If you are wondering what to expect in a crisis intervention program, you may suspect your teen son or daughter is experiencing a crisis and needs professional support. A crisis can overwhelm teens and cause them to act out in negative ways. If they don’t get the help they need, it can impact their education and lead to worsening symptoms, addiction, and thoughts of suicide.
Imagine Boise is a full-service mental health treatment facility that works with teens who are struggling with depression or anxiety and at risk of experiencing a crisis. During your initial consultation, we will discuss what to expect during a crisis intervention and the types of therapies and medication we use. We tailor each program to your teen’s specific symptoms and the cause behind the distress to develop an effective recovery strategy.
What is a crisis intervention program, and how can it benefit your teen’s mental health and education? Call 888.597.2807 today to speak with our knowledgeable team and learn more.
Recognizing a Teen in Crisis
Recognizing a teen in crisis takes a keen eye and time. A crisis rarely develops overnight. It can take several weeks, months, or even years for pent-up feelings to grow to the point where your teen can no longer hide them. This explosion of emotions and feelings is what causes a crisis to occur.
Several different types of teen crises can affect your child. Knowing what these are can help you recognize if your teen is at risk of experiencing a crisis and get them the help they need before their symptoms escalate. Here are some of the common types of teen crises:
- Mental health crises – This type of crisis involves your teen struggling with major depressive disorder, panic attacks, social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and eating disorders.
- Substance use disorders – Children as young as 12 years old are experimenting with drugs and alcohol these days. Addiction can lead to failing grades, worsening mental health, and a significant risk of experiencing a lifetime of addiction symptoms and triggers.
- Unresolved traumas – A past trauma can cause teens to experience a crisis if their feelings caused by the trauma are unresolved. A trauma crisis can be triggered by a number of events and make it feel like the event is happening all over again.
- Identity crisis – Teens who experience identity issues are at a serious risk of crisis if they don’t understand their feelings and cannot verbalize them.
At Imagine Boise, our crisis intervention program for teens is very effective in helping them learn to verbalize their feelings and talk about them constructively. Our therapists work closely with each teen to identify the underlying issues and teach them healthy ways of expressing themselves.
What to Expect in a Crisis Intervention Program
What is a teen crisis intervention program? This program involves several steps to improve teens’ mental health and coping capabilities.
Here is a list of what to expect in a crisis intervention program:
- Assessment – The first step in the recovery process is to conduct a complete physical and mental health assessment to determine the severity of symptoms and the best course of action in treating all symptoms.
- Crisis counseling – Therapists will use cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and other therapeutic devices to support teens in processing their emotions and feelings and learning how to be OK with them.
- Family support – Parents and siblings are asked to participate in therapy sessions to address any family issues that may be fueling the crisis. Everyone will work on improving their communication skills and creating a supportive home environment.
- Coping skills – One of the biggest benefits of participating in therapy is learning healthy coping skills for managing symptoms and triggers. Therapists help teens better understand their triggers and how to cope with the emotions and feelings they create.
- Continuing therapy sessions – The best way to prevent future triggers from causing a crisis is to continue working with a therapist once or twice a week. This gives your teen the chance to develop a healthier state of mind and prepare themselves for the stresses of everyday life as an adult.
One of the best things you can do for your teen who struggles with understanding their thoughts and emotions is to enroll them in a therapy program. They will learn essential life skills along with a bevy of coping mechanisms that they can use to protect their mental health.
Enroll in a Crisis Intervention Program Today at Imagine Boise
Imagine Boise welcomes teenage boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17 who are at risk of experiencing a mental health crisis. Our outpatient programs utilize many beneficial evidence-based therapies, including cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, teen relationship counseling, crisis interventions, trauma therapy, and family therapy.
To learn more about our crisis intervention program for teens, reach out online or call 888.597.2807 today to schedule a consultation with your teen.