Teen
Therapy
What is Teen Therapy?
Teen counseling is a type of therapy that focuses on the emotional and mental well-being of adolescents, approximately from the ages of 13 to 17 years of age. Sessions will basically be conducted as adult individual therapy but more age appropriate strategies.
There are many reasons why a teen might be needing counseling including: anxiety and depression, struggles with daily stressors and feeling overwhelmed at school, experiencing identity concerns or exploring their identities (gender and sexuality), and so much more. Our goal is to equip your teen with the skills to cope with their emotions and navigate everyday life and mental health challenges.
A note to all the teenagers out there looking for mental health services: As therapists, we understand that your teen years can be hard. After all, we were teens ourselves once upon a time! We know that it can feel uncomfortable or even intimidating to talk about things with your therapist, especially when you’re just starting out. So we want you to know that we’re willing to talk about these issues at your own pace and at your own comfort level, there’s no rush! We’re here to support you through the tough times and to teach you tools to help you live your best life.
What to Expect In Teen Therapy.
First and foremost we want your teen to be comfortable talking with us about anything, so counseling usually starts with a pretty laid-back getting-to-you-know phase. It’s all about building a positive relationship so your teen feels comfortable sharing about the difficulties they’re facing.
Once an appointment has been made we generally split the first session in half. The therapist will meet with the parent/guardian first to get the inside scoop on what has been going on, what the concerns are, and the general history of your teen’s life. In the second half of the session, the therapist will then meet with your teen to get their point of view on things and for the teen to start getting familiar with the therapist and the therapy process.
We can’t say this enough, we want your teen to feel comfortable when they’re talking with us. With this in mind, something we get asked a lot is, “Will you tell my parents what I talk about with you?” The short answer is no. We don’t share details of your teen’s sessions with anyone, not even you, the parent. The only time this changes is if your teen is a danger to themselves or others, or if they are in danger from someone else. While therapy with your teen is confidential we do want you to be involved in the process every step of the way. After all, you’re the parent and you’re with them every day! We will always make you aware of any concerns about safety we may have. Throughout the treatment process, we will schedule check-ins with you to discuss how therapy is going, any progress being made, and any new concerns that may arise.
How Do I Prepare my Teen for Therapy?
When you first talk to your teen about therapy, they may feel resistant or even defensive. Most adults struggle when decisions are made for them without their input and your teen is no different. We recommend that before you tell them they’re starting therapy you discuss your concerns, provide them with information about how therapy works, and if possible let them help choose their therapist.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Counseling Involving A Teen Named in Custody Situations:
• If your teen is named in a custody agreement or a court order, please know your therapist’s license requires them to receive an official (judge-signed), most recent, copy of the divorce decree, naming custody for the teen or custody agreement naming the teen, be sent in BEFORE the therapist has their first session with the teen.
• Conservatorship rights are required to be reviewed according to mental health laws before a minor client can receive treatment. Be advised, without sufficient documentation, a minor client cannot enter treatment. If you wish to provide documents for the minor named in a custody agreement in advance, you can attach those documents to an email and send them to our team at admin@abccounselingtx.com
• It is also important to note that licensed mental health professionals do not possess the authority to make custody recommendations or provide evaluations or expert testimony for this purpose and will refuse any prompting to do so, as it is out of the therapist’s scope of practice.
• In the event a minor is named in a custody agreement your child’s therapist must obtain permission from all parties named as Managing Conservators of the minor client named in the custody agreement that has any of the following before treatment of the minor can occur, unless consenting Managing Conservator affirms otherwise below in Non-Participating Managing Conservators in Custody Situations section:
— Right to access the psychological records of the minor client.
— Right to consult with the psychologist/mental health professional of the minor client.
— Right to consent to psychiatric and psychological treatment for the minor client.
