Adolescence is one of the most challenging times in a person’s life. As they gain independence and grow older, many teens don’t have the skills they need to express how they feel -- causing them to become confused and angry. Adolescence is also the time where many mental illnesses begin to show symptoms. It’s extremely common for adults to become anxious, stressed, or depressed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), upwards of 1 in 7 children ages 10-19 years old experiences problems with their mental health.  

 

It’s also very common for teens to not be taken seriously about their mental health because they are written off as just “normal teenage behavior.” According to Mental Health America, 60% of teens don’t get the professional support they need for their depression. Therefore, adolescence is an especially critical time to seek treatment for behavioral or mental health treatment. 

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Benefits of Therapy for Your Teen 

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While there are many benefits of going to therapy for everyone, the biggest one is helping them get to a point where they feel confident to handle stressful situations and their own emotions well. Therapy can also help them:

• Develop a better self-image

• Learn how to cope with trauma 

• Combat negative self-talk 

• Feel less lonely 

• Deal with the significant change that’s happened 

• Learn how to create and set boundaries with others 

• Improve communication with caregivers and parents at home

• Navigate sexuality and relationship/peer difficulties 

• Process anxiety about the future with academics, working, sports, or plans after high school.

 

Research shows that teens that struggle with mental health are also more likely to be affected by bullying, social exclusion, discrimination, and problems in their education. Seeking therapy can help mitigate the risk for some, if not all, of these things. 

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What to Expect in Therapy for Your Teen

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Going to professional counseling, or behavioral counseling, can be intimidating for many adolescents. Because of this, Katie makes sure that therapy is a supportive place where they can go to find guidance. Creating a strong therapeutic relationship is extremely important, especially if a teen is reluctant to seek treatment for their mental health. She does not engage as an authority figure, but takes a more indirect approach to facilitate a collaborative situation with clients to empower them to: make connections, solve problems, identify personal strengths, and make behavioral changes. 

 

In his book The Adolescent in Family Therapy: Harnessing the Power of Relationships, Joseph A. Micucci states “I consider therapy successful when the family members (or individual clients) have discovered ways to get what they need from their relationships with the people in their lives, so that their relationship with me is no longer necessary to sustain them.” It’s important to remember that every child will react differently to therapy. No two teens are alike. Therefore, there is no simple definition of what success looks like in therapy. 

 

Some teens might be reluctant to seek therapy, which is totally normal. As a licensed professional therapist, Katie engages with the family as a whole, when needed, to get a well-rounded understanding of the situation. Ultimately, however, she provides the teen the option to guide the session as much as possible. 

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My Approach to Therapy

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Katie offers in-person and telehealth services for teens ages 12-18 years old with presenting concerns such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and borderline personality disorder. She is LGBTQ+ affirming. Her approach to therapy consists of a blend of person-centered approaches, cognitive behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. 

 

For more information on how to schedule an online session, please visit here.