Young People & Families
Teenagers experience immense pressures to conform and succeed; yet major life transitions or an inability to cope can compound stressors and increase risky behaviors. Cutting, restrictive eating, risky sex, chaotic substance use are all byproducts of emotional suffering. Therapy can provide a safe place to explore feelings of inadequacy so that harmful behavior can reduce or end.
My role in working with young people and their families is to support effective and positive communication so that families can begin to live peacefully. It’s hard to be a teenager and it’s hard to be a parent of a teenager and when defenses are high, it’s a good time to seek support. To promote a successful healing environment, it is important for me as a therapist to respect young people’s voices and create space for parents to listen and also be heard.