Adolescent Therapy

7 Reasons Why

Therapy can help adolescents who are facing struggles or challenges that may be specific to their life experiences.

Every adolescent is unique, so therapy should be tailored to meet their unique needs.

There are many reasons why teens come to therapy, but there are seven common reasons why they seek guidance and help to cope with the obstacles they face.

Don’t overlook the symptoms that therapy can address and help overcome.

Anxiety was so much a part of Ale’s life.

She did not know who she was without it.

Everyday her inner voice told her she was a failure.

She put so much pressure on herself that she could even visualize tripping and falling before getting on stage for her music recital – frozen.

She spent many sleepless nights with racing thoughts about not passing classes, disappointing others, and fearing that she would never be good enough.

She was in constant worry that scary things were going to happen to her. There were so many people she could not trust because they might hurt her.

1. You’re tougher than anything you fear.

Adolescents can learn to recognize unhealthy thinking and behavior patterns. Explore triggers and identify and manage factors that contribute to the anxiety you experience.

There are many techniques and coping skills to take power over anxiety instead of letting anxiety having power over you.

The dark cloud of depression seemed to follow Mai wherever she went.

She randomly cried at school for no reason. When she got home from school, all she wanted to do was go to her room – isolating herself from others.

Her overwhelming thoughts often went to “I don’t want to be here anymore.” or “I want this to end.”

She felt trapped in her own skin. When she did interact with people, she was short and irritable. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt happy.

2. You can get through this dark time. You’re not alone!

Depression can start in the teen years. It comes with a lot of emotions and thoughts you may not understand or feel you can’t control.

Come in for an assessment so we can start early interventions that can change the quality of your life.

Noah was stressed out!

He felt weighed down because he had to pass his chemistry class, so he didn’t get kicked off the basketball team.

He worked a part-time job and still had to find time to study for the college entrance exams. He felt so lost at times thinking about his future and didn’t know which way to go.

All these choices and changes were taking a toll on him. He didn’t know how much more he could take.

3. You’ve got this!

Making big decisions and encountering major life changes isn’t easy, especially for adolescents. They can make them feel overwhelmed and make them question if they’re making the right choice.

Learning skills to manage stress can help prepare teens for a successful future.

David had behavioral problems.

It was difficult for him to focus in school and he was failing most of his classes.

Interacting with other students was challenging. What started out as teasing often ended up in a fight. He couldn’t back down and look weak.

His best friend the one person that understood him he was no longer allowed to see because his friend got caught stealing.

4. Who do you really want to be?

For today’s youth, these years are some of the toughest. Social media, peer pressure, and bullying can shape so many of the decisions they make.

We can explore any potential social problems, mental health issues, deficit’s in skills, or relationship conflicts that may be causing your teen’s behavior.

Kyle didn’t trust many people.

Few knew about the past abuse he experienced from his stepfather. He already felt let down by so many people in life.

There was a total breakdown in communication with his family. Most days, his cycling emotions of anger, anxiety, and depression were so intense they seemed to take on a life of their own. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had a full night’s sleep.

He was beginning to withdraw and felt a lot of hopelessness about his future.

5. Good things can happen, people can be kind and trustworthy.

Traumatic events can have a lasting impact on adolescents.

The trauma must be processed so it does not become a part of who they are. Therapy can increase resilience and with early intervention can reduce its effects.

Isabella never felt like she fit in.

She never felt as good as everyone else. Often, she felt she had to apologize for who she was as a person. In fact, she was constantly telling everyone “I’m sorry” over the smallest things, even when there was no rational reason.

Isabella put herself under a microscope daily – the only thing she noticed were the mistakes she magnified.

When people asked her to do something she always said “yes,” even when she didn’t want to, because “no” felt too painful to say.

She never wanted to read the feedback comments teachers wrote on her papers because of fear and sensitivity to criticism.

6. You are good enough.

Teenage years are a time when low self-esteem and lack of confidence can have an impact on the wellbeing of a child.

Over time, if low self-esteem is not dealt with, it increases the risk of academic failure, toxic relationship problems, and destructive behaviors.

Therapy can help teens overcome the critical inner voice using self-limiting beliefs using skills of fluency training, self-acceptance, and the strength perspective.

Logan was having a hard time keeping it together and making it through the day.

His whole world changed when his parents decided to get a divorce. He now felt pulled between two different worlds.

He didn’t ask for this. He had always thought his mother and father would be there for him, whenever he needed them. Now, he felt forgotten, because they were so focused on their own pain.

He had no one to turn to.

Neither of his parent’s knew that he was crying himself to sleep at night. He even began to think maybe it would be better if he wasn’t even here.

7. Sometimes it’s OK if the only thing you did today was breathe. – Yumi Sakugawa

Grief is a part of life, and it’s the loss of anything that’s important to you. No person grieves the same and some find it more difficult to resolve.

Adolescents need more than just advice when they’re going through grief – they need someone who will listen. Therapy can help provide the support they need to navigate through the process of healing.