Adolescent Psychotherapy

Adolescence is a time when young people strive to be more independent. They often form identities based on experimentation with new behaviors and roles. Changes during this time in a teenagers life may put strain on parent-adolescent relationships, cause difficulties at school or home, or even lead to symptoms of anxiety or depression.

Every teenager will respond differently to changes in life, but some of the events that may impact an adolescents emotional wellbeing could include:

• Parental divorce or seperation
• Death of a loved one
• Physical or sexual abuse
• Natural disaster
• Moving to a new place or attending a new school
• Being physically or emotionally bullied
• Taking on more responsibility than is age-appropriate
• Struggling with learning difficulties
• Confusion regarding sexual orientation
• Peer and/or relationship conflicts

Psychotherapy for adolescents

Providing teenagers with the opportunity to discuss their difficulties confidentially can allow them to further develop skills which promote their move towards greater age appropriate independence and also provide them with a safe therapeutic space to work through the emotional stress they may be experiencing. Psychotherapy for adolescents can also help them improve their overall functioning at home, school, within the family, and with peers/social environment.

Common reasons adolescents may consider psychotherapy:

• To talk about things (friends, relationships, parents, school, etc.)  that are bothering them.
• To work through a problem that they don’t want to talk with parents or friends about.
• To better understand themselves

I offer short and long term psychotherapy to teenagers who may be struggling with a wide range of emotional difficulties.