Determining whether your child needs psychotherapy is a difficult decision for any parent. Every adult remembers the difficulties of adolescence, and it can be hard to differentiate normal behavior and attitudes from what needs professional treatment. Fortunately, the mental health experts at Imagine Boise are here to help — contact Imagine Boise at 888.597.2807 to learn more about our psychotherapy program in Boise for teens and start your teen’s path to mental health.
When a Teen Needs Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy for teens can be a valuable tool for adolescents experiencing mental health distress. It can help children ages 12-17 who are experiencing the symptoms of depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, trauma, and much more.
But importantly, a formal mental health diagnosis is not a requirement for teen psychotherapy — any teen can benefit from the expert care of a psychotherapist.
Determining whether your teen needs psychotherapy depends on a few key questions:
- Is your teen experiencing high levels of stress?
- Are they suffering from the symptoms of a mental illness such as anxiety, depression, or trauma?
- Are their mental health symptoms interfering with their school work, relationships, or well-being?
If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, teen psychotherapy may be able to help.
Meeting with a therapist can give your teen an outlet to manage these symptoms, change their behaviors, and thrive in their academics and relationships. It can also answer the question “what is teen psychotherapy?” and help you to determine whether it is right for your child.
What Is Teen Psychotherapy?
Psychotherapy is a broad and effective treatment for dealing with all types of distress. Starting psychotherapy can help your teen to:
- Practice healthy coping mechanisms
- Identify and work towards their personal goals
- Change patterns of self-destructive behavior
- Reduce stress levels
- Reduce the symptoms of mental illness
A teen psychotherapist wears many hats. They are part confidant, part coach, and part educator. They use their skills to help people manage unwanted thoughts and feelings and channel a teen’s energy into more productive and healthy pursuits.
Several types of teen psychotherapy are available. Each form of psychotherapy has unique benefits, and some are better equipped to deal with certain disorders. The different forms of teen psychotherapy include:
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy
- Family counseling
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Anger management
- Music therapy
- Psychoeducation
Collectively, these forms of treatment can help teenagers with a broad spectrum of mental health disorders and distress.
Benefits of Psychotherapy for Teens
The primary benefits of psychotherapy for teens are improving well-being, reducing mental health symptoms, and building a foundation of skills for recovery that can last a lifetime. The ultimate goal of therapy is to reduce or eliminate stress, change maladaptive behaviors, and pave the way for a life of well-being.
Recovery is always the goal. Sending your teen to psychotherapy does not imply that they will be dealing with mental health challenges for the rest of their life; instead, it is a preventive treatment for dealing with further distress.
Starting psychotherapy at an early age can help your teenager deal with life’s problems in a healthy and productive manner and can save your teenager from untold levels of distress down the line.
Get Help for Your Teen Today at Imagine Boise
When you’re ready to get help for your teen experiencing intense mental distress, contact the professional team at Imagine Boise by calling 888.597.2807. Our experts can help determine whether psychotherapy is right for your teen and inform you about the extensive treatment options available at our treatment center.
Adolescence is hard enough without emotional or mental health symptoms holding teenagers back — but recovery is possible at Imagine Boise.