Teenagers who go to a psychologist: what is the therapy process like? – Online Psychologists

The demand for has increased exponentially lately. therapy for adolescents. With a very diverse set of problems, but most of them related to problems in the phase of life: “what am I going to do if…?” “what if I don’t get…?”, “what if I can’t…?”, so that the “what ifs…” have become the most frequent visitors to my office.

The term adolescence comes from “adolescere”, meaning “to grow up”. It is therefore a period in which a person grows – at all levels – at the same time as their values ​​enter into crisis.

Adolescence begins at the age of thirteen – preadolescence – and ends at the end of the age of nineteen. It is accompanied by a rapid acceleration of physical growth and, therefore, a variation in the dimensions of the body itself.

According to most authors, this phase is a transition between childhood and adulthood characterized by profound transformationsmost of which are positive. At the same time, the teenager will begin to search for the meaning of things that will lead him to be able to make decisions for himself.

For the relief of parents and guardians and of the adolescents themselves, this is a passing, temporary, fleeting stage, although they will learn a series of experiences that will form part of their life and their psychosocial and cultural learning during adult life.

The demand for has increased exponentially lately. therapy for teenagerswith a very diverse range of problems but most of them related to problems in the phase of life: “what am I going to do if…?”, “what if I don’t get…?”, “what if I can’t…?”. So the “what ifs” have become the most frequent visitors to my office.

The term adolescence comes from “adolescere”, meaning “to grow up”. It is therefore a period in which a person grows – at all levels – at the same time as their values ​​enter into crisis.

Adolescence begins at age thirteen (preadolescence) and ends at the end of age nineteen. It is accompanied by a rapid acceleration of physical growth and, therefore, a change in the size of one's own body.

According to most authors, this phase is a transition between childhood and adulthood characterized by profound transformations, most of which are positive. At the same time, the adolescent will begin to search for the meaning of things that will lead him to be able to make decisions for himself.

For the relief of parents and guardians and of the adolescents themselves, this is a passing, temporary, fleeting stage, although they will learn a series of experiences that will form part of their life and their psychosocial and cultural learning during adult life.

Most teens do not seek therapy on their own. Most often, it is parents, a teacher or guardian, a youth counselor, or even a friend who considers/advises that therapy is necessary.

But, regardless of whether the teenager comes of his or her own free will or against his or her will – although the focus of the therapy will be different – it is very important that we get as close as possible to the young person and invite him or her to share his or her opinions with us as parents.

For example, it may be helpful to involve the young person in the process of finding a “your” therapistAn example is given by Lynn Loar (2001), who recommended giving a list of expert professionals to families who require a child-adolescent psychotherapist, so that the adolescent can call the child and ask a few brief questions after which he or she can decide whether or not to begin therapy. This is a way in which the adolescent is more involved and the therapy has a greater chance of success.

This is especially useful for adolescents who are referred for counselling against their will. It is called the “illusion of alternatives” (Cade and O'Hanlon, 1993). The young person is not given any choice as to what is going to happen (you have to go to therapy) but rather as to how it is going to happen (you can choose the therapist from a pre-established list). Whether or not he or she accepts this invitation to be involved in the selection of the psychologist and the request is up to the adolescent.

First of all, don't worry! Psychologists are not dangerous people… So, don't be afraid! I understand that you're not going to be friends, but if you give him a chance, just one, maybe he has interesting things to tell you that will resolve your discomfort, dispel doubts or help you find that path that you don't see right now. If you want to Try that first session for free Leave us your details and we will contact you.

Some clinical psychologists are uncomfortable with the word “interview” because they think it implies an asymmetrical relationship. In reality, the therapist remains open, flexible, warm and empathetic, encouraging the young person to take the initiative in some of the decisions that will be made as a result of the relationship. Who will attend each session or when will the first session take place? of treatment.

During the first interview, the general purpose is to find out who this person in front of me is, what is happening to him or her, and whether I can help him or her or if I should refer him or her to another professional or another resource in the mental health network.

The questions are divided into several blocks:

In reality, there is no concrete answer to this question since it depends on the orientation of each psychologist as well as his or her own preferences. If we are dealing with a pre-adolescent, it is common for there to be a Pre-first session interview with parents to inform us of their views on their child's problem.

The decision about who will attend therapy with the adolescent is then made by the adolescent himself/herself. In this way, the patient's ideas are respected in order to achieve positive change before the sessions begin.

We must consider that parents and guardians usually have an opinion about the people who should be involved in the therapy, which is often at odds with the adolescent's idea. Therefore, there comes a point in the intervention with the adolescent when family therapy must be carried out – whether or not it includes all the members of the family – or even a couples therapy.

It is a very common fact, lately, combine a certain number of sessions with the teenager with a session with the parents to give them guidelines for home. However, it is very important that the pre-adolescent fully trusts that the psychologist respects all his opinions and that all conversations will be kept in the strictest confidentiality, only exchanging – with the parents – information about the general condition of their child, the possible time needed for therapy or the desirable involvement on their part.

Most of us who work with teenagers know that they are very sensitive to time restrictions, especially during the academic year.

When we see patients in an outpatient clinic, it is necessary to schedule sessions within a very restrictive schedule, which is a challenge not only for the patient and their family, but also for the therapist.

Some teenagers feel more comfortable with sessions scheduled at certain times of the day. Some respond better in the morning – the least of them – and others either in the 3 to 5 pm or 6 to 8 pm slot.

Likewise, not all patients are suited to 50-minute sessions. Some patients who are exploring situations or are very painful may need 90-120 minute sessions. Conversely, those who are on a short attention span may be fine with 45 minutes.

The frequency is not the same for everyone either. Most teenagers find one session a week sufficient, while others prefer a higher level of intensity and therefore require two sessions a week, or a lower level of intensity where one session a fortnight is sufficient.

All of this is related to paying attention to individual differences. What can be considered “normal” within the time frame of therapy is not always respectful of those patients who have their own ideas about how to motivate their personal change, which is influenced by their culture, ethnicity, family history, religious beliefs… which can increase the expectations and hopes that accompany the beginning of psychotherapy.

The actual location of sessions with adolescents – and, if necessary, with a member of their family – is an issue that often goes unnoticed, even though it is extremely important for strengthening the therapeutic alliance between patient and psychologist. This context is a reflection of these individual differences that we have just mentioned, so that their life experiences and backgrounds make the adolescent feel more comfortable in one context than in another.

Most protocols are designed to be performed in a clinical setting or at the patient's home. However, there are proponents and detractors of each of these locations.

Some opinions hold that if you don't visit the teenager in his own home, «you don't have a real picture of how things are.» According to those who support this opinion, families who refuse to allow therapy to be carried out at home do so because «they are hiding something.» On the other hand, those who support visits to the clinic believe that, in this way, the teenager is made more responsible for arriving on time to the sessions, organizing transportation, etc. If we look closely, some could have the opinion of others and it would not be without reason.

The important thing is to leave it to the patient's choice if the psychologist allows home visits. In any case, it will be a way to increase the chances of the patient remaining in therapy.

I'm sorry if you're a teenager who came here and said to yourself, «Finally, the question I was interested in!» because it's not going to be possible…

We must be clear that teenagers are minors and, therefore, if you want – and they let you… – you can come to the consultation alone and, of course, except for the sessions previously scheduled, you will always enter alone.

However, to go to a psychologist's office – and even more so, to receive…