According to psychologist Erik Erikson, adolescence is a time of facing an “Identity Crisis.” Parents face the difficult task of helping their child manage this “crisis.” Parents are challenged with “letting out the kite string” to foster increasing independence and hoping the lessons they have taught will allow their child to soar successfully.
All children experience some degree of emotional, social, or behavioral difficulty as they age and develop and the adolescent stage of development is often a very turbulent time of life. During this stage, there are rapid physical and emotional changes occuring, sometimes making effective communication and connection between parent and child very difficult to achieve. Adolescents face many decisions and challenges to their judgement- trying on many hats in search of identity.
Some children are more prone or exposed to genetic, environmental, or psychological factors that impede their development and ability to tolerate stress. Because of these developmental changes parents may often find themselves in a stalemate with their teen, losing sleep, and losing confidence that their child will be okay and able to move into independent adulthood. Since part of the developmental task is to move away from parents, teens often do not want to talk about problems with parents.
When adolescents experience symptoms that persist, impacting their self-esteem, behavior, or overall functioning at school or at home, it can be very beneficial to seek therapy. Therapy can assist your child with developing coping skills to manage anxiety, stress, depression, or other behavioral challenges. Through the use of evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and talk therapy your child can learn to change distressing thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that may be holding them back. Family counseling can also support parents to strengthen parenting skills to help manage behavioral or emotional challenges as well as learn ways to best support your child to develop self-regulation and mindfulness-based strategies to manage undesirable behavior.
Treatment Specialties Include:
- Anxiety/Depression
- Behavioral issues
- Blended Family
- Bullying
- Coping Skills
- Divorce/Separation
- Family conflict
- Friendships and Peer Relationships
- Self Confidence
- School Issues or Performance
- Stress
- Transitions (Life, College, Family, Etc.)
If you’re interested in learning about how I may be of help to your child and family please contact me today so we can schedule an appointment.