Work With Teens
Are you a teen who is creative and sensitive? Do you sometimes feel like you don't belong? I can help. I work with lots of teens experiencing identity struggles, anxiety, depression, and interpersonal struggles.
FAQ
WHAT WILL YOU TELL MY PARENTS?
Most teens want to know how much of their sessions are shared with their parents. There are a few things I am required ethically to share: If you are at risk of suicide, if you are seriously self-harming, and if you have a plan to harm another person. We will talk about the best way to share any of those with your parents. Other limits to confidentiality are if you are being abused or neglected, which requires me to inform Children's Services, and if a judge subpoenas my records. Everything else is confidential. Therapy doesn't work well without confidentiality! Parents often want to know how to support their teens. I work with my teen clients to determine what would be most useful. I can also provide support to parents without breaching the confidentiality of teen clients.
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WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FIRST SESSION?
I usually have a parent session first. This is to get all the information that might be relevant including medical and developmental history. It also is a time I can answer questions, and go through the consent document with your parents. In a first session with a teen client, I start by reviewing confidentiality and then spending time getting to know you. We can do this in lots of ways: Talking, a self-portrait, listening to music that is important to you, throwing a ball back and forth asking questions, or playing a game. It is a time you get to know me too, and can ask questions to help you feel comfortable. I will ask you about what is bringing you to counselling and if you have any goals. We might make a plan together for counselling. Most importantly, we go at the pace that works for you. There are no strict timelines in therapy. You never have to talk about anything unless you want to.
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HOW LONG IS A SESSION?
Typically sessions are 50-60 minutes long. There is the option to have a 90-minute session if that is a more comfortable flow for you. We will decide this together with your parents.
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WHAT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES WILL WE DO IN SESSION?
This really depends on what goals you have and what works best for you! Some clients really love worksheets, and if so, I have many that we can use. Others hate worksheets! Some clients love creative interventions, and others prefer to talk. Whatever format works best for you, we will use it. You can expect that sessions will include mindfulness activities, working on changing unhelpful thoughts, processing through art, sandtray, or talk, and sometimes movement.
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FOR PARENTS
HOW DOES IT WORK FOR SEPARATED/DIVORCED PARENTS?
If you and your child's other parent are not together, I need consent from BOTH parents in order to start counselling sessions for your child unless you have a court order that indicates you have sole medical decision-making for that child. I like to meet with each parent (this can be together or separately) to hear concerns and provide parenting support. I have a policy sheet to explain everything you need to know. DOWNLOAD POLICIES FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN OF SEPARATED/DIVORCED PARENTS.
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PERSONAL THERAPY
It is often helpful for parents to also access individual or couples counselling services. If I am seeing your child as a client, I cannot ethically also see the parents as individual clients (I can see parents as part of providing parental support within the counselling arch for their child). If a parent would like individual or couples counselling, I can provide referrals to another excellent therapist!
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