Teen Therapy

Are You Worried About Your Teen’s Mood Or Behavior?

Is your teen emotionally troubled? Are they negatively impacted by the symptoms of anxiety, depression, panic disorder, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? As their parent, do you want to help them but realize you don’t have the expertise to address what they’re experiencing?

Like many teens, your child may be overwhelmed by the demands of daily life and struggle to keep up academically and socially. If they get anxious or are prone to panic attacks—episodes that culminate with physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing, a racing heart, and chest tightening—they might want to avoid triggering situations, such as school, extracurricular activities, or social events. Or maybe they often feel unhappy, lethargic, and hopeless. If they ever engage in self-harm or experience suicidal ideation, you may be terrified to contemplate where this troubling behaviour will all lead.

Your Teen May Be Struggling With Relationships

You may be concerned about your teen’s impulsivity. They may be experimenting with substances or making choices that seem reckless or jeopardize their safety. Your teen might be having a hard time relating to others and fallen out with friends or family members. Perhaps they struggle with low self-esteem or concerns over body image that make them feel self-conscious and cause them to self-isolate. 

Seeing your child suffer is hard when all you want to do is help. Fortunately, therapy for teens can help them find their way. With evidence-based approaches to counselling that offer your teen hands-on tools and skills to manage difficult emotions and modify unhealthy habits, therapy for teenage anxiety and depression offers your child a fresh start.

 

Have any questions? Send us a message!

Teens And Young Adults Are The Most At Risk For Developing Mental Illness

Current statistics gathered by Youth Mental Health Canada (YMHC) confirm that teens are one of the most at-risk age groups for mental illness. They report that “an estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness—yet, less than 20 percent will receive appropriate treatment.” What’s more, “Young people aged 15 to 24 are more likely to experience mental illness and/or substance use disorders than any other age group. After accidents, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people aged 15-24.” [1]

Because adolescence is already a turbulent life phase, the mental health issues teens face aren’t surprising. Considering they haven’t reached emotional or cognitive maturity yet—often yearning for independence and wanting to make their own decisions—navigating the teenage years can be difficult. But as sobering as the statistics are, another study conducted by the U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) found that engaging teens in therapy can lead to a sense of stronger autonomy and a safer identity for adolescents. [2]

The Pressure Teens Are Under To Be Perfect Can Tax Their Mental Health

Many teens feel like they’re expected to be perfect and achieve greatness, whether it be through their physical appearance, grades, or extracurricular activities. What’s more, social media can make teens feel like they don’t measure up and aren’t good enough. When the pressure becomes overwhelming, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy that fuel anxiety and depression.

Though it’s unfortunate so few teens receive the therapy they need, your child doesn’t have to fall into this category. Teaching your teen Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Behavioural activation, and problem-solving skills can help them develop lifelong coping skills they can carry into the future.

 

Therapy For Teens Provides The Skills They Need To Thrive

Although you may be concerned about your child’s behaviour and emotional health, teens often experience the best treatment outcomes after completing therapy. Even if they begin counselling struggling with anxiety, depression, substance abuse, or panic disorders, teenage clients tend to be more receptive to therapy. Because they haven’t yet formed deeply entrenched negative habits or beliefs, therapy for teens can change the trajectory of their lives at a crucial moment of their development.

In therapy, your teen can gain a better understanding of who they are, how they want to feel, and what their interests are. With this insight, they can map a clear path toward the future they desire. By teaching your child helpful tools to manage their emotions and relationships now, they can hopefully avoid these issues as adults. 

What To Expect In Sessions

Initially, we will schedule an intake session with your teen so their therapist can get to know them, build rapport, and determine what brings them to therapy. The counsellor will also spend a few minutes with you to explain consent and get additional background information about your teen.

After exploring your teen's mood, social and academic life, and the quality of their relationships, the next step will be goal setting. This allows your teen to identify the changes they want to see in every aspect of their life. Collaboratively, we will create a treatment plan that focuses on their specific needs.

We Offer A Specialized Approach To Teenage Therapy

In therapy for teens, we focus on two strategies. First, we help them develop better coping strategies. Then, we will provide your teen with resources and techniques aimed at regulating their emotional state and thought patterns. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for teens identifies and restructures negative and unhelpful thoughts, belief systems, and behavioural patterns that contribute to teenage anxiety. Using CBT, your teen will learn hands-on coping skills utilizing worksheets like The Worry Diary, Obsession Challenging Form, and Social Experiment.

Behavioural activation and problem-solving skills can help your teen get back into a healthy routine and manage their time despite their setbacks. Stress reduction, mindfulness, and grounding techniques may also be incorporated to help your teen address anxiety symptoms, such as panic attacks.

Talk to Heal Counselling Services is an inclusive clinic. Any teenager, regardless of their race, gender, or mental health challenges, is warmly welcome at our center. We have worked with teens who, despite beginning therapy with a wide range of issues, can find the tools to thrive. Our trained therapists will ensure that your teen feels heard and understood while providing insight and direction that is tailored specifically to them.

 

But Maybe You’re Not Sure If Therapy Is Right For Your Teen…

  • Other than the initial intake session that parents attend, therapy will remain confidential between your teen and their counsellor. We inform parents of our policy in advance so you understand that the only exception to confidentiality is if your teen is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others. With the consent of your teen, we can check in with you periodically to discuss what they have been working on in therapy and the progress they’re making.

  • The therapeutic relationship presents an opportunity for your teen to develop a unique connection that’s unlike their other relationships with adults, such as parents, teachers, coaches, or other family members. Although their therapist will offer wisdom and guidance, they are not authority figures whose function is to dispense advice. Rather, the focus of therapy is to help your teen better understand their internal world and build a trusting relationship with someone that, over time, will help them gain more insight into their problems.

  • While you can’t force your teen into counselling, there may be some ways you can convince them to give therapy a chance. Many teens fear that private information divulged to the therapist will be shared with you, so ensuring them that therapy will be confidential is important. You can also arrange to join your teen in the first counselling session to let them know they aren’t being singled out as the only ones who could benefit from therapy. Additionally, having an open conversation that explains you don’t have the skill set to help them solve their problems effectively could be helpful.

With The Right Tools, Your Teen Can Navigate Their World With Confidence

Getting your child the support they need at this crucial time is a decision you’ll never regret. For a free 15-minute consultation to find out more about our in-person and online therapy for teens or to schedule an appointment, please call us at (905) 418-2051 or visit our contact page.

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[1] https://ymhc.ngo/resources/ymh-stats/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5775535/