Therapy in Chester and all of NJ
Feeling frustrated about your pre-teen/teen’s lowered self-esteem, or increased insecurity?
Is your pre-teen/teen struggling socially and having difficulty making or keeping friends?
Is your pre-teen/teen feeling pressure to experiment with drugs or alcohol?
Has the school called about social/behavioral issues?
Are you struggling to address your pre-teen/teen's misbehavior and nothing seems to work?
Is your pre-teen/teen giving you attitude, isolating in his or her room and not going out as much with friends?
You love your kids and you want them to be successful academically, emotionally and socially, but sometimes they struggle and you cannot help them on your own. You probably feel distressed, ineffective and worried.
In our experience, by the time parents begin looking into treatment options, you are already feeling frustrated with your child, and you are not really sure what to do anymore since nothing you have tried seems to help.
So, what are your treatment options? Do you put your child in individual therapy, family therapy or a combination? Listed below are some general guidelines but it really depends on the problem and our therapists can help you decide what’s best for your child and your family.
Individualized Pre-teen/Teen's Therapy
Adolescence is a challenging and confusing stage of life. Even a “normal” teenager from a functional family system has difficulty with peer pressure, dating, body image, pressures to experiment with drugs and alcohol etc. You have reason to be concerned when these types of problems affect your teen’s daily functioning and it leads to poor coping skills, addiction or other maladaptive behaviors. Sometimes it is beneficial for a teen to receive individual therapy without other family members present. For example, if your child is experiencing anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive thoughts or behaviors, excessive shyness or has difficulty making friends, individual therapy may be your best course of treatment. In many cases (e.g. ADHD, OCD, ODD) however, some form of family therapy may be needed in addition to individualized treatment.
Modern Family Counseling therapists have the unique ability to establish rapport with teens and influence them in the most positive way. One of our treatment modalities is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which is an evidence-based form of therapy that helps preteens/teens reframe their thoughts, feelings and behaviors so that they can cope better and function more effectively. Teenage counseling services is mostly done on a one-to-one basis but the therapist may also include some family sessions to improve the communication and bond between you.
Family Therapy
Generally speaking, Family Therapy is typically called for when there is persistent family conflicts and constant arguing among parent and child and/or major sibling rivalry. Family counseling with a pre-teen or teen is often “ parenting training” which is helping parents regain their authority or “parenting power” back in a structured and loving way.
Do You Feel That Your Teen "Hates" You?
Do you feel that your teen wants nothing to do with you? When you talk to her/him does she/he respond with an attitude? Does everything you say or do seem to annoy or embarrass her/him? If the answers to any of these questions is 'yes' then you are not alone. Many parents are dealing with their teen's raging hormones and their desire for independence.
Encouraging Your Kids to Journal
Parents often want kids to be able to speak with them about how they are feeling; however sometimes kids, especially teenagers can be very resistant to talking with their parents about important stuff. Sometimes due to their inability to express themselves kids can act out and be destructive to themselves or others. Journaling can be a great first step to managing emotions in a healthy way. Unfortunately, many parents can also agree that they often struggle to get their kids to do things that they suggest, therefore requesting them to journal may be met with eye rolls or blank stares.
Summer Solutions
When June rolls around, many parents can't help but take a big sigh of relief. If it's been a challenging year and your child has been struggling socially or academically, summer vacation can bring a welcome opportunity to relax and decompress.
Is Your Teen Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde?
"Watching your sweet, snuggly, dependent little one blossom into a full-blown teenager can be one of the most exhilarating and exhausting phases of parenthood. True, it's natural to want to give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done when your child is finally showing that they're ready to handle more independence with things like navigating their own transportation and managing their school work and social lives. Unfortunately, the teen years can also be riddled with downright confusion as to what's going on with your kid- especially when they lash out at you unexpectedly for what seems like no reason at all...."
We view parents as experts on their children and feel that your love, support, and knowledge of your child are key elements to successful treatment. Although your pre-teen/teen may need a little persuading to go to therapy, we have found that once it begins they realize that they have control over their choices and behaviors, and end up really valuing their involvement in it.
We serve all of New Jersey through in person and/or Online Therapy including: Chester NJ, Mt Olive NJ, Mendham NJ, Roxbury NJ, Succasunna NJ, Gladstone NJ, Bernardsville NJ, Long Valley NJ, Bedminster NJ, Flemington, NJ, Lebanon, NJ, Tewsbury NJ, Peapack NJ and more.
We can help get your pre-teen/ teen get back on track!
Call
Modern Family Counseling
And ask for an appointment this week with one of our
Child/Teen Specialists
732-742-0329