14 Reasons Teens Might See a Therapist
At The Growth and Wellness Therapy Centre we support clients of all ages, including youth and teenagers. Being a teen comes with a variety of challenges including some that our adult client’s don’t have to deal with. Our Child and Youth Therapists are specially trained in working with teenagers and meeting them where they’re at, understanding the pressures they are facing, and helping them to figure things out to move safely and healthily towards adulthood.
Here are 14 areas we tend to support our teenaged clients with.
Anxiety
Many teens come to us feeling overwhelmed by school, social situations, family dynamics, or worry for the future.
Depression
Sometimes showing up with anxiety and sometimes as a presenting issue on it’s own, many teens come to use experiencing sadness or feelings of hopelessness.
Family Conflicts
Dynamics in a family can be tricky at any age, but especially for teens trying to balance family or sibling relationships, a desire for independence, arguments, misunderstandings, or dealing with divorce or tension at home.
Academic Pressure
Many teens come to us reporting they are feeling stressed about grades, exams, or university planning. Sometimes this overlaps with family conflicts or dynamics, and sometimes it’s teens putting pressure on themselves to match their peers or their own standards.
Friendship Issues
Social lives are important for teenagers, and common issues we see are people dealing with peer pressure, gossip, drama, or feeling left out.
Bullying or Cyberbullying
Bullying both in person and online are issues teens continue to deal with. It can also contribute to other issues, like depression or anxiety.
Identity and Self-Discovery
Some teens are exploring questions about gender, sexuality, beliefs, or personal values. They’re starting to come into their own and might need help understanding who they are and what that means for them.
Self-Esteem and Body Image
Many teens (especially those in competitive dance and sports) come to us for support with issues of body image and self-esteem. They might be struggling with how they see themselves, how their body looks, or feeling like they’re not "good enough." Sometimes this dips into topics of disordered eating.
Breakups or Relationship Stress
Relationships are difficult at any age, but many teens are experiencing relationships (and the heartbreak that can come with them) for the first time. Even if they aren’t dealing with a break up, navigating the emotional ups and downs in dating can be difficult on it’s own.
Social Anxiety
In addition to general anxiety, many teens who come to us are dealing with social anxiety which specifically refers to anxiety in social situations, feeling judged or uncomfortable around others, or avoiding social interactions completely.
Grief and Loss
Teens come to us for support in coping with the death of a loved one or a pet, or dealing with a major life change.
Trauma or Abuse
Because a number of our Child and Youth Therapists specialize in trauma, we get a lot of teen clients who come for support in processing and healing from past or recent physical, emotional, or sexual abuse or trauma.
Anger or Mood Swings
Due to environmental situations, hormones, or difficulty regulating emotions, we often have teens coming to us for support with their anger or mood swings.
Substance Use
Some teens will start experimenting with alcohol, vaping, or drugs, and then when they want to stop they won’t know how to. Our team has some specially trained therapists in substance use who can help to manage these habits and urges.