Therapy for teens is a specialized form of treatment I offer to address the emotional, social, and developmental challenges faced during adolescence. This period is often marked by significant changes in identity, relationships, and emotional well-being, making therapy for adolescents a valuable tool for helping them navigate this complex time. Often called counseling for teens, a side benefit of this approach is that it can give adolescents the lasting idea that therapy can be a great place to turn when they are feeling down. I offer both individual and group therapy for teens.
The following post is designed to provide an overview of therapy for teens, but if you have more specific questions about how these services might help you or your child, please feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation anytime.
Types of Therapy for Teens
Here are some common types of effective therapy for adolescents, all generally related to the third-wave therapies that my practice is built on:
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Teens
- Purpose: CBT helps teens understand the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
- Approach: Cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents Focuses on identifying negative thought patterns and replacing them with healthier ones.
- Effective for: Anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem issues, and more. It is a cornerstone therapeutic approach with this age group and one that can provide important and lasting results.
2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adolescents
- Purpose: A modified form of CBT that helps teens manage intense emotions and build healthy coping mechanisms.
- Approach: DBT counseling for teens teaches mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Effective for: Given its usefulness in treating intense emotions and general lability, DBT therapy for teens is often used to treat borderline personality traits, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and emotional dysregulation.
3. Family Therapy
- Purpose: Family therapy for adolescents Improves communication and resolves conflicts within the family unit.
- Approach: In this area, we involve family members in sessions to work on understanding and supporting each other.
- Effective for: This approach can be used in addition to all of the individual therapy methods listed here when there are also family conflicts, communication issues, and parenting challenges.
4. Art or Music Therapy for Teens
- Purpose: Art or music therapy for adolescents allows teens to express themselves creatively through art or music.
- Approach: This approach utilizes drawing, painting, or music as a form of self-expression, which can help adolescents explore emotions nonverbally.
- Effective for: I do not provide this form of counseling for teens, but I can refer you to someone who dies. This method can lead to greater emotional expression, reduction of anxiety, and improved self-esteem.
5. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Purpose: Helps teens process and heal from trauma.
- Approach: Combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-sensitive interventions.
- Effective for: As its name implies, TF-CBT helps treat abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences.
6. Supportive-Expressive Therapy for Adolescents
- Purpose: This form of counseling for teens helps younger teens express their feelings and resolve conflicts through games and play.
- Approach: This approach provides a safe space for teens to communicate emotions through games and play. It is particularly helpful for adolescents new to treatment and those who are uncomfortable relating their feelings.
- Effective for: Younger teens dealing with behavioral issues, trauma, or developmental concerns.
7. Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Teens
- Purpose: Mindfulness-based therapy encourages teens to focus on the present moment, which can help reduce stress and anxiety.
- Approach: Incorporates meditation, breathing exercises, and mindful awareness.
- Effective for: This is an effective add-on method for adolescents that reduces anxiety, depression, stress, and emotional dysregulation.
8. Group Therapy for Adolescents
- Purpose: Provides teens with peer support in a structured therapeutic setting.
- Approach: Teens participate in group sessions to share experiences and learn from others.
- Effective for: Group therapy for adolescents provides a place to feel less isolated, more understood, and more supported. The group teaches skills through the professional leading it and also the modeling of peers. I provide more about group therapy for teens below.
I also provide supportive psychotherapy for teens who are not quite ready for a more intensive approach.
Benefits of Counseling for Teens
There are many benefits of counseling for teens, including:
- Emotional Support: A safe space to express and explore feelings that may be new, changing, evolving, or confusing.
- Coping Skills: Learn techniques to handle stress, anxiety, and other emotional challenges. Many adolescents come away from treatment with a toolkit they find quite helpful.
- Improved Communication: Helps develop better communication skills with peers, family, and authority figures.
- Self-Awareness: Encourages teens to understand themselves better, including their emotions, behaviors, and thought patterns.
