It is exciting and exhausting, fun and frustrating… amazing and agonizing!

This time can feel especially hard for our kids.

Just because someone is a teen doesn’t mean their struggles aren’t valid. After all, they’re growing into uncharted territory of their teenage years. Teens have real problems and have genuinely difficult issues going on in their lives.

I am so overwhelmed. Why is being a teen so hard?
I feel as though no one understands me. I feel so alone.
I am fighting with my parents. Can you help us get along?
I will never be perfect! I hate my body!
I am freaking out about college applications! What if I don’t get in anywhere?
School is so hard! Tutoring, SATs, pressure to get good grades… when does it stop?!
I am feeling so confused about who I am…and who I am attracted to. Is what I am feeling normal?

My teen is so moody and irritable! I never know what mood to expect from her.
My teen seems so sad and cries unexpectedly. It’s breaking my heart.
My teen is experimenting with drugs and alcohol. How much is too much? Is my teen safe?
My teen is self-harming? I found cuts on her body. Why is she doing this??
My teen sleeps way too much!
My teen doesn’t get enough sleep!

He said he wants to die. What do I do to help?!
She used to be so outgoing as a child, but now she is anxious around her friends.
He used to spend time with us and his friends. Now he doesn’t leave his room.
I am walking on eggshells around my teen! Everything makes her angry!
Everything is a fight! Even with her siblings and friends. She is pushing everyone away… even us!
He is attached to his phone! I think he’s addicted to social media.

Often, people attribute what’s happening in teens’ lives to hormones, moodiness, or adolescent angst. But what if it isn’t “just a phase?”

According to the American Psychological Association, 42% of teens report that they are stressed but don’t feel they have the tools needed to manage their stress effectively.

So, it’s obvious that our kids need our help. And even though we love these teens more than anything, we are often at a loss on how to help.

That was the hard part. Here’s what comes next…

Once matched with the ideal SMPG therapist, both you and your teen will have a session, so your therapist can join with you both and gather important background information that will help inform treatment.

An ideal therapist is one that your child feels that they can really relate to.  An ideal therapist is also someone who has the specialized training to help your teen or emerging adult with the really hard stuff*. Our therapists check both those boxes so that you can feel confident in the care your child is receiving.

*Really hard stuff aka Stress and Anxiety; Bipolar and Mood Disorders, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Perfectionism, Trauma (e.g, bullying, sexual and physical abuse), Substance Use and Abuse, Social Media & Gaming Addiction, Self-harm and cutting behaviors.

We do our best to make this first session easy by providing you all necessary paperwork (e.g., consents, financial policies, history) ahead of time, which can be completed on the computer or printed at your convenience.

Your teen will then begin to form a bond with their therapist, so they can feel safe and comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. They need a therapist who is on their side – one whom they can trust to talk to about the hard stuff in their lives.

We work to relate to teens on their level and will get real with them. We are not afraid of using unconventional means (listening to their music or their watching videos, for example) to connect to them and help them feel heard. We welcome and encourage our teens to use honest communication during our sessions. We truly want to enter into their world and their thoughts so that we can help them navigate their personal life experience and get to the root of their struggles.

Teen therapy is not just a place for them to vent and feel heard. It’s also a place to learn to manage emotions, communicate better, and create a toolbox of strategies to help them adjust to life’s ups and downs. This is done through teaching teens to identify challenging thoughts, learning to identify and express a range of emotions, and weighing pros and cons of behavior.

We know how hard it is to watch your teen struggle, so we also include parent support sessions as needed.

During these sessions, you’ll learn how to help your children navigate the stormy waters of adolescence. Learning to communicate with your teen is a skill that takes education and practice. With a therapist as your guide, learning effective communication can reduce conflict and increase cohesion.

Depending on the impact of your relationship with your teen or how your teen’s struggles might be impacting the family as a system, your teen’s therapist might recommend family therapy sessions.

Communicating with teens can feel like an art form at times, and having a therapist to help you and your teen learn how to communicate respectfully and effectively is definitely a gift you can give your family. Family therapy can also focus on boundaries, problem-solving ongoing conflicts, trust-building, and so much more that can support both you and your teen during these challenging years.

Let’s face it: Parenting during this time is no joke.

No one is making it out unharmed.

You know your teen needs more help than you can currently offer them. And you truly want your teen to enjoy these years full of triumph and growth rather than conflict and heartache.

Call today and get started in finding you and your teen your perfect match: (305) 662-2686.