The first rule for therapy with adolescents is that it must be confidential. This means that the parents will not be apprised of what goes on in the sessions unless the adolescent is a danger to him/herself or others or reveals abuse or neglect. If there is something going on that a parent would benefit from knowing, the adolescent and I will make a plan to discuss this with the parent(s). Parents and their adolescent children often feel at odds and are equally frustrated with the discord in the relationship. I provide a non-judgmental environment for adolescents to talk about their lives and also find opportunities to make changes. Adolescents may feel like they have no power, are subjected to the rules of their parents and cannot do anything to make life better. After validating these feelings, I will give the adolescent the tools and resources to make positive changes, which will positively benefit everyone in the family. Sometimes adolescents just want to feel like an adult “gets them” and this is the place where that can happen.
