Teen Counseling
Do You Feel Like You’re At A Loss About How To Help Your Teenager?
Are you worried about emotional or behavioral changes in your teen? Lately, have they been:
Withdrawn, distant, and apathetic?
Disinterested in the activities they normally love?
More irritable and argumentative than usual?
Overly engrossed in online devices?
Maybe your teenager feels overwhelmed and overloaded with all the school and extracurriculars on their plate. Perhaps they’re socializing less and less, spending all their time on their phone, and neglecting important responsibilities. Issues with self-esteem or negative body image may be impacting their eating habits, resulting in weight gain or weight loss.
Overall, maybe your teenager just doesn’t seem like themselves lately. As a result, perhaps you’re thinking it’s time to connect with a counselor who specializes in working with teens.
Your Teenager May Feel Discouraged At Their Lack Of Meaningful Connections
Friendships may have become increasingly challenging and stressful for your teen. Perhaps they feel like they’ve outgrown their old friends or their peers simply don’t “get” them. They might be dealing with bullying, having problems fitting in at school, or struggling to navigate the dating scene for the first time.
Although you wish you could provide your teen with the sense of connection they long for, they’re older now and probably want more independence from you. You may not know how involved to be—you want to help out, but you don’t want to be invasive or overbearing.
This is where the power of counseling comes in. It provides your teen with a safe, judgment-free space to share what’s happening in their life and a compassionate professional who can act as a sounding board for their needs and concerns. At Dr. Ann Marie Semich Counseling Group, we’re confident that we can empower your teen to navigate their emotional challenges, build their self-confidence, and develop healthier relationships.
Today’s Teens Are Growing Up In A Culture Of Unprecedented Pressure
While adolescence has never been easy, it’s arguably more stressful than it’s ever been. On top of hormonal changes and new social challenges, teenagers have to reckon with sky-high academic expectations and the increasingly complicated world of social media. They’re exposed to cyberbullying and harmful content; they get to view all their peers’ “highlight reels” day after day; they’re able to see when their friends are invited to parties and social events without them.
Naturally, all of these factors create a culture of tremendous stress and breed feelings of loneliness and inadequacy among teens. There’s often a strong correlation between social media use and depression and low self-esteem. Little wonder, then, that more and more teens are turning to therapy to help them navigate the complexities of life in the digital age.
As Parents, Sometimes We Have To Accept That We Can’t Do It All On Our Own
In our busy society, it can be difficult to recognize just how much a teenager is struggling. After all, teens are often hesitant to share their feelings with their parents or ask them for support. Many teens bottle up their emotional challenges out of fear of appearing weak or making their parents worry.
This is why there is wisdom in understanding that, as parents, we can’t always be our children’s saviors. Sometimes teens simply need extra support—not because we’re not supportive enough, but because they have a complexity of needs that we can’t always fulfill. Seeking help for your teen is not a reflection of failure, but a sign that you’re doing the best you can to provide for them and set them up for success.
Counseling Can Help Your Teen Build Skills That Last A Lifetime
Teenagers often feel judged by adults. Allowing them to have a space where they can express themselves and feel accepted unconditionally is incredibly empowering. At Dr. Ann Marie Counseling Group, our therapists are not here to judge your teen, but to listen to them, support them, and guide them as they embark on their own unique healing journey.
Our practice specializes in providing therapy for depression, anxiety, and a wide range of other teenage issues. Working together, we’ll help your teen process complex situations, identify new perspectives, and implement new coping strategies for regulating their emotions.
Along the way, we’ll ensure that you play a vital role in supporting your teenager’s growth. Although sessions will be confidential to protect your teen’s privacy, we will still keep you up to date on their progress and give you skills that you can use with them outside of counseling.
What To Expect In Teen Counseling Sessions
In therapy, we’ll explore your teen’s deepest concerns through a wide range of approaches and create a treatment plan that’s uniquely tailored to their needs and goals. Depending on what works for your teen, we can utilize:
Mindfulness strategies and other stress management skills to help your teen calm their emotions and increase their self-awareness
Expressive Arts Therapy to engage their creative side and make room for deeper reflection on what they want out of life
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help your teen shift negative self-talk and improve their self-worth
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help your teen process and resolve any trauma that’s impacting their mental health.
The goal is for your teen to walk away from each session with a new skill to try or a new insight to help them move forward. We want them to feel more relaxed, have less pent-up emotions, and gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their self-worth. By the end of counseling, our hope is that they will emerge with more motivation to connect socially, more strategies for self-regulation, and more confidence in who they are.
You May Have Some Questions About Teen Counseling…
I don’t know if we can afford therapy right now.
Finances are important, but therapy is an investment in your teen’s future. Just as you’d pay for sport's coaches, academic tutors, and medical doctors for your teenager, it’s important to support your child’s mental health. Their mental health is exactly what allows them to thrive in sports, academics, and every other area of life, so why not invest in it and set them up for a lifetime of success?
What if my teen’s schedule is too busy for counseling?
Most teens have full schedules. However, by getting your teen started in therapy at a young age, you are teaching them how to prioritize their health and well-being as much as they prioritize their responsibilities. This is a life lesson many adults have not yet mastered, yet it’s crucial for long-term happiness. We recommend weekly sessions at the beginning of the therapeutic relationship; afterward, we can space out sessions as needed.
My teen is worried that their personal information will be shared with others.
In order for your teen to achieve healing and growth, it’s essential for them to have a space where they can express their feelings honestly and not have to worry about their privacy being compromised. That’s why counseling is confidential. In the first session, we will discuss confidentiality with you and your teen so that we are all on the same page going forward.
Therapy Is A Gift Toward Your Teenager’s Future
If your teen is struggling with their mental health and you think they might need extra support, we encourage you to pursue counseling with us and fill out our contact form. We look forward to hearing from you and your teenager!
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