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How To Know If You Need Therapy For Anxiety – “My teen needs mental health treatment and counseling, but there are so many options out there. How can I find a good therapist who meets his specific needs?”
There may be many reasons why your teen needs professional help. You may have noticed that they struggle with:
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Whatever the reason, a visit to your child’s pediatrician or general practitioner is a great first step towards emotional well-being. The doctor can use your teen’s medical history to make recommendations about treatment options that could include a comprehensive evaluation by a mental health professional and who to contact, including teen treatment centers.
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If your child’s doctor did not recommend specialists, the best route is to start with a general psychologist. This practitioner can either recommend him or herself for further treatment or provide guidance to other providers who may have skills better suited to your teen’s needs.
Mental health specialists work as part of in-person treatment practices, online practice groups, and acute care facilities that provide residential treatment options. These professionals are certified and licensed individuals who fall within the field of either psychiatry or psychology. Depending on their credentials, most are allowed to provide counseling as a form of therapy. You can find psychiatrists and psychologists by searching your health insurance plan providers or visiting Psychology Today.
Both psychology and psychiatry are areas of medical expertise that focus on a person’s emotional well-being. The main difference between the two is that specialist psychiatrists are usually the ones who prescribe medication if needed as part of your child’s treatment plan.
According to Nicole Pingel, a licensed professional counselor with Calo Programs, a treatment center for adopted teens and teens, when choosing a mental health practitioner for your teen, you should find a provider or treatment center that specializes in teen counseling. These professionals have special training focused on therapeutic approaches tailored to this age group. One way this training is provided is through the Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP) certification. Adolescent counseling training helps therapists work with teens diagnosed with problems such as attachment disorders, trauma, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bullying, anxiety, and more.
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Pingel said the best reason to find a teen counselor is “That’s what their training and experience is specifically geared towards. Someone who has not had training in child and adolescent experiences may not have as much focus or understanding of how these early developmental experiences may affect the client in different areas of life, such as school, home, and work.”
Teen counseling can be done individually in one-on-one sessions or through group therapy. These sessions aim to provide your teenager with a safe space where they feel free to talk about their feelings. This open exchange allows the practitioner to work with them to identify problems and discuss ways to develop healthy coping mechanisms and achieve mental well-being.
Counselors are skilled in various therapeutic modalities. Understanding the treatment style used before starting and discussing these styles with your teen can help everyone know what to expect. Allowing your child to participate in the choice helps them build trust with the counselor while ensuring they are comfortable with the chosen treatment approach.
Once you’ve decided which type of doctor and treatment approach might work best for your teen, during an initial consultation you should ask:
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A final question you may have is “How common is it to have conversations with the parents and give input from the parents during treatment?”
Pingel said in her experience, parental involvement often depends on the approach. For example, at Calo, a residential program, there are weekly family therapy sessions where the whole family interacts with therapists. The therapist will provide regular updates and communication about the sessions.
In an outpatient setting, Pingel said, parents sometimes sit with the teen during individual therapy. He added that it is best if the parent is not present so that the child can express himself freely. He also noted that when teenagers are still minors, parents will know some information during private sessions.
“The therapist will provide parents with general information about what’s going on, especially if there is an immediate safety concern, such as self-harm or suicidal thoughts,” Pingel said. “Parents, in turn, can provide valuable information to the therapist about what is happening at home from their perspective.”
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General information includes how the issues raised in therapy might affect the adolescent in his or her daily life. Therapists could then train the parents on how to respond and help their child.
Additionally, Pingel said, parents should ask their therapist to coordinate with other providers, such as a school, psychiatrist or occupational therapist, to ensure continuity of care across the board.
Even after you’ve thoroughly evaluated your options and chosen a practitioner you like, understand that there may not be a perfect fit between your teen and their practitioner right away. It may take a few sessions for your teen to settle in with a therapist, so encourage them to give it some time. That being said, it’s always okay to stop treatment with one therapist and look for another. According to Pingel, feeling comfortable with the treatment center, the counselor, and the therapist’s treatment approach is imperative for your teen to find success with their mental health treatment.
Embark is the most trusted name in adolescent and young adult mental health treatment. We are driven to find the help your family needs. If you’re looking for support, contact us today!
Faq: How Do I Know If My Therapist Is A Good Fit For Me? — Breyta Psychological Services, P.a.
Embark Behavioral Health is a leading network of outpatient centers and residential programs offering leading-edge mental health treatment to preadolescents, adolescents and young adults. Dedicated to its grand mission of reversing the trends of anxiety, depression and suicide among adolescents and young adults by 2028, Embark offers a strong continuum of care with different levels of service and programming. has a deep legacy of over 25 years serving youth. works with families to adjust treatment in real time to improve outcomes. treats the whole family using an evidence-based approach; and offers the highest levels of quality care and safety standards. For more information about Embark or its treatment programs, including virtual services, intensive outpatient programs (IOPs), therapeutic day treatment programs, also known as partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), residential treatment and outdoor treatment , visit the .
Addiction teen anxiety career coexisting communication trust community corona covid-19 DBT depression Employees family dynamics happiness stress management marijuana mental health mental health treatment physical health recovery relationships school screen time self care self confidence social anxiety social media stress substance abuse substance use suicide prevention suicide symptom support technology technology addiction Teens Therapy vaping therapy Young adults Youth Many people think there is something wrong with you to see a therapist. This is one of the common misconceptions about the treatment. In fact, therapy is an incredibly useful tool worth trying even if you don’t have a medical problem. So when should you see a therapist?
The truth is, you should never let things get to the breaking point before asking for help. Although therapists can help you get through a crisis, their support is much more effective when you seek it directly. When you’re having a hard time but you pretend you’re fine, you make things worse. Hiding your pain digs you deeper into a hole that will be hard to get out of.
It makes sense to think of therapy as a mental wellness check. While you exercise, eat well, and take care of your physical health, you should do the same for your mind.
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Therapy is a great way to test whether your mind is coping well with the challenges of everyday life. If you think something is wrong, take note of it and take the necessary steps to improve it.
It is important to pay attention to your mental well-being and seek help when you feel any emotional distress. It is not a weakness, but a necessary step on the path of self-care. The sooner you take this step and see a therapist, the sooner you will feel better.
There is nothing to be ashamed of when you think you need treatment. But how do you know when it’s time to get support from a mental health professional? Below are signs to be aware of that may indicate the need to seek this support.
You may feel overwhelmed when dealing with strong emotions that are difficult to manage. Such feelings can be caused by stress, trauma or relationship problems. Hiding our true feelings and hiding emotions is the common cultural norm. It works in the short term and may bring some benefits, but it is not sustainable. At some point, pent-up emotions can explode.
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If you often experience strong emotional outbursts, you may need help. This is especially true if you can’t stop crying, have temper tantrums, or feel numb and disconnected from yourself and those around you. Therapy can help you learn what you’re feeling and why, and give you tools to manage it.
Your mind, body and emotions are all interconnected. Mental health problems affect the central nervous system and
