Adolescence can be a challenging time. It is a time to figure out who you are and who you want to be, a time of renegotiating relationships with friends and families, and often a time of first loves and first heart-breaks. For some teens, it means that the anxiety, insecurity, or trauma that bubbled under the surface during childhood comes roaring to the surface. For others, it means struggling to make healthy choices or to balance a desire for independence with respect for the rules. School, peers, and family relationships all have the potential to become sources of overwhelming stress. To complicate matters, parents often find that the parenting strategies that worked when their children were younger just don’t have the same effect as their kids move into the teenage years.

Some common reasons teens come to us for therapy include:

• anxiety and depression
• stress management
• self-injury, including cutting
• trauma or abuse
• trouble with friends or getting along with family members
• anger, impulsive behavior, or difficulty following rules

We have therapists who especially love to work with teens. Their ability to relate to middle and high school youth, while also using their clinical expertise, can help your teen on the path toward health. Therapy for teens typically includes traditional “talk therapy” techniques. Depending on what is needed, experiential activities, mindfulness, family interventions, or other strategies might be incorporated. In all cases, confidentiality is key – having a safe space, where your teen can openly explore thoughts and feelings, is essential to therapy being successful.