will talk through  the action steps you will need to do to get to a place of more confidence, peace, and satisfying relationships.

There are treatment approaches and methods shown to be most effective in making progress with mental health challenges.  You can expect to  experience relief,  and growth, as we work together, through evidence based therapeutic methods, tailored to enhance your well-being.

Here are areas of my expertise:

ADHD, education and strategies           

Adoption, questions that surface in adolescence and change throughout  one’s life

Anxiety/panic avoidance of fear based situations. This includes, school avoidance and refusal. 

–Autism spectrum challenges

–Depression, on-going feelings of sadness, withdrawal from friends, family, and activities important to you. 

–Divorce and it’s impact on the family

–Grief, coping with the loss of a loved one,  estrangement from a family member

–Religious trauma/conflict within the  family

–Selective mutism

–Life transition challenges

Parents

Are you worried about your teen? Do you feel like  no matter what you do, your teen just doesn’t respond?

Maybe you are even getting calls from school, telling you that your teen is not doing well. Maybe your family life is in turmoil over your teen’s behavior. It is tough when your teen is struggling and you don’t have  the answers. You would do anything to help your teen, but where do you turn when you don’t even know what’s wrong?

You have read books, talked  to the  school counselor, googled countless therapists, and  you almost made an appointment. You are tired, and worried, about now, and  your teen’s future, if things don’t get better.

You want real, practical help. 

Even though adolescence is a time of constant change, parents should be aware of particular behavioral symptoms during these years. 

Some mental health problems begin to emerge in adolescence and certain symptoms indicate that your child may need mental health treatment. 

Here are 15 signs that your teen may be having mental health difficulties

1. Withdrawing more than usual, from friends, family, and activities
2. They suddenly lack motivation for things they usually love, or have previously done well. 
3. Their school grades are dropping or they may be avoiding or refusing to go to school
4. Visible changes in sleep weight, eating habits, or other every day patterns
5. They constantly seem angry
6. They are drinking or using drugs
7. They seem overly anxious in certain situations,such as  social interactions, test, anxiety, athletic performances
8. They are grieving a significant loss
9. They are coping with divorce
10. They have all new friends
11. They talk about death or dying often
12. Signs of self harm, such as cuts, burns, or bruises that can’t be explained, fully or credibly
13. Running thoughts or worries, that they can’t stop. 
14. They ask about going to therapy. 

How to talk to your teen about going to therapy

Teens, just like adults may have fears and misconceptions about starting therapy.  It’s important for you to be  able to normalize  therapy as another way to take of yourself.

Here are some tip for starting the  conversation

Wait until you are  feeling calm, not after an incident with your teen that may have been stressful. You can say something like;

“I noticed  that you don’t seem to be yourself lately. I see you (mention specific behaviors) and I’m worried that you are  going through a tough time. Sometimes talking with another adult, outside  the family, like a counselor,  can be really helpful. It’s ok to ask for help, and I’ll support you in finding a therapist who is  a good fit for you. This isn’t about you being the problem.  It’s about you being important to me, and  about having what you need  to feel support when you are going through a tough time. I want to know how  your thoughts about this, and then  we can take  the next step to get you a therapist who you feel is a good fit for you.”

You can have ready the names and contact info, for a few therapists and you can give  your teen the option of contacting them first, themselves. They can check out therapists websites and let you know who they think they would like to meet.  If  they prefer you to make the  first call, (totally the norm), you can call me yourself for a free  introductory consult.

Whether you or your teen has  been in therapy before,  I want you, and your teen,  to experience,  a relationship with a therapist that makes a real difference in the  quality of  their life.   I’d be honored to work with them.

Let’s talk.

 

.