Teen Therapy
Whether your teen has been struggling with anxiety for many years, or only recently seems to be feeling overwhelmed by worry and fear, our specially trained therapists can help. At the center all our therapists have advance training in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapies for helping anxious teens. Because teens are at the developmental stage of creating independence and autonomy, therapy sessions are most often conducted one-on-one with the teen. However, we still believe that parents of teens play an important role in supporting the therapeutic process. As a result, your teen’s therapist will make a clear plan for how to best keep you involved and informed regarding their progress in treatment and what you can do to help. For more information about the types of anxiety we specialize in visit the Our Expertise section on our home page.
Are you curious about your teen’s anxiety?
Is it normal or not?
Below is a quick guide to help you determine whether your teen’s anxiety is normal or may be problematic.
Signs of Transitory Anxiety (A Phase)
Fears and concerns are reasonable and expectable
Teen is responsive to suggestions
Questions, though they may be plentiful, have answers that are accepted – teen absorbs information and benefits from reassurance
Symptoms diminish in intensity over time, and take up less time
Symptoms are limited to the situation
Teen understand why he needs to face the situation
Symptoms catalyze/facilitate positive change
Signs of Problematic Anxiety
Fears and concerns are unreasonable, out of proportion with the event
Teen becomes overwhelmed and may regress in response to suggestions for change
Reassurance is never enough; no answer is good enough. Concerns are taken deeply to heart and create distress in the present and about the future
Symptoms increase in intensity over time and the worry takes on a life of its own
Symptoms generalize to increasingly more situations
Teen more focused on how to avoid the situation than how or why to face it
Symptoms interfere with growth and productivity
Reference Table is an excerpt from “Freeing Your Child From Anxiety” by Tamar E. Chansky, PH.D.
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