The world is at their fingertips, and while this opens the door for unlimited opportunity, it can also overwhelm them with uncertainty. Unrealistic expectations, comparisons, and peer conflict often lead to feelings of anxiety and self-doubt that teens don’t have the coping skills to handle.
Therapy offers a pathway for teens to develop resilience, communication skills, and coping strategies. By working with a skilled teen therapist, teens can cultivate self-awareness, break free from negative patterns, and emerge with greater clarity and confidence.
We are hardwired to want the best for our kids.
Why is it so hard to talk to my teen?
How can I get my teen to open up?
How can I support my teen in dealing with social and academic pressures?
Why does my teen self-sabotage, procrastinate, and make bad decisions?
How can I help my teen deal with the intensity of their emotions?
You want to live with more peace, happiness, and freedom.
Somewhere in your life, you’ve experienced a situation, challenge or pain that has created a pattern of behavior that is keeping you stuck and preventing you from living the life you envision for yourself. You may be struggling with a relationship that isn’t working, a career that isn’t fulfilling, or a life that doesn’t feel like you’re truly living.
Accepting where you are now enables you to create meaningful change and reach where you want to be.
Honest & direct communication based on trust & respect builds the foundation for better relationships with yourself & others.
By taking responsibility for our thinking and behavior, we are able to make choices that better meet our fundamental psychological needs.
The first step is to get to know your teen and explore their concerns with curiosity, compassion, and non-judgment.
The second step is to chart a path forward, helping your teen feel confident in setting goals and taking steps towards their desired outcomes.
The third step is to help your teen access their inner strength, resolve the root cause of their struggles, and clearing the path for them to become the person that they are meant to be.
Moving forward is easier with someone to help you find the way.
As your teen continues their therapeutic journey, you may see improvements such as:
Teens face unique challenges, including intense academic and social pressures, and many feel overwhelmed by emotional and mental struggles. Teens often struggle with stress, anxiety, depression, anger, impulsivity, and self-doubt. Teens may have unmet needs in terms of sense of connection and belonging, competence, and autonomy. Some teens are not very good at expressing themselves and have problems communicating with peers or family members. Teens often face difficult personal issues and changes to their life’s circumstances without adequate support or coping skills to successfully navigate these challenges. Teens desire parental approval (even when they are pushing us away)which can make it hard for them to open up to their parents. Therapy can help teens build the skills and resilience they need to navigate the complexities and challenges of adolescence with clarity and confidence. Even teens who don’t technically “need “ therapy benefit from the opportunity to process emotions and develop self-awareness and self-compassion
Clients generally commit to weekly or biweekly (every other week) sessions. Weekly sessions are preferred for clients in more acute distress or actively working on addressing a more serious problem. Many clients find it helpful to start weekly to create momentum and make some progress before transitioning to biweekly sessions. Biweekly sessions are sufficient for individuals who are stable and able to function in essential life domains (school/work, social, family, self-care.) Monthly sessions are an option for established clients who have made progress and want ongoing support to maintain positive changes or guidance with ongoing self-therapy.
Most teens prefer individual therapy and one-on-one individual therapy is an appropriate fit for most teens aged 13 and up. While parent involvement in therapy can be helpful, therapy for teens in Washington over the age 13, have the same rights to privacy and confidentiality in therapy as adults. Parents are always welcome to share information that will help us best serve teen clients, but we take the privacy and confidentiality of our teen clients very seriously and will not disclose anything shared in therapy (with exceptions for danger to self or others as mandated by law) except with the permission of the teen client. If a teen client wants to involve a parent or caregiver in therapy, this is welcomed and encouraged. Parents may also choose to book parent support sessions for themselves.
Parents can do the initial consultation for their teen, with their teen, or schedule it on behalf of their teen. Teens who want to do a consultation on their own are welcome to do so.
Children age 10 and younger will more likely benefit from seeing providers who specialize in family therapy and addressing the unique needs of young children. If you need a referral to a therapist who works with younger children, please let us know. We will consider tweens (age 11-12) on a case-by-case basis; you are welcome to book a consultation. Helping teens navigate the transition to adulthood has taught us a lot about working with adults; Free Range Mental Health serves both adult and teen clients.
The duration of therapy varies based on the needs and wants of the individual client. Therapy can be flexible in terms of the type of approach, the frequency of sessions, and the overall duration of therapy. It generally takes 2 to 3 sessions to assess individual needs and establish desired outcomes. As clients learn and implement skills, some relief from symptoms can happen relatively quickly, often in just a few sessions. Many clients are satisfied with their progress after 15-20 sessions; for others, a more long- term approach to therapy may be beneficial.
If you’re ready to get started, you can book your free consultation using our online booking platform.
If you’re ready to get started, submit an inquiry or give us a call. We will book you in.
