Therapy for teens and families

Teens have unique needs that parents aren’t always able to help with – despite your best intentions to keep communication open and be supportive you may be unable to reach them. Common adolescent issues teens need counseling for include:

•  going through puberty and adjusting to their new body and hormones.
• struggling with peer pressure to try new things or break the rules.
• feeling lots of anxiety about coping with demanding hours of homework and keeping test scores high.
• trying to fit in with cliques
• trying to understand why their parents are getting a divorce.
• All this while teens are also trying to build life skills, set goals, learn appropriate boundaries and get ready for life outside the family nest. No wonder they’re having such a hard time!

At times teen behaviors may reflect this stress, either through

• unhealthy eating patterns,
• experimenting with drugs and alcohol
• in extreme cases managing their feelings by cutting on themselves or other high risk behaviors.

All this is scary for parents who, try as they might, aren’t able to connect with their kids. I have years of experience working with teenagers (and their parents) teaching communication skills, assessing boundaries and helping kids understand their feelings and learning how to communicate them. Call or email for a free 20 minute phone consult.