One of the most common phrases we hear most from teenagers is that they are looking to be understood and accepted. To be honest... who could blame them?
Teenagers are a lot like adults in that they desire control, identity, confidence, and stability. They can also be reactive, like some adults too, when circumstances don't play out as expected. They are living with realities like the possibility of school shootings, sexual assault, eating disorders, self-injurious behaviors, and being bullied - both online and in person - for their appearance, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, being weird / different, and so much more.
We are here to understand the message behind the reactivity because we believe there is an untold story and opportunity for growth. There will be details of our conversations with teenage clients that will have to remain private so that a trusting relationship can be built. Make no mistake though - when it comes to safety or suspected abuse/neglect, we stick to our ethics and will involve the caretaker(s) and/or CPS, law enforcement, etc. if it applies. When these situations come up, we aim to make every effort to let our clients know that we will be needing to disclose and even give them an opportunity to be part of the conversation.
We highly encourage teens that are motivated to improve their circumstances to reach out to us for their own concerns, and we will communicate with their caregivers to get consent and discuss their involvement. If you are a caregiver, you may also reach out on behalf of the teen in your life, but please know that it is crucial to the therapeutic process for the teenager to be interested in counseling. We will want to be sure that the teen is on board and that the goals of treatment are based on changes that individual wants.