Teen Counseling in Long Island
Reaching adolescents and teens for long term peace and happiness
Teen Mental Health
It’s estimated that roughly 15% of teens and adolescents have at least one mental health disorder.
Of the nearly 8 million youth who needed treatment for a mental health condition, nearly half did not receive professional help.
Mental health conditions can seriously impact teens as they journey towards adulthood. One study showed that nearly 25% of teens who dropped out of school had experienced symptoms of depression within the three months prior.
We can make a massive impact on teenagers’ present and futures by listening, relating, and helping them overcome the troubles they face.
Eclectic Psychotherapy of Long Island has some of the best teen counselors in New York. Use this page as an opportunity to learn more about how we can help your teenager.
Counseling Can Help Your Teenager
Therapy is not always the right choice for teens, but it can be a tremendous benefit in the right circumstances. Teens who benefit from therapy typically have something in their life that is causing distress or worry. This can be a single event or an ongoing situation that keeps them from living the life they want to live. In most cases, teens have the opportunity for a happy life that’s waiting right in front of them, but something is getting in the way. We aim to define the source of these roadblocks and help your teen navigate the path through them.
Signs Your Teen Can Benefit From Therapy
Signs of Depression
Depression is rampant in young people across the world. Youth is an extremely challenging and confusing time for teenagers, making their minds vulnerable to depression. Our job is to establish a connection with your teen, dive into the root causes of their pain, and work with them to overcome it.
Increasing Defiance
Adolescents of all ages are prone to defiant behaviors. It’s part of their development, figuring out who they are, and making choices for themselves. This becomes negative when they purposely don’t listen to their parents, mentors, teachers, etc. simply because they were told to do something. This breeds a mentality of poor choices and a rebellious nature. We help your teen overcome this mentality by relating, identifying sources of discomfort, and showing them adults can have good advice.
Drug Use
Drug use is an increasingly “normal” activity for teenagers. Experimenting is one thing but sometimes drug use becomes a lifestyle, especially for high schoolers. Drugs can be dangerous for a young person’s physical development, motivation, and can drive them towards the wrong crowds. Our counselors aim to discover when drug use is being used as a coping mechanism for stresses and pain. Overcoming the source of discomfort helps overcome the outcomes of discomfort.
Illegal Activities
It’s no secret that youth is a time of breaking rules. Sometimes it’s minor like staying out a half-hour too late, ending up in detention for an evening, or having friends over without permission. However, it’s entirely different when these are illegal activities with real-world consequences for themselves and others. If your teen has recently committed a crime or performed an illegal act, it could be that they are acting out due to inner pain. This is where therapy can make a big impact.
Innappropriate Anger
Hormones are raging during developmental years. This is normal and healthy but it can facilitate extreme bursts of anger when combined with a depressed mind. Sometimes being quick to anger is a bi-product of genetics and sometimes it’s due, at least partially, to something that can be mended. If your teen’s anger seems unfair and increasing over time, they may greatly benefit from therapy.
Failing School
School is easier for some teens than others, and there’s a number of reasons why your teenager might be underperforming. Therapy can help young people overcome a lack of motivation, identify problems at school, and discover new ways to feel achievement in their school work.
Common Concerns Of Therapy
I Doubt My Teen Will Talk To You
This is a common concern among parents and guardians. It’s hard to imagine your teenager opening up to a complete stranger when they might not even be talking to you. Sometimes the main issues with your teen are irritability, dismissiveness, defiance, and indifference – all inhibitors to effective communication.
This is where our therapists’ years of experience and expertise come into play. We move as slowly as your teen wants to, find common ground, laugh, make fun, whatever the moment and plan calls for.
It’s so much easier to open up to a friend, than a counselor or even a parent. That’s our first goal – to become a friend.
I’ve Heard Teen Therapy Is Expensive
Therapy can be a serious commitment in both time and money, and we understand that. However, it can be vital to your child’s development to invest in their mental health early on in life. Psychological disorders can lead to a whole string of health issues and even severe illnesses if left untreated. Teens may also develop skills during therapy that prove useful to them later on in life.
We know cost is always a factor so we’ll be glad to talk about your situation and give you guidance on insurance coverage and expected time frames. If you have questions or concerns about this – reach out by phone or contact form. We’ll guide you through it to the best of our abilities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does therapy look like for teens specifically?
Therapy for teenagers can look like a lot of different things – but that’s good news. The reason is that different teens are going to be looking for different things in their therapy.
Let’s start with what teen therapy isn’t
- It’s not always just sitting across from a therapist and talking (unless that’s what’s most comfortable for them)
- It’s not giving them a load of advice or telling them what to do.
- There’s not a “one size fits all” methodology or approach to the individual’s needs.
Our goal atEclectic Psychotherapy of Long Island is to provide a safe space for your teen to be heard and understood. We find it best to start slow and easy. Next, we can better explore the areas where they are struggling. This involves talking about things that they have been nervous about or avoiding – giving them the chance to open up at their own pace.
My son/daughter refuses to try therapy. What should I do?
We see this all the time. Adolescents, especially teens, can become defensive even at the suggestion of seeing a therapist. This is understandable and it’s easy to imagine ourselves acting similarly in our youth.
We find the best way to manage this is to involve your child in the process. Bring them to meet their potential counselor and only make a commitment once they feel comfortable with someone. If you can get your team to the point where they say “ok, I can talk to them” – you’ve accomplished a big step already.
What are some common issues teens go to therapy to get help with?
The reasons teens might go to therapy look a lot like the reasons people of other ages go to therapy. Sometimes the reasons are age-specific and sometimes they’re not.
Common Reasons:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Constant worrying
- Painful or traumatic past experiences
- Drug or alcohol use
- Irritability
- Illegal Activities
- Anger
We should remember that adolescence is a time where young people begin to figure out who they are and where they fit in life. It’s a time of choices and exploration.
This causes more age-specific issues:
- Decisions about future choices (what they want to do with their lives, after middle school, after high school, the working world, etc.)
- Relationships (with peers, parents, romantic relationships, bullying)
- Gender identity and sexual orientation (how they see themselves, who they love, who they’re attracted to)
- Things that are hard at home or with their living situation
Teen counseling can help your child manage emotions, their social landscape and thrive in school
Our mission at Eclectic Psychotherapy of Long Island is to provide a space where your teenager feels safe to explore thoughts and feelings while pinpointing new ways to solve problems and develop healthy coping mechanisms. This can open up your child’s outlook so they don’t feel so “stuck” in daily life.
Sometimes all it takes is for them to feel listened to and understood. Even the strongest defenses can melt away and open up new opportunities to connect. It’s not uncommon to see rapid improvement once this bridge is crossed.
Teen Counseling in Long Island
If you live in Long Island and are exploring Counseling options for your teenager – there is hope. You don’t have to go through this time alone. Give us a call or send us an email and we’ll talk about how we can help and the best steps moving forward.
We’ve helped change the lives of hundreds of teens in New York and we can help yours too. In a seemingly short period of time, your child can improve their relationships, conquer their negative thinking, do better in school, and live a happier life.
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