Exposure to traumatic abuse within the family or community. Traumatic abuse can come from peers in the form of bullying, sexual harassment and/or assault, and might include identity-based bias

Chronic marital conflict, separation, divorce, and/or remarriage

History of parent-child relationship difficulties

History of mental health and/or academic difficulties

Parental/family distress – can include economic distress, parental mental health problems such as depression and substance abuse, death of a family member, and/or other such difficulties

When puberty occurs well ahead or well behind one’s peers or well ahead of the adolescent’s psychological readiness

Development of sexual orientation and sexual & gender identity which can be especially challenging for adolescents who identify along the LGBTQ spectrum

Peer rejection and conflict

Dating and managing expression of sexual desire – rejection, exclusion, bad break ups, sexual experiences prior to feeling ready, sexual coercion/violence, and other forms of abusive relationships, teen pregnancy/abortion

Aggressive/violent behavior and/or chronic defiance and getting into trouble

Technology and social media – difficulty regulating screen/social media time, addictive use of technology, exposure to online bullying, and/or destructive influences including media violence

Chronic withdrawn and isolated behavior

Chronic and extreme moodiness

Alienation from family members particularly parents

Child-like behavior – preference for activities enjoyed when younger, preference for interaction with younger children, anxiety about being alone, excessive need for reassurance

Social anxiety, low self-esteem and avoidance of challenges, other forms of anxiety

Academic difficulties particularly significant drops in academic performance

Chronic aggressive behavior – physical fights, bullying, verbal insults and threats, vandalism, behavior that leads to chronic difficulties with authority figures including breaking the law

Chronic conflicts with peers and/or difficulty establishing and sustaining peer relationships

High risk & self-destructive behavior including substance/alcohol abuse, unprotected sex including sex with an older and/or exploitative individual, cutting or other self-harm behaviors, suicidal threats, or gestures

• Provision of safe/private space for the adolescent to get to know him or herself
• Provision of a balance between support and acceptance and challenging your teen to grow
• Modeling thoughtful self-reflection, honesty, respect for self and others, and social skills

• Identity/self-esteem – identify & develop talents/skills, personal qualities, values system, and budding future vision of self; grapple with personal limitations, recovering from failures, and sustaining motivation when things get tough
• Sexual identity development – helping adolescents to find the words to describe the experience of changes in body and self-image, sexual feelings, sexual boundaries, and budding sexual orientation; defining what feels good, bad, and scary within interactions with peers and adults; developing skills to communicate successfully with peers and adults about sexual issues, to set boundaries, and to seek help when needed; and developing a sexual value system where the adolescent can begin to feel confident as a sexual being, know what he/she is ready and not ready to experience, and begin to integrate sexuality, romance, emotional commitment, and respect for self and others.
• Balance dependence and independence
• Skills to support emotional regulation, social skill development, decision making, sustaining motivation, responsible behavior, relationship capacity, and self-care

• Improving parent-child relationships
• Helping parents understand and respond to adolescent developmental issues
• Helping parents find balance between encouraging independence and provision of structure/protection in accordance with your values and goals as parents
• Help parents to negotiate differences in parenting style and related goals/values
• Help parents and their adolescent access and successfully utilize community resources to support the adolescent’s development

We will work together to assess how the family was doing prior to the onset of the problems for which you are now seeking help. When the parents and teenager have a strong and stable relationship history and the teenager has typically performed well academically and enjoyed good peer relations prior to the recent onset of difficulties, short-term treatment can be beneficial.

Examples of developmental issues for which short-term interventions can help include: (a) the coming out process for LGBT teenagers, (b) parent-child communication problems that began with the onset of puberty or during adolescence, (c) adjustment to new school, and (d) peer relationship problems that began with onset of puberty or during adolescence including issues with dating. There might be other issues not listed here that can be appropriate for short-term interventions. The initial assessment process will help us to make that determination.

Short-term intervention strategies can include: (a) sessions with parents or with parents and the teenager to address communication problems; (b) sessions with the teenager to help name the problem in terms of thinking, feeling, and interacting patterns that are currently getting in the way of successful adjustment to developmental changes; (c) helping the teenager to name the developmental changes he/she is experiencing and finding ways to seek peer support and solidarity. To put it simply it is about helping the teenager to develop a sense of normalcy and belonging; and (d) providing specific strategies for stress management, self-reflection and self-expression, and social skills.