Counseling For Teens
Is Navigating The Teen Years More Difficult Than You Thought?
Are you the parent of a teenager who is struggling with social, emotional, or mental health issues? Is your teen having trouble making friends or maintaining healthy relationships with others? Do you worry about slipping grades, sudden changes in their behavior, or their inevitable exposure to drugs and alcohol?
Alternatively, perhaps you are a young person having trouble navigating social situations or managing relationships with friends or peers. It could be that the stress of academics or the task of choosing a path forward makes you feel overwhelmed or uncertain of the future. Maybe, despite your parents’ best intentions, you just need a little objective guidance—someone to talk to who doesn't have an agenda of their own.
Whether You Are A Parent Or A Teen, These Years Can Be Naturally Difficult
As a parent, you may be worried about your child’s development as you watch them struggle to transition into adulthood. You’re probably aware of teen anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, but you don’t know how to head off those potential issues alone.
As a teenager, you may feel overwhelmed by the pressure to fit in, be popular, and feel accepted for who you are. At the same time, you’re likely locking horns with your parents as you attempt to achieve independence and establish an identity of your own.
Being A Teenager Comes With Many Unique Challenges
Fortunately, our teen therapists at Key Counseling Group understand what you are going through. That’s why we strive to give young people a place where they can be themselves and feel safe to express their emotions, discover their strengths, and create a life that aligns with their own values.
This Stage Of Life Is Difficult For Both Teens And Parents
During their teen years, adolescents experience an explosion in brain development that ultimately leads to the discovery and expansion of their unique identity. Unfortunately, that often involves pushing back against structure, parents, authority, and expectations for who they are expected to become. As a result, their behavior can look like defiance or rule-breaking when, in reality, it’s often them just testing boundaries.
However, there are many factors that can complicate the teen years. The pressure to get good grades, fulfill perceived expectations, or choose the right college or career path can be overwhelming. The unhealthy influence of social media makes young people overly concerned with body image, popularity, and success. Then there’s the sheer overload of information contained within our toxic 24-hour news cycle that stokes fear and uncertainty.
These are all powerful forces that can make this period of life even more difficult to master than it already is. That’s why it can be so helpful to work with a teen therapist who can provide support, guidance, and a safe space to explore these issues and their impact.
Counseling For Teens Can Help Ensure A Smooth Transition Into Adulthood
Most teens do not have someone they can confide in without worrying that what they say will be used against them.
Counseling for teens, in contrast, gives young people a safe space in which they can be open and honest about their experiences and challenges. Working with a counselor offers teens a chance to explore their thoughts, emotions, and core beliefs with someone who can truly understand and interpret those dynamics.
Therapy is also an ideal environment to gain a better understanding of a teen’s past experiences and how they may be impacting their development now. It also gives young people an opportunity to identify and navigate current obstacles while designing a future that speaks to who they truly are.
How Counseling For Teens Works
When working with a minor, we like to meet with the family first to get a general understanding of what information can be shared from sessions versus what may need to remain private. When therapy involves an adult teen, we can meet directly with the individual from the start.
In the beginning, we’ll briefly look at aspects of family history, personal background, friend groups, and other interpersonal relations. We can also explore any trauma, intergenerational messages, or physical/mental concerns that may be causing or contributing to the presenting issues. In that way, we take a dual approach to counseling for teens that addresses underlying factors while placing an emphasis on overcoming real-world problems in the here and now.
Some Of The Tools We Use In Counseling For Teens
We use a range of interventions to help teenagers achieve both long-term and short-term relief from their challenges, whether they be social, emotional, or psychological in nature. For instance, EMDR is a powerful tool for minimizing the emotional impact of trauma and reconciling painful memories that may be interfering with life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT for teens, can help young people challenge and reframe negative self-beliefs that are ultimately holding them back. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) provides teens with practical skills for managing stress, anxiety, depression, and a host of other issues. And Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is great for understanding emotional bonds and improving relationships, whether in the context of family members, friends, or oneself.
Counseling For Teens Offers More Than A Chance To Vent Frustrations
When teenagers leave Key Counseling Group, they’ll walk away with valuable skills for communicating, overcoming conflict, and managing a range of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. Counseling for teens can also help cultivate stronger relationships with others while teaching them how to love, accept, and appreciate who they are as a person.
Perhaps You Are Considering Counseling For Teens, But You Still Have Concerns…
I’m worried that you will tell my parents what we talk about in sessions.
The first thing we will do is develop a clear understanding of our relationship together, including what you feel comfortable sharing with your parents and what is off-limits. Ultimately, you and your well-being are our clients, not your parents. So you have control over any information you share with us.
Does going to therapy for teens mean I am somehow crazy?
If you are a teenager who is struggling to master this period of your life, you are not alone—and you are certainly not crazy. In fact, being able to reach out for support demonstrates extraordinary self-awareness and courage. We just want to be here to help you navigate any challenges and opportunities for success and happiness during this amazing time.
I’m afraid my kid will reject the idea of counseling for teens.
A lot of times, teens feel like they have nowhere to go to express their emotions without facing some sort of criticism, concern, or biased advice—even with the most caring parents. Therapy for teens with Key Counseling Group gives your youth an ally they can confide in, whether your teenager is dealing with anxiety, depression, isolation, substance abuse, LGBTQIA+ issues, or any other challenges.
We are here to give teens a space of safety and support that they may not be able to find anywhere else—and that alone can be a transformational experience.
The Teen Years Don’t Have To Be So Difficult
If you are a teen or the parent of a teenager looking for support and guidance, our therapists at Key Counseling Group are by your side. Please email us or call 678-400-9477 for your free consultation to see how counseling for teens can help you master this stage of life.
Therapists Who Can Help
Recent Posts
