Therapy for tweens, teens and their parents
Every child responds differently to life changes. Some events that may impact a child or teen’s mental health include:
- The birth of a sibling
- The death of a loved one, such as a family member or a pet
- Physical or sexual abuse
- Poverty or homelessness
- Natural disaster
- Domestic violence
- Moving to a new place or attending a new school
- Being bullied
- Taking on more responsibility than is age-appropriate
- Parental divorce or separation
The Challenges of the Tween/Teen Experience
Changes seem to be constant, whether it be changes in your body, your relationships, or changes in the way you feel or see the world. Even when things are going well, being a young person has its challenges. This is a time where your brain is going through significant changes and it can be difficult to talk about what is going on inside of you, often leading unexpected “acting out” of your feelings instead. Feelings of fear, sadness and anger can often be expressed negatively toward others when you don’t know where else to turn. This can lead to isolation.
Each phase of development brings specific challenges as children mature. They tend to work through these as a normal part of growing up. Mental health conditions can make these challenges harder. They may come up due to events in a child’s life. These could have been traumatic events, such as being bullied. They can also be routine, like moving to a new home.
Therapy is a place for you to connect and process your thoughts and feelings in a safe place. Dr. Holland can help you develop effective tools to cope with what is going on. However bad you think it is right now, we can face it together. I believe that forming a strong personal identity is an important aspect of your growth and development, leading to a brighter future.
Contact Dr. Holland to learn more and to schedule an appointment or call 707-479-2946.