Adolescence can be tough for teens and parents alike. This transitional period from childhood to adulthood is marked by rapid changes as your child develops a sense of identity.
During this time, adolescents tend to pull away from parents and primary caregivers and rely more on their peers. This can cause parents to feel shut out and frustrated in their efforts to help their child through the bumps along the road of growth.
From academic anxiety and interpersonal difficulties to mood swings and stress, all teens have challenges. During adolescence, children often feel more comfortable discussing difficult topics with people other than family. If you notice that your teen is having some difficulties but is reluctant to talk to you about, adolescent therapy can help.
Adolescents can benefit from meeting with a therapist to work on a variety of issues that may arise. Here are some common reasons adolescents go to therapy:
Teens experience a number of challenges related to socializing, including bullies, fitting in, and peer pressure. The rise of social media can make matters worse as adolescents are working to discover their identity and carve out their niche. Therapy can help your child feel understood, work through challenges, and provide tools to solve problems that arise so your child gains confidence and feels better.
Mood disorders can strike during the adolescent years. If your teen seems withdrawn, irritable, or sad, therapy can help your child identify thoughts and situations that contribute to their depression. Treatment involves helping your child reframe the way they think and change behaviors that reinforce depressed feelings.
Teens can experience what feels like an insurmountable level of stress. Academic and social stress are just two examples of what adolescents must learn to navigate. Therapy can help your child learn strategies to manage stress effectively so that it doesn’t take a toll on their lives.
Many teens struggle with self-confidence at some point. Left unaddressed, teens experiencing serious issues with self-esteem are at a higher risk for substance abuse, depression, and academic failure. Beneath low self-esteem is the negative judgments and opinions your child feels about himself. The goal of therapy is to help your teen understand where these opinions come from and challenge these self-critical judgments to improve self-esteem.
Traumatic events can have a lifelong impact on adolescents. Both parents and teens can feel overwhelmed by trauma, and it is much more common than you may think. Roughly 61% of teens report experiencing at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Therapy helps teens learn to process the trauma they’ve experienced. The process helps your child build resilience and recover from a traumatic event.
Most teens experience worry from time to time. But some experiences are so intense they interfere with different aspects of a child's life. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders diagnosed in adolescents.
Whether your teen is struggling with social anxiety or constantly worries bad things are going to happen, therapy can help your child learn to manage symptoms. Effective treatment strategies include cognitive behavior therapy and exposure therapy.
At Wellness Road Psychology Dr. Philip Glickman and life coach, Jamie Karia offer a full range of effective therapy treatments for children, adolescents, and adults. Therapy can help your child navigate the sometimes bumpy road of adolescence. To schedule an appointment, call our Brooklyn or Boss Ferry, New York office, or book your request online.
