Adolescence is one of the most intense developmental stages with changes taking place in physical, psychological and social functioning. The culmination of all these changes may bring about significant distress, behavioural changes and scholastic problems. Accordingly, therapy can assist in guiding both the adolescent and parent(s) through this.

Consent & confidentiality

Although adolescence are no longer children and they are not yet independent and therefore it is essential that the parents’ consent (for children under the age of 14) to therapy. This however may cause conflict in adolescence who may feel that they are forced in to therapy by their parents. Similarly parents may intern feel they are privileged to the content of the sessions because they pay for the therapy.

Nevertheless clearly setting out the boundaries for the therapeutic relationship to both client and parents is essential. Overall I treat adolescence much like I treat my adult clients. I only speak to the parent of the client after receiving consent to determine the nature of the information that I may divulge to the parent. Parental feedback is more general and does not point to any specific details of our therapy sessions.

Invest in your adolescent’s well being by sending them to a therapist.

Adolescence is a time when young people are struggling to fit in, socially and emotionally. They are especially vulnerable to bullying, social ostracization, family dysfunction, problems in school and trauma – any of which may trigger a mental health issue.

Some common therapeutic techniques used in adolescent therapy that we are familiar with:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills
  • Play Therapy
  • Sand Tray Therapy
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

What could have happened for your teen to need adolescent therapy?

  • Increased stress, fear and anxiety
  • Parental depression
  • Negative family environment (may include parental substance abuse)
  • Mistreatment or abuse by parents
  • Conflict in the family
  • Loss of school, sport, church, community routine
  • Loss of supportive relationships with friends, extended family members or mentors

Possible signs your adolescent
needs a therapist:

  • Talking about or making plans for suicide
  • Expressing hopelessness about the future
  • Displaying severe/overwhelming emotional pain or distress
  • Showing worrisome behavioral cues or marked changes in behavior
  • Withdrawal from or changing in social connections/situation
  • Changes in sleep (increased or decreased)
  • Anger or hostility that seems out of character or out of context
  • Recent increased agitation or irritability
  • Excessive use of social media

Things you can do to improve your situation

  • Encourage your adolescent to share their feelings. Ask engaging questions about your adolescent’s life and experiences – look for ways to check in with your teen.

  • Work through conflict together. Practice negotiating (e.g. your adolescent asks for more independence, new routines/goals or boundaries)

  • Take time to support your adolescent. Celebrate the small things.

Things that can worsen your situation

  • Not taking the time to care for yourself (the parent) before addressing issues with your teen. You should not be stressed, tired, worried, anxious, angry or judgemental.

  • Shaming or judging your adolescent if they express certain behaviours, emotions or feelings. Similarly, demanding information or a change of behaviour can cause conflict.

  • Ignoring a problem (or your concerns) and hoping it will resolve itself over time.

How is adolescent therapy different from other therapy approaches?

At times, a combination of different psychotherapy approaches (listed below) may be helpful. In some cases, a combination of medication and psychotherapy may be most effective. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are trained in different forms of psychotherapy and, if indicated, are able to combine the below forms of treatment with medications to help alleviate the child or adolescent’s emotional and/or behavioral problems.

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
  • Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Family Therapy
  • Couples Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
  • Mentalization Based Therapy (MBT)
  • Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
  • Play Therapy
  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
  • Supportive Therapy

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In preparation for your first session, think about what you want to achieve.

Tip: Block out some time before and after your first session. This will allow you to engage more deeply in your session and be worried if you feel intense emotions during the session.

There is no specific time frame when working on personal development and growth. Depending on the type of changes that you are looking to make and the variety of issues that you are attempting to work on, therapy can last from a few sessions to much longer. Some find therapy to be extremely beneficial and choose to make it a long-term process.

Note: Each of our individual sessions are an hour long to provide enough time to talk.

Ask both your teen and the therapist what types of involvement would be best. You may be invited to join sessions to directly address specific issues your teen is struggling with. A joint session with relevant family members and your teen may also be appropriate.

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