Teen Therapy
Our teens are dying… inside and out.
“Isolated, rejected, fearful. I’d rather kill myself than hang out with the wrong person or wear the wrong clothes.”
The pressure to “fit in” is overwhelming, driving our teens to extreme behaviors, including violence, sexual promiscuity, and substance abuse.
These things are hard for you, too.
Helplessly watching your child change before your eyes and powerless to do anything about it.
Your thoughts and feelings twist between wanting to intervene and wanting them to figure it out for themselves.
It feels like any attempt to help is rejected. What do you do?
Trying to get a teenager to go to therapy…
It’s a lot like herding cats. Teens are stubborn, evasive, impulsive, and confusing. It’s like they’re speaking another language!
Whether they come kicking and screaming or try using “the silent treatment,” therapy for teens is a priceless investment in the future.
It may be time to grab them by their ear and make the executive decision.
Therapy could save their life.
“I’d rather my kid be ALIVE and mad at me than suffer silently and contemplate suicide. At least he’s talking to me now!”
Therapy with teens takes many different forms…
Solution-focused mentoring…
Teens need to feel they have control over the decisions they face. By choosing a goal for the future and working backward, those overwhelming decisions suddenly become manageable.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (aka “talk therapy”)…
Talk therapy isn’t all bad. DBT provides teens with the ability to hold two truths at the same time – such as “I want the pain to stop. I don’t want to die.” Supporting their discovery of experiencing “this AND that” empowers teens to make changes and live according to their values.
Play therapy (the teen version)…
Play is not just for kids! Teens need to create, hope, express uniqueness, conquer, destroy, and feel powerful. Often teens engage in therapy when sessions include discussions about gaming and even using video games in remote sessions (ok, moms, don’t hate me)
Games like HALO, Call of Duty, Titanfall, and The Legend of Zelda, require planning, strategy, and collaboration with others. Games like these teach distress tolerance, delayed gratification, and communication skills and give the players a sense of belonging.
Games like Roblox, Minecraft, Stardust Valley, and Fortnite provide an arena for emotional expression, creative expression, accomplishment, task completion, and options for teamwork.
Therapeutically these games are used to build connections with teens, facilitate communication skills, and explore patterns of relating with others. It’s amazing the power of therapeutic gaming!
Don’t wait to get the support you deserve.
Take advantage of a free 15-minute consultation for teen therapy.
I’m here to answer any questions you might have. Call (928) 968-3219 today and take the first step toward hope and healing.