Is it time to get help?
If you’re a parent, you’re concerned about your teen or young adult. You feel confused, frustrated, and exhausted from trying to guide your child in the right direction. Whether your teen is taking you on an emotional rollercoaster or completely shutting you out, you’re out of ideas. You’re worried that they’re dealing with life’s challenges in all the wrong ways. Perhaps you see your teen struggling with mental health issues and want to get them help.
If you’re a teen, you’ve gone through a lot in the last several years. Life experiences have taken their toll on you. You don’t feel like the person you used to be, or want to be. You want to feel better, but right now you’re overwhelmed and lost. Maybe you don’t have a safe place to get support or guidance. Therapy may have already been suggested to you. Or perhaps you’re ready to try therapy, either for the first time or with a new therapist. If you’re seeking therapy as a teen or young adult, we’re here to help.
Why therapy?
It can be difficult to know when it’s time to seek help. Sometimes therapy is recommended by a pediatrician, school counselor, or relative. Other times teens start therapy because their daily lives are disrupted or dysfunctional. So what are the signs to look for? These could include:
- Increase in risk-taking
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Recurring thoughts about death or dying
- Sudden change in grades or school attendance
- Poor eating habits resulting in weight loss or weight gain
- Irregular sleep schedule, like staying up all night and sleeping all day
Remember that you don’t have to have mental illness or a behavioral disorder to seek therapy with a teen counselor. Teens can come to therapy to work through a variety of issues. Common reasons for teens in New Jersey seeking therapy include (but are not limited to):
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Family conflict
- Substance abuse
- Disordered eating
- Loss of motivation
- Difficulty concentrating
- Traumatic events or bullying
- Gender and sexual identity issues
- Ongoing arguments with those closest to you
We all deserve a safe space
Parents, we know it’s hard to see your child struggle. You and your family don’t have to walk alone on this parenting journey anymore. We want to help you communicate and connect with your child. Our teen therapists are passionate about working with developing minds and personalities. We are trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Family Systems, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy. We want to provide your child with a safe space in therapy, while also keeping you involved throughout the therapy process.
Therapy for teens and young adults means providing a nonjudgmental environment with openness and honesty. Therapy is a collaborative experience, where a teen and therapist work together to create change. Teens in therapy can expect to learn coping skills, practice better habits, and better understand themselves. Parents of teens in therapy can learn more about how to support their teen, express their concerns, and form a healthier relationship with their child.