Adolescent Therapy

For

Adolescents can face many struggles in which they could benefit from the support of therapy. During this period of immense development, the guidance of a trained professional can be crucial to helping the child establish confidence and good mental hygiene as they learn to navigate the world on their own. Whether it be a disrupting event that troubles the child— such as divorce, loss, or moving—or just having a tough time, our therapists at American Mental Health Institute are here to help.

Our Approach

For children a common session will include a mix of Talk and Play Therapy to help the child express and explore emotions in an age-appropriate manner. Play Therapy helps our counselors meet the child where they are at while also engaging and building rapport using game playing, art activities, and playing with toys/puppets/blocks/dolls.

For adolescents sessions will commonly include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which helps the teen identify negative thought patterns and replace them with more appropriate feelings and behaviors.

Group therapy sessions for common problem areas for children and adolescents (Body image, School Transitioning, Friendship, etc.)

Common Problem Areas

Self-esteem · School Transitioning · Peer Conflicts · Academic Struggles · Social Media Pressure/Body Image · Relationships · Attachment Issues (anxious and avoidant) · Separation Anxiety · Autism · Learning Disorders · Emotion regulation and understanding · Trauma (PTSD)

How Can We Help?

When working with adolescents, our experienced Therapists at American Mental Health Institute understand that changes are occurring in many aspects of the teen’s life and look to support them navigate through obstacles they may be experiencing. Being that adolescents are no longer children and not quite adults, they are facing a unique set of challenges that can sometimes feel overwhelming and be misunderstood by both the teen and their parent(s)/guardian. During this transition period, it is important to encourage autonomy while also setting boundaries, so when determining treatment goals, our therapists work with the teen but also address and consider the concerns expressed by the teen’s parent(s)/guardian. Like sessions with children, the therapist will work one-on-one with the teen on their presenting concerns, while also keeping communication open with the teen’s adult support system to help with goal achievement and long-term success.