Psicoterapia para adolescentes
Therapy for Teens
Psicoterapia para adolescentes
Therapy for Teens
Counseling for Teens in Miami and Throughout Florida
These days it’s more complicated than ever to be a teen.
They face the pressures of expectations from every angle – from teachers, parents, friends, social media, and sometimes even themselves. It seems like they’re constantly comparing themselves to others and finding that they aren’t good enough. They may also be dealing with bullying at school or online. As if that’s not enough, they’re also trying to figure out who they are, what they like and dislike, sexuality, and romantic relationships.
It’s no wonder that teens experience mental health issues.
With so much going on, it’s common for teens to have feelings of sadness, angst, mood swings, irritability, and attention problems. They may start to have outbursts. These feelings can become very overwhelming and uncomfortable, and teens may turn to drugs or other disruptive behavior to cope.
Therapy can make all the difference for teens with anxiety, stress, isolation, or depression.
Sometimes teens just need someone to talk to that isn’t a family member about the complex, difficult topics they’re experiencing. Therapy sessions with a qualified mental health professional that’s objective and not judgmental can help adolescents safely explore their thoughts and feelings about a variety of topics, ranging from relationship issues to questions about sexual identity.
Teens counseling can be preventative.
Mental health treatment can also address minor concerns so they don’t turn into serious ones. For many people, mood and anxiety disorders often start during the teen years. If left untreated, depression, anxiety, and a wide range of other mental health conditions can last into adulthood.
Therapy can make all the difference for teens with anxiety, stress, isolation, or depression.
Sometimes teens just need someone to talk to that isn’t a family member about the complex, difficult topics they’re experiencing. Therapy sessions with a qualified mental health professional that’s objective and not judgmental can help adolescents safely explore their thoughts and feelings about a variety of topics, ranging from relationship issues to questions about sexual identity.
Teens counseling can be preventative.
Mental health treatment can also address minor concerns so they don’t turn into serious ones. For many people, mood and anxiety disorders often start during the teen years. If left untreated, depression, anxiety, and a wide range of other mental health conditions can last into adulthood.
Online Therapy Throughout Florida and In-Person Therapy for Teens in Miami, FL
Our team of bilingual therapists and psychologists make therapy for teens easy and convenient. Meeting in person at our comfortable offices in South Florida, or online therapy could be a better fit if teens are busy with school homework, sports, or other extracurricular activities. In counseling, adolescents can learn strategies to manage anxiety, stress, depression, stress, and other mental health conditions successfully. Therapy can also offer other tools to effectively cope rather than turn to anger/aggression, drugs, cutting/self-injury, or other toxic behaviors.
Benefits of Teen Therapy
- Ability to see things from new and different perspectives
- Healthy coping skills for their problems
- Better decision-making abilities
- Greater self-awareness
- Improved self-confidence and social skills
- More assertive communication
- Less vulnerable to bullying and social pressures
- Stronger relationships
- Positive actions
Our Specialties in Therapy for Teens
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)
- Anxiety disorder
- Attachment Disorders
- Codependency
- Depression
- Low Self-esteem
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Specific Phobias
- Perfectionism
- Personal Growth and Development
- Social Anxiety
- Family Conflict and Stress
- Irritability, Anger, Outbursts, & Aggression
- Academic Stress and Pressures
- College Major Indecision & Career Counseling
You probably have more questions about teen counseling.
Here are the most common questions that people considering teen therapy frequently ask us.
How do I know if my teenager needs therapy?
Some signs that your teen may need therapy include:
- Looks sad
- Stopped doing things they enjoyed
- Stopped hanging out with friends
- Irritable or angry outbursts
- Crying
- Biting nails or hair pulling
- panicky or excessive worry
- Changing to eating, exercise, or sleep habits
- Isolation
- Poor attention, concentration, memory or forgetfulness
- clingy or excessively demanding of their friendships
- Jealousy in their friendships
How do I talk to my teen about therapy?
Sit down with them and describe the changes you’ve noticed in them to your teen. Let them know that you’re worried and want to help them.
Ask them if there’s anything that you can do to help them.
Ask their thoughts about therapy and if they’ve thought about going.
How can my teen get started in therapy?
Call our office at (305) 501-0133 to make an appointment. Our client care coordinator will need your and your child’s full names, email addresses, phone numbers, and a credit card to schedule the appointment. They will also be able to answer your questions about insurance, fees, types of treatment and services offered, and office policies.
How does the first appointment for a teen look like?
Usually, the therapist will start by sitting with both the parent and child and explain important policies about scheduling, cancelations, and confidentiality. This is also a time for the parent to express their concerns about their child. Any questions about the process or other concerns can be addressed before the parent leaves. The session continues with the teen and the therapist.
What is the counseling process like?
Counseling sessions mostly consist of conversations between the teen and their therapist. Sometimes the therapist is explaining information to the teen or demonstrating a skill or technique. At other times, the teen and the therapist may be working on an exercise or reviewing the results together. There’s also time for the teen to practice new skills while under the therapist’s guidance.
How long does teen counseling last?
