Therapy for Teen Girls
Is your teenage daughter showing signs of anger, panic, or poor self-image?
Raising a teenage girl in today’s world can be hard. Adolescence has always been a confusing and overwhelming life stage, but with the advent of social media and increasing societal expectations, it’s never been more difficult. With the increase of these pressures, it’s important for teens to have a safe and nonjudgmental space to talk about their thoughts and feelings as they learn and grow. Therapy for teen girls provides them with a solid foundation for the future. Therapeutic intervention leads to having a strong sense of self, the ability to navigate intimate relationships, and the confidence to handle anything life throws at them!
Avoidance, excessive worry, difficulty communicating, increased focus on body image:
How do you know if it's “normal” teenage behavior or something more?
Is therapy right for my teenager?
Adolescence is an incredibly stressful time for every teen. However, some teens exhibit behaviors that require extra attention. A therapist with specialized training in adolescent mental health can help provide an extra level of support. Some behaviors that indicate your daughter might need therapy are:
withdrawing from friends and family
struggling to keep up with school work
worrying excessively even about the “small stuff”
preoccupation with body image
self-harm marks
Your daughter can begin feeling more confident and excited about the future as we work in therapy to develop lifelong skills and tools to support positive mental health.
How Therapy Works to Help Teen Girls
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1. Identify the "problem"
During the beginning stages of therapy, we will work on finding the “root” of the feelings and behaviors that your daughter is experiencing.
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2. Understand the Patterns
We will look at her past experiences and current concerns and identify unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns and what is causing her to repeat them.
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3. Learn Coping Skills
We will find specific tools and strategies to help her change behavioral patterns, manage stressors, and strengthen her self-esteem.
FAQS
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I will meet with your child for 50-minute sessions weekly or bi-weekly depending on what works best for you! During the session, your daughter will have the chance to talk about situations that may have come up in between sessions and any other topics that are on her mind. I will also teach her new skills that she can use to help her cope with her emotions. We will also have opportunities to play therapeutic games, listen to music and complete art projects depending on how she prefers to process her emotions.
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It is important that teenagers feel that they have a safe space to express their emotions without repercussions. Therefore, sessions are confidential unless the teen gives me express permission to reveal content of the session. The exceptions to confidentiality are:
If a teenager tells me that they are seriously considering ending their life or that they want to seriously harm someone else. In these instances, I may have to contact parents, emergency services or a mental health crisis center to ensure the safety of the client.
If I am informed that a teenager is being physically, sexually, or emotionally abused. In these situations, I must make a call to the Florida Abuse Hotline as mandated by Florida state law.
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I believe that in order for therapy to be effective for teenagers, they need to be willing to come to session. During the first session, I will speak with them about the process of therapy and the confidentiality policy. If they decide at that time that they still do not want to participate in therapy, I will respect their decision. However, in my experience, once teens understand the confidentiality of therapy, they are usually happy to engage in the process!