- Healthy Relationships: Learn to build and maintain healthy relationships with family and peers.
Additional Benefits of Virtual Therapy for Adolescents
Much of the therapy for adolescents I offer is done virtually, which provides some teens added benefits
- Therapy through virtual platforms may feel more accessible and comfortable.
- Virtual counseling for teens allows for flexibility and privacy, especially when kids have a busy schedule or do not want to be seen going to a psychologist’s office.
- This approach allows for a much wider choice among potential therapists. Families can look for a therapist who is a perfect match whether or not that person practices close to them.
How Therapy for Adolescents Can Help
- Counseling for teens can reduce persistent sadness, anxiety, or irritability.
- It can increase excitement about the future and the teen’s potential.
- This service can improve attention, focus behavior, sleeping, or eating habits.
- Therapy for teens can increase comfort in school or social situations.
- Counseling for teens can lower withdrawal from friends and family and help build a positive support network.
- The approaches I use can reduce the chances of self-harm, thoughts of suicide, or extreme mood swings.
Counseling for teens is always tailored to the individual’s needs. The goal is to provide tools and strategies to help them manage challenges, increase contentment, develop positive and exciting goals for the future, and develop resilience during this critical stage of life.
Therapy for Adolescents Example
Here’s a fictitious example of what counseling for teens is like.
Scenario: A 15-year-old adolescent, Emily, has been struggling with anxiety and stress related to school performance, social pressure, and conflicts with her parents. Her grades have dropped, and she’s withdrawing from friends. Her parents decide to take her to a therapist for support.
Therapy for Teens: First Steps
Introduction and Building Rapport
- I welcome Emily and her parents, making them feel comfortable. I explain that the sessions are a safe space to discuss anything without judgment. Her parents leave the session for now, after agreeing that they want Emily to talk freely and will not ask about what is said in our individual therapy sessions.
- Emily feels nervous and unsure about therapy but agrees to talk.
Gathering Information
- I asked Emily about her day-to-day life, school, friends, and how she’s been feeling lately.
- The warm and nonjudgmental atmosphere makes Emily feel overwhelmed by school and social media pressure. She worries she’s not good enough and feels like she’s failing, leading to constant stress and a lack of motivation.
Identifying Issues
- I gently help Emily articulate her anxiety and explore what triggers her feelings of stress (e.g., academic expectations, fear of judgment from peers, tension at home).
- Emily shares that her parents often argue about her grades, and she feels misunderstood.
Counseling for Teens Goal Setting
- I ask Emily what she hopes to achieve through therapy, such as managing her anxiety, improving her grades, or resolving conflicts with her parents.
- Emily expresses that she wants to feel less anxious and get along better with her parents.
Introducing Coping Strategies
- I introduce basic techniques to manage anxiety, such as deep breathing exercises, journaling thoughts, and taking small breaks during stressful situations. I also introduced Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to challenge negative thoughts like “I’m a failure.”
- Emily agreed to try these techniques over the next week and report on how they worked.
Involving the Parents (Family Therapy)
- I bring the parents into part of the session to help improve communication. Emily shares her feelings about the pressure she’s been under, and I mediate the conversation, helping both sides listen without interrupting.
- Her parents learn how their actions may be contributing to Emily’s stress. I provide suggestions on how to communicate more supportively without escalating conflicts.
Therapy For Teens Later Sessions
Evaluating Progress
- In future sessions, I check in on how the coping strategies are working for Emily.
- She reports feeling a little better after using deep breathing techniques and finds journaling helpful for understanding her emotions.
Exploring Deeper Issues
- I explore deeper issues that may be contributing to Emily’s anxiety, like her fear of failure or her need for validation from others.
- Emily begins to open up more about feeling insecure about her appearance and the pressure she feels from social media.
Problem-Solving and Empowerment
- I help Emily develop practical solutions, like setting realistic academic goals and limiting time on social media to reduce comparison with others. We also discuss how to build better boundaries with her parents and friends.