It depends on what brings your teen into therapy and how severe their difficulties are. One or two mild concerns can often be addressed in 6 sessions or less. 12-15 sessions tend to be the average for multiple concerns or those of moderate severity. Therapy can be considerably longer in complex and severe cases that involve issues like trauma, abuse, eating disorders, severe depression, self-harm/cutting, significant family conflict, etc.
What If my teen doesn’t like their therapist?
It’s important to figure out what’s going on. Sometimes, teens will say they don’t like the therapist because therapy is bringing up uncomfortable things that the teen doesn’t want to face. In this case, this is something important to work through in therapy.
In other cases, the teen just don’t “click” with the therapist. That’s usually pretty clear early on (e.g. the second or third session). Ultimately, a strong relationship between the therapist and teen is key to adolescent therapy. If that’s the case, it’s okay to find a new therapist. Next time, try to involve the teen in selecting the therapist. Here are some ideas:
- Find 5 therapists that fit your teen’s needs, take your insurance or are within your budget.
- Review those therapists’ profiles, websites, and social media profiles with your teen.
- Schedule consults for you and your teen to briefly speak with each prospective therapist.
- Ask your teen who they feel is the best fit for them.
Can/should I force my teenager to go to therapy?
Therapy for teens works best when they are willing. Instead of picking a therapist for them, involving the teen in selecting the therapist may make them more cooperative. Here are some ideas:
- Find 5 therapists that fit your teen’s needs, take your insurance or are within your budget.
- Review those therapists’ profiles, websites, and social media profiles with your teen.
- Schedule consults for you and your teen to briefly speak with each prospective therapist.
- Ask your teen who they feel is the best fit for them.
However, if your teen in engaging in risky, destructive, and/or harmful behaviors, you may need to take them to therapy even if they are unwilling to keep them safe. If that’s your situation, you may also consider getting started in therapy yourself to help you effectively cope and parent your teen.
Will insurance cover counseling for teens?
Yes, if your insurance plan has mental health coverage it would cover therapy for your teen. However, we don’t accept insurance, but you and your teen may still be to work with one of our teen therapists located in Miami. Call your insurance company and ask if your plan has out-of-network (OON) coverage. If it does, we can provide you with a medical receipt (aka a superbill) to send to the insurance to qualify for reimbursement.
Do you offer online therapy for teens?
Yes, our therapists can usually work with teens ages 13 and up in-person or using online therapy. However, online therapy may be contraindicated in some case. Your therapist will be able to explain more.
How does confidentiality work in teen therapy?
Legally, anything that minor says in therapy can be disclosed to the parent or guardian. But that wouldn’t make therapy very effective.
We recognize that privacy of the teen and parent involvement are both crucial for effective treatment. With that in mind, our mental health professionals request that agreement stipulates that they will provide parents with only general information about the progress of the treatment and the teen’s attendance to scheduled sessions. Any other communication will be at the discretion of the therapist to protect the therapeutic alliance with the adolescent.
The therapist will notify parents if there is something important that parents should know or that presents a danger to the teen or someone else. Please note that the therapist is legally required to break confidentiality and report to the proper authorities if:
- the teen is going to harm themselves or someone else
- there is suspicion of child abuse, elderly abuse, or abuse of a disabled person in the household
- a judge issues a court order requiring the therapist’s testimony or clinical documentation
Are parents allowed to participate in therapy?
Maybe, depending on whether their presence in therapy supports the treatment goals. Our therapists are careful to maintain clear boundaries that this is the teen’s therapy, not family therapy. Otherwise, parents of minors will often want to discuss matters related to their child’s behavior at home or school, as well as treatment and progress with the clinician. Due to the scheduling constraints, parents will have the option to either:
- Advise the clinician in advance of their desire to meet for up to 10 minutes at the start or end of their child’s session, or
- Schedule a 25-minute session with the clinician
Can parents contact the teen’s therapist?
Yes, but parents should limit their calls, texts, and emails to matters of logistics and scheduling. These means of communication are not HIPAA-compliant and security of sensitive information cannot be guaranteed. Parents can use up to 10 minutes of the teen’s session to talk to the therapist or can schedule their own 25-minute session to speak with the therapist to address anything that relates to the therapy itself.
What if my teen feels uncomfortable talking about their problems?
It’s normal to feel a bit awkward talking to a stranger about one’s deepest thoughts and feelings. Tell your teen that it’s okay. Remind them that therapists are experts at establishing safe relationships to help people work through their challenges.
Does going to therapy mean my teen is "crazy"?
No, going to therapy doesn’t mean your teen is crazy! One in 5 teens (20%) have mental health issues which means going to therapy is very common. Therapists treat mental health problems just like a physician would treat a medical problem. For instance, a dentist is a doctor for your teeth, right? Well, a therapist is a doctor for your thoughts and feelings.
How is therapy with a mental health provider different from talking to school counselors?
There are limits to what most school counselors can provide by way of therapy. They are great resources of short-term solutions to help teens cope with academic and social issues. They can also be a trusted adult that lends an ear, but their training doesn’t equip them to provide counseling for depression or other mental health illnesses.
Adolescence is a stressful time.
Therapy can help teens learn healthy behaviors and lead happier lives during this life transition.
Click below if you and your teen are ready to get started in teen counseling.
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