Teen Therapy

You might at first encounter resistance from your teenager regarding teen therapy, but if you get therapy sessions started, you and your child might see tremendous benefits.

It’s true that participating in therapy might still come with stigma, especially among your child’s teenage peers. But the pros outweigh the cons, both for your family in general, and for the development of your child.

For instance, psychotherapy can facilitate your teen’s maturity, independence, and autonomy. Teens are caught in between childhood and adulthood. Although they will begin to pull away from their parents, in many ways, they will also cling to them. A therapist can help a teen identify behaviors, thoughts, and emotions that keep them stuck in the past, and facilitate their journey into the future.

Psychotherapy can provide your child with coping mechanisms. Being a teenager is stressful. They are undergoing a number of changes, and those changes are major ones. Add to this that adolescence is often a stage in which any unresolved trauma resurfaces. On top of all this, a teen may not know appropriate and healthy ways to manage intense feelings such as anxiety, fear, sadness, shame, or anger. A therapist can provide specific ways to manage emotions and stressful circumstances.

Psychotherapy can help a teenager manage his or her moods. If your child has been diagnosed with Depression, Bipolar Disorder, General Anxiety Disorder, or other mood disorders, a therapist can work with your child on specific mood managing techniques where medication might fall short.

Psychotherapy can be the venue for explaining why medication or other forms of treatment are necessary as well as provide a clear explanation of your child’s diagnosis. Most teenagers are opposed to medication. Some don’t want to participate in other forms of treatment, such as group therapy or rehabilitative services. A therapist can assist in outlining the benefits of treatment and facilitate an ongoing open dialogue about these topics.

Lastly, if the relationship between your teen and a therapist is secure, therapy can be a strong source of support when circumstances at home or school get rough. Even if your child does not have a diagnosis and even if he or she does not exhibit any major symptoms of mental illness, this reason alone can be the drive to call a psychotherapist on behalf of your teen.

Source: Paradigm Malibu.com