Adolescents

If raising a child wasn’t challenging enough, welcome to the world of parenting a teenager.

Trying to understand and navigate the life of your teen can be frustrating at the least, and downright overwhelming and scary at the worst. Adolescence is often a very difficult time for teenagers as well as their families. When a teen develops problems, they are usually felt not only by that individual, but also by parents, siblings and other family members and friends. This phase of development brings with it important and confusing issues: drugs, sex, grades, sexual identity, sense of the future, clothes, family, friends, body image, fitting in, bullies, and risk-taking behavior, to name a few.

All of these challenges mixed with a teen’s need to define him/herself as a separate individual from the family creates a breeding ground for conflict, internally and within the family. And this includes, for many, what feels like a constant power struggle. The central goal of adolescence is the formation of one’s own identity, which requires a certain amount of experimentation. The trick is to experiment safely.

As a male therapist who has worked with numerous teens, I can help you decipher what is going on and help you sort through it. While adolescent therapy typically includes meeting with parents, I believe seeing the adolescent alone is a necessary component. Teens often make significant improvements by being allowed to discuss their challenges in a safe space that is completely removed from the family dynamic. At the same time, parents will remain involved and informed of their teen’s progress and are provided helpful tools and processes to navigate the twists and turns of the adolescent years.

If you would like to discuss what would be best for your teen and family, or to set up an initial consultation, I encourage you to contact me.

I look forward to talking with you.