- She starts feeling more in control of her emotions and her life as she learns to challenge negative thoughts and develops healthier coping mechanisms.
Continued Parental Involvement
- We continue to involve the parents in certain sessions, teaching them how to support Emily without adding pressure. This could include learning how to express concern without criticism and practicing active listening techniques.
Outcome
After several months of therapy, Emily feels more confident in managing her anxiety. She uses the coping strategies she learned in therapy, like deep breathing and challenging negative thoughts, and has built stronger communication with her parents. Her parents understand Emily’s challenges better and have adapted their communication style to be more supportive.
This brief and fictional example shows how therapy for teens can address a teen’s emotional challenges, teach coping strategies, and improve family dynamics. Each session with a client is personalized based on their needs and progresses at a pace comfortable for them.
Group Therapy for Teens
Many find that group therapy for teens is incredibly supportive and impactful. It offers a space where teens can openly discuss and work through challenges with others who are likely facing similar issues. It’s designed to foster connection, understanding, and mutual support, and it provides a structured setting to guide healthy conversations and coping strategies. I offer online group therapy for teens, allowing adolescents to meet in a confidential space, be unlikely to run into others they know, and be able to see that their concerns and stressors are shared among peers all over the country.
Common Topics in Teen Group Therapy
Some of the most common themes we cover include:
- Anxiety and Depression: In group therapy for teens, members share experiences, strategies, and support around managing mood and anxiety.
- Peer Pressure and Social Challenges: Group sessions allow discussions around fitting in, bullying, and relationship-building.
- Self-Esteem and Identity: Helps teens explore self-image and self-worth and develop a sense of identity.
- Family Dynamics: Issues related to family conflict, communication, and expectations are frequently addressed.
- Coping Skills: Teens learn and practice tools for handling stress, emotional regulation, and conflict.
Benefits of Group Therapy for Teens
- Sense of Belonging: Feeling understood can reduce isolation and foster a sense of connection. This can be as true with virtual group therapy for teens, though some feel this more strongly in person. I can help you find an in-person group if this is true for you or your child.
- Improved Communication Skills: Teens practice expressing themselves openly and respectfully. The group is a safe and comfortable space, allowing for this expression.
- Peer Learning and Support: In group therapy for teens, hearing from peers can provide different perspectives, insights, and encouragement.
- Positive Peer Influence: Group therapy for adolescents helps teens build a supportive network that encourages positive decision-making.
Common Approaches in Teen Group Therapy
I combine several therapeutic techniques within group therapy for teens, such as:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety and depression (CBT): Helps them identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns. Getting advice and understanding from the group can be quite helpful and reassuring.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Teaches coping skills for managing intense emotions. DBT is a cornerstone therapy approach to groups for adolescents.
- Expressive Therapies: Art, music, or drama therapy can help teens express emotions nonverbally. While I do not offer group therapy for teens that is solely expressive, we will use expressive techniques and exercises, sometimes as homework.
My group therapy for teens follows an “open” format, meaning that new people can join at any time, and each client can stop coming when they feel they have met their goals. That said, the open format does require clients to attend all sessions during their involvement with the group.
Group therapy for teens is significantly less expensive than individual counseling and can have the same powerful benefits. However, it’s not a fit for everyone, so parents and teenagers should schedule a free consultation to discuss the best fit.
Therapy for Teens: My Work
I provide virtual therapy for teens as a core part of my practice and in specialty areas such as Sports Psychology, Fear of Public Speaking, and Fear of Flying. Of course it is also a part of college admissions counseling and therapy for college students.
I use techniques centering around third-wave therapies, designed to provide a positive, forward-looking approach that focuses on potential and possibilities. Often this treatment is wrapped in a brief therapy approach so clients see meaningful results quickly.
If you have questions about how individual or group therapy for teens might help you or your child, please feel free to contact me or schedule a consultation anytime.
