WHAT IS ADOLESCENT THERAPY?

Young people live in a unique and enjoyable life between childhood and adulthood. Therapy can help bridge these two periods and help teens become stronger and more flexible. Young people are more likely to act impulsively, misread and misinterpret, get into any kind of accident, participate in fights, and engage in dangerous and risky behaviors. Also, teens are less likely to think before they act, calculate the potential consequences of their actions, pause, or change their behavior. The goal of adolescent therapy is to help teens develop new and adaptable skills in dealing with their emotions, interacting with others, and transforming problem behaviors into effective communication.

WHICH PROBLEMS ARE WORKED IN ADOLESCENT THERAPY?

In adolescent therapy, problems such as anxiety, depression and mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, learning difficulties, autism spectrum disorders, school performance, parent-child problems, adaptation difficulties are studied. In addition, problems such as substance abuse, impulse control, eating disorders, sexual identity and sexual orientation, social isolation and self-harm are among the common problems in adolescent therapy.

HOW IS ADOLESCENT THERAPY DONE?

Psychotherapy can help adolescents and their families understand and solve problems, change their behavior and make positive changes in their lives. There are several types of psychotherapy that include different approaches, techniques, and interventions. Sometimes, a combination of different psychotherapy approaches can be helpful. In some cases, a combination of psychotherapy and medication may be more effective.

Different types of psychotherapy:

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Helps young people understand and accept their inner feelings. This type of therapy helps teens to better understand their emotional struggles to progress positively.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: It helps to improve the mood, anxiety, and behavior of teenagers by examining mixed or distorted thought patterns. Cognitive behavioral therapists teach teens that thoughts cause emotions and moods that can affect behavior. Research shows that this therapy can be effective in treating a variety of conditions, including depression and anxiety.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy: It can be used to treat adolescents with chronic suicidal feelings or thoughts, deliberately engaging in self-harming behavior, or with Borderline Personality Disorder. Dialectical behavioral therapy emphasizes taking responsibility for a person's behavior and helps the person learn how to deal with conflict and intense negative emotions. This type of therapy usually involves a combination of group and individual sessions.

Family Therapy: Focuses on helping the family move forward in a more positive and constructive way by exploring communication patterns and providing support and education. Family therapy sessions can involve the adolescent with the problem, along with their parents, siblings, grandparents.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: It emphasizes understanding the reasons that motivate and trigger the behavior, thoughts and feelings of the adolescent. It can help identify typical behavioral patterns, defense mechanisms, and responses to internal conflicts and struggles of the adolescent. Psychoanalysis is a specialized, more intensive form of psychotherapy, usually involving several sessions per week. Psychodynamic psychotherapies are based on the assumption that the behavior and emotions of the adolescent will improve when internal conflicts are brought to light.

Supportive Therapy: Supports young people to cope with stress in their lives and improve their self-confidence.

WHO CAN ADOLESCENT THERAPY HELP?

Adolescent therapy can help people with the following problems.

                      Depression

                     Grief and Loss

•          Divorce
•          Worry
•          Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders
•          Attention Problems
•          Self-esteem
•           Life Changes
•           Domestic Violence
•          Traumatic Experiences
•         Sensory Processing Problems
•          Developmental Delays
•         Autism spectrum

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ADOLESCENT THERAPY?

The aim of therapy is to help adolescents develop new and adaptable skills to cope with emotions, interact with others and transform problematic behaviors into effective communication.

Adolescent Therapy can be helpful for adolescents who want to find a safe place to talk about their feelings, experiences, and challenges with a professional who doesn't have a direct relationship or conflict with their family and friends. Therapy can provide teens with an opportunity to better understand their increased emotions and learn how to distinguish their emotional response with clear and thoughtful responses.

An experienced professional can validate and normalize young people's experiences and guide them to develop more effective communication skills with their peers and family members. In addition, therapy can explore new and unexplored parts of themselves for young people and direct their energies to explore these parts by getting in touch with their needs, goals, and aspirations. Many adolescents begin to mature and become individualized, which can be difficult for them to deal with, and positive changes can be seen in teenagers' confidence and self-esteem through therapy.

HOW LONG DOES ADOLESCENT THERAPY TAKE?

Adolescent therapy sessions usually range from 45 to 60 minutes. Some issues can be quickly addressed in a few visits. However, in some cases a series of counseling sessions may be required. The duration and frequency of the sessions may vary depending on factors such as the severity of the problem, the length of time the adolescent has had the problem, and how much the problem affects daily life.

IS IT NECESSARY TO USE MEDICINES WITH ADOLESCENT THERAPY?

Depending on adolescents' concerns and physical health, seeing just an adolescent therapist may be sufficient. Medication may be helpful for some problems. In this case, it will be more useful to talk to the psychiatrist. A thorough medical evaluation can help the adolescent determine the nature of his/her problem and all treatment options that may be appropriate for his/her situation.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ADOLESCENT THERAPISTS?

Becoming an adolescent therapist or counselor requires certain basic skills. Some of the basic skills that can assist adolescent therapists in their profession include:

Empathy: Empathy is the ability to understand and describe another person's experiences, even if they don't express their thoughts or feelings openly. A good therapist should empathize with a wide variety of clients who can understand their choices and feelings, even if they disagree with those who come to therapy.

Listening Skills: In almost all types of therapy, therapists need to actively listen to people, reflect their thoughts back on them, and be able to recall important events and emotions that clients convey. They should also pay attention to what the clients do not mention and how they communicate.

Social and Communication Skills: Clients are more likely to form a positive therapeutic relationship with a therapist who has good communication skills. Because this can provide comfort and confidence.

IS ONLINE THERAPY CONVERSATION USEFUL IN ADOLESCENT THERAPY?

Online therapy has proven to be just as beneficial as , if not more, traditional face-to-face therapy. Some studies show that people are more satisfied with online therapy. Online therapy interview is a method that can be used to treat all kinds of problems, so it is also useful in adolescent therapy.