Teens and Young Adults
Teens
Being a teenager comes with its challenges. During these years, relationships with peers take center stage and concerns about identity dominate. This time can be very difficult for parents as it requires a balance between continuing to provide direction and allowing greater opportunities for independence. It can also be a distressing time for young people. Some common mental health concerns for teens include:
- Depression: sad/irritable mood, hopelessness, low self-esteem, lack of interest in activities, low energy, eating and sleeping problems, isolating from others, thinking about suicide, self-harm
- Anxiety: excessive worry, fear, panic, self-consciousness paired with avoidance of situations that cause distress
- Rule-Breaking: school conflict, violating curfew, leaving home without permission, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, risk-taking
- Traumatic Stress: distressing thoughts, feelings, and behavior in response to recent or childhood traumatic experiences
Does your teen have trouble dealing with their emotions? Is their behavior sometimes disruptive to your home life? Have they experienced sudden loss or trauma?
As they grow, adolescents develop social skills and emotional intelligence. This awareness helps them to develop into healthy, happy, and successful individuals. But some teens have trouble processing their emotions and this often leads to behavior that negatively impacts their school life, home life, and overall well-being.
Therapy is not a quick fix to behavioral or emotional issues. It is instead a thoughtful and comprehensive process that provides teens with insights and skills so that they may become masters of their thoughts and feelings. This, in essence, is how one develops into happy, healthy, and successful adults.
If you would like to explore treatment options for your teen please give my office a call.
Young Adults
The years after high school can be very exciting and equally as overwhelming for young adults. Internal and external pressures to enter the workforce or attend a 4-year college can be challenging to manage. 20-somethings are going through a lot of changes and are faced with many new experiences, decisions, and commitments to make. Sometimes the stress and pressure of all of these big life decisions is too much to handle.
Common Difficulties for Young Adults:
- Career Choices
- Fear of Failure
- Navigating Parental Relationships
- Romantic Relationships/Sexuality
- Academic Burn Out
- Alcohol and Substance Abuse
If you are feeling overwhelmed at this stage in your life seeking counseling at this time can have a tremendous impact on how the next several years of your life unfold. It is okay to ask for help in navigating all of these life changes being thrown at you at once. As a therapist, working with this 20-somethings is one of my greatest passions. Over the years I have had extensive experience supporting graduating high school seniors enter into adulthood. I approach our work together by creating a non-judgmental and supporting environment, I will be your biggest cheerleader while still holding you accountable to the goals you have created for yourself.
If you would like to see if you think working together would be a good fit for you please take advantage of my free phone consultation, I look forward to hearing from you.