Teen Counseling

Counseling for adolescents is a form of therapy that helps teenagers cope with emotional, behavioral, and mental health issues. It can address a wide range of concerns such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship problems, self-esteem issues, and problems related to substance abuse. Counseling can take place in individual, group, or family sessions, and may involve a variety of therapeutic techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution-focused therapy, and talk therapy. The goal of counseling for adolescents is to help them develop the skills and tools they need to navigate the challenges of adolescence and become healthy, well-adjusted adults.

There are many reasons why a teenager may benefit from counseling, including:

• Behavioral or emotional issues: Teens may struggle with behavioral or emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, anger, or self-harm. Counseling can help teens learn to manage these issues and develop healthy coping strategies.
• Trauma or abuse: Teens who have experienced trauma or abuse may benefit from counseling to process and heal from the experience.
• Stress or pressure: Teens may experience a lot of stress or pressure from school, relationships, or other aspects of their life. Counseling can help teens learn to manage stress and cope with pressure in a healthy way.
• Struggles with identity or self-esteem: Teens may struggle with issues related to their identity or self-esteem during this developmental stage. Counseling can help teens understand and accept themselves and develop a positive self-image.
• Relationship issues: Teens may struggle with relationships with family, friends, or romantic partners. Counseling can help teens improve their relationships and learn effective communication skills.
• Academic or career concerns: Teens may have concerns about their academic or career goals, and counseling can help them develop a plan to achieve their goals.
• Family issues: Teens may struggle with issues within their family, such as conflicts with parents or siblings, and counseling can help them navigate and improve these relationships.
• To prevent issues: Counseling can also be preventative measure for teens who may not have any current issues but may have a family history or risk factors for developing mental health issues.

Every approach is individualized and tailored to each client. Here are a few modalities we like to use:

1. Narrative therapy focuses on the stories people use to make sense of their experiences. In narrative therapy, counselors work with teens to help them understand and reframe their experiences in a way that empowers them and promotes positive change including:

• Encourage the teen to tell their story: Counselors may ask the teen to tell their story and to describe the challenges they are facing. This allows the counselor to understand the teen's perspective and to identify any themes or patterns in the story that may be contributing to the problem.
• Identify alternate narratives: Counselors may help the teen to identify alternative narratives that can be used to reframe their experiences. For example, a teen who feels overwhelmed by schoolwork may be encouraged to see themselves as capable and resilient, rather than as a failure.
• Emphasize the teen's strengths: Narrative therapy emphasizes the strengths and resources of the individual, counselors may encourage the teen to focus on their strengths and to identify the skills and abilities that can be used to overcome the challenges they are facing.
• Help the teen to externalize the problem: Narrative therapy involves "externalizing" the problem, or separating it from the person, which can help the teen to see that the problem is not an inherent part of who they are. This can empower the teen to take action and make changes in their life.
• Create new stories: Counselors may help the teen to create new stories and narratives that reflect the changes they wish to make in their life. This can help the teen to envision a positive future and to work towards achieving it.
• Empowering the teen: Narrative therapy aims to empower the client, counselors may work with the teen to develop a sense of agency, or the ability to make choices and take action in their life.

2. Sandtray therapy is an expressive therapy that uses miniature figures and a tray of sand to create scenes that reflect the individual's inner world and experiences. It's a nonverbal form of therapy that can be particularly useful for children and teens who may have difficulty expressing themselves verbally.

During Sandtray therapy sessions, the counselor will provide the client with a tray of sand and a variety of miniature figures, such as people, animals, buildings, and other objects. The client is then free to create a scene in the sand using the figures and objects provided. The therapist will observe the client's choices and interactions with the figures and objects in the tray. The therapist will ask open-ended questions to help the client gain insight into their creation with goals such as:

• Facilitating self-expression: Sandtray therapy can provide a nonverbal way for teens to express their thoughts and feelings, which can be especially helpful for those who may have difficulty verbalizing their emotions.
• Enhancing self-awareness: Creating scenes in the sand can help teens gain insight into their inner feelings and experiences, and can help them to understand their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
• Providing a safe space: Sandtray therapy can provide a safe and non-threatening environment for teens to explore difficult or traumatic experiences.
• Encouraging creativity: Sandtray therapy can provide an outlet for teens to express themselves creatively, which can be especially beneficial for those who may be struggling with stress or emotional difficulties.
• Facilitating problem-solving: Sandtray therapy can help teens identify and work through problems, and can also help them develop problem-solving skills.
• Encouraging a sense of control: By creating scenes in the sand, teens can have a sense of control over their environment, which can provide a sense of empowerment and agency.

3. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is is based on the idea that individuals can achieve greater psychological flexibility by learning to accept and make contact with difficult thoughts, feelings, and sensations without avoiding or trying to change them. ACT is based on the principles of mindfulness, acceptance, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and aims to increase psychological flexibility and help individuals to take action towards their values and goals including:

• Mindfulness: The therapist will teach the individual mindfulness skills, such as how to focus attention on the present moment, to observe thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment.
• Acceptance: The therapist will encourage the individual to accept thoughts and feelings without trying to change them or avoid them. This is a key principle of ACT, as it helps individuals to let go of struggling with difficult thoughts and feelings.
• Defusion: The therapist will teach the individual defusion skills which are techniques to help individuals to step back from their thoughts and not identify with them. This allows individuals to gain a new perspective on their thoughts and feelings, which can reduce their impact.
• Values: The therapist will help the individual to identify and clarify their values, which are the things that are most important to them in life. This helps the individual to focus on what is truly important, rather than getting caught up in difficult thoughts and feelings.
• Action: The therapist will work with the individual to set goals and take action towards their values. This helps the individual to focus on what is truly important and to live a fulfilling life.
• Relapse prevention: The therapist will work with the individual to develop a plan to prevent relapse, including identifying triggers that may lead to a return of the problem and developing strategies to manage them.

Ultimately, counseling can help teens navigate the challenges of adolescence and develop the skills and resilience they need to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.