Teenagers are a challenge unlike any other.
Teenagers are going through major changes to their body and mind.
Physically, teenagers are more mature, and mentally they are better able to understand underlying reasons to rules and choices. The same changes also leave them with stronger impulses that are harder to control or think through and more vulnerability to pressure from friends, who are going through the same changes.
At a family level, there are also major changes happening.
The ultimate transition out of the teenage years is (hopefully) to independence as an adult. That means giving more freedom and responsibility to a teenager to help in this transition.
However, teenagers aren’t adults yet. Parents still need to set boundaries and stand by rules that limit personal freedom for a teen.
It may not be so surprising that the teenage years often bring to mind strong emotion, family drama, conflict, rebellion, and similar concerning ideas.
When there is a problem, it is important to take it seriously. Some people hope to ride out the teen years and wait for the teen to mature out of their problems. That is in no way guaranteed.
Drug addiction, serious injury or death from risky behavior, teen pregnancy and suicide can all come out of not addressing the problem.
Get the help you need to navigate this uncertain time.
Teenagers present a unique challenge in therapy. Many teens are hesitant or even hostile to coming to see me at first. Teenagers are mature enough to fully benefit from individual counseling, but also still young enough that family therapy is useful, too. Parents play a central role in the success of a teenager.
Therapy is often very effective.
Any negative feelings toward therapy often disappear within a few sessions for the teens I work with. During that time, it is important to come in as a family to help make this positive transition and to give me a better idea of the family relationships.
I work with each family to determine the next best step. Often, individual therapy gives the teen a place to talk through struggles and learn coping and relationship skills that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
I also like to work with parents to help them understand how to most effectively diffuse conflict and support their child through the teenage years.
Once we make significant progress in these areas, we can come back together as a family to resolve any final family rifts. I have found this layered approach to be the most effective way to resolve problems and achieve growth and closeness beyond what many families thought were possible when they started.
Help your child break free of problems and grow toward the successful adult you know they can be. Call me for a free phone consultation to learn more.
