3.
Teen Therapy
Questions for parents:
* Have you noticed that your teen appears more distant than usual?
* Their reactions to situations, leave you confused or wondering if it 'makes sense' given the context?
* Do you notice a lack of self-confidence?
* Sleeping less or more frequently than 'normal' for them?
* Are you noticing that your teen is pulling away from people/places/activities they once seemed to enjoy?
Do you notice your teen wanting to spend less time with their friends?
Do you notice your teen has sess interest in after school activities or grades in school?
Are you concerned about how bullying may be affecting your teen?
Do you notice your teen spending lots of time on social media?
Questions for the teenager:
1. Are you feeling more annoyed/irritable than usual?
2. Are you no longer finding the activities/shows/things you usually find fun/enjoyable?
3. Do you make mean/negative comments about yourself?
4. Are you having difficulty concentrating at school, at home, and or in general?
5. Are you having difficulty sleeping? (i.e trouble falling asleep/staying asleep/feeling extra tired on a morning?]
6. Do you want someone to talk to [who is not a friend/family member] to help make sense of what you have been going through?
7. What are your thoughts on therapy?
How can teen individual sessions help teenagers?
At times, teens need a trusted adult outside of their peer group and family where they can 'vent' /explore and not worry about it leaving the confines of the therapeutic space [limits to confidentiality are discussed with all teens/accompanying parent/guardians in the first session]. Sessions can be beneficial in introducing healthier, more adaptive coping strategies, working with teens as they explore who they are and what they wish to stand for (valued direction), along with other skills that can be enhanced or introduced [decision-making, navigating peer pressure, navigating cyberspace safely etc.].
How can parenting support sessions guide?
Parental support sessions by nature involve collaboration between the counselor and the parents of teens [while no specific details are delineated] these sessions aim to provide supplementary tools/strategies/interventions to guide parents in navigating via general themes what may be at the core of their teenager's goals in therapy. Additional handouts/supplementary supporting materials are shared in these sessions.
“Raising children who are hopeful and who have the courage to be vulnerable means strapping back and letting them experience disappointment, deal with conflict, learn how to assert themselves, and have the opportunity to fail. If we’re always following our children into the arena, hushing the critics, and assuring their victory, they’ll never learn that they have the ability to dare greatly on their own.” – Brene Brown