Adolescent Therapy

While adolescence can be a time to have a healthy start to life, many teens lack the skills to manage their experience. The adolescent brain is not fully developed. The part of the brain (e.g., prefrontal cortex) that assesses risk, organizes thoughts, makes plans, and considers long-term consequences, is still developing. This leaves teens prone to impulsive and reckless decisions (i.e., drug and alcohol abuse and sexual risk taking) that can have lasting consequences. Teens often lack healthy coping skills to manage depression and anxiety. Cutting, binge eating, and eating disorders can manifest. Therapy for adolescents can help teens understand their development, build coping skills, and explore their identities. 

Today's teens are inundated with social media. This exposure creates unrealistic expectations among many teens that they need to “keep up” with the curated images of their peers' lives. It also exposes them to cyberbullying and, all too often, relationships that lack depth of support and connection. Teens looking to withdraw from feelings of isolation or sadness also have constant access to escapism via social media. Others may even face phone or gaming addictions because of over-reliance on technology to withdraw. All the while, pressures for academic and athletic success have only increased.

Factors that have always made adolescence difficult continue to burden today’s teens as well. Some adolescents face conflict at home, lack of validation, and inconsistent parenting. Others face transitions in dynamics due to divorce, geographic moves, or death of a loved one. Access to alcohol and drugs is abundant; all the while, peer pressure and bullying continue to burden teens.

Fortunately, teens are resilient and therapy for adolescents is available to help support them. Addressing the challenges of adolescence early can set the teenager on a course for a happier, healthier future.

Parents of teenagers can often feel deflated and unclear how to best support their child. Issues that adolescents face may be beyond parents’ control, but can still be positively supported by parents. Adolescent counseling can offer the support and care of an unbiased, trained professional, interventions for teens, and opportunities for teens to share openly. Family therapy and individual therapy can also empower parents to best support their teenager.

Adolescent therapy applies interventions for teens that are specific to the teen's need, including: 

• Bullying
• LGBT+ Acceptance and Identity Formation
• Body Image Concerns and Eating Disorders
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Anger Problems
• Family Transitions and Divorce
• ADHD
• School Challenges and Learning Disabilities
• Addiction to Drugs, Alcohol, and Phones

Like adult therapy, the goals of adolescent therapy are unique to the individual. It’s common for teens to want to increase their self-esteem, deepen their relationships with others, and generally feel happier and less overwhelmed. Some teens have specific goals, like managing bullying or stopping cutting behaviors; but others, just know they want their life to be better. Our adolescent counseling experts will begin by understanding your teen, including their goals, and then build a treatment plan specific to them. 

Teenagers and families sometimes begin adolescent therapy, individual therapy, and family therapy in times of crisis, such as suicidal ideation, eating disorders, or drug abuse. But adolescent therapy is often as effective, and usually more effective, when families are looking to generally support their teenager’s wellbeing. Teenagers who have access to individual therapy can better deal with the day to day difficulties of adolescence, building skills that help them manage challenges before they become long-term problems.

As our name Tandem Psychology reflects, collaborative relationships are at the core of the work that we do. Our individual therapists for adolescents will take the first few sessions to get to know you, your family, and get a better sense of what you hope to get out of adolescent therapy. Tandem Psychology individual therapists strive to understand your story so that they can tailor their approach to you. Research repeatedly shows that a deeply connected relationship between the individual therapist and client is the best predictor of outcome. Our adolescent therapy experts understand that and are committed to devoting time to build a relationship with you.

Throughout the process, you will talk with your individual therapist about what is happening in your life and what is bothering you. Your Chicago therapist will help you understand your thoughts and feelings, identify how these impact how you act, build skills to change problematic situations and cope with others, and help you feel understood and valued.

Our therapists for adolescents use a variety of research proven methods, often integrated based on the teen’s needs. The individual therapist will work to understand the teen, their goals, the parents’ goals, and the style that best works for the teen. Our experts in adolescent therapy will then draw on knowledge from various approaches to tailor the best fit for the client. Some of the more common methods are:

• CBT
• ACT
• DBT
• Mindfulness
• Person Centered Therapy
• Internal Family Systems Therapy
• LGBT+ Affirmative Therapy
• Family Therapy

It can be scary to meet someone new and talk to them about the things that are difficult for you, especially and individual therapist. You don’t have to be “totally ready” or commit to adolescent therapy forever. The hardest part is often engaging in therapy at all; but, for those that do, research has shown that adolescent therapy can help you live with more ease.

If you're looking for adolescent therapy in Chicago, you’re in the right place. Tandem Psychology has a team of experienced, highly effective individual therapists both online via telehealth and in our Southport Corridor/Roscoe Village/Lakeview office. Contact us today to set up an adolescent therapy appointment.