Adult Individual Therapy

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Life is full of challenges that adults have to navigate through. Whether it is relationship issues, family strife, job demands, financial stress, major life transitions, a traumatic event, something different all together, or a combination of many things, there are times when it can feel 

like your go-to coping skills are not as effective as they could be with managing it all. Life challenges may also take the form of feeling lonely or feeling stuck, or feeling like relationships, career directions, or academic aspirations aren’t as successful or as rewarding as you would like. Whatever the challenges you are facing, it is important to know you are not alone and help is available.

 

Here is some information that can help to put things into perspective:

 

• Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.

• Depression affects over 18 million adults, or 1 in 10, in any given year.

• 70% of adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.

• 20% of people who experience a traumatic event will develop PTSD.

 

Although it can feel uncomfortable or daunting to ask for help, psychotherapy has shown to be effective in helping people with depression, anxiety, anger issues, and/or trauma. We integrate different therapeutic strategies to help treat the whole person. Our goal is to help adults gain new perspectives through self-exploration, to change patterns that impact well-being, to work through traumatic experiences, to strengthen coping skills, and to find answers and solutions to challenges that allow for a more balanced and fulfilling life.

 

For some adults, a combination of psychotherapy and medications may be an effective option for treating their symptoms. If this is determined to be the case through assessment and consent of the client, then we partner with Psychiatrists or Nurse Practitioners in Psychiatry (NPPs) to help support the treatment process.

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Teen Individual Therapy

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We have over 20 years of experience working with teenagers and their families. As a result, we have a strong understanding and appreciation of the changes adolescents go through and the challenges they face. Teenagers are testing their relationships and independence, trying out new skills, figuring out their identities, and managing the expectations and stressors that come with territory of getting closer to adulthood. It is a time of navigating through all of the family, peer and teacher/coach influences that guide their decisions about trying new things, forming relationships, developing their self-identity, and making plans for the future. Add into the mix all of the biological changes that are happening for teenagers and the increasing impact of social media in their lives. No wonder this can be a confusing time for teenagers and their parents!

 

With all the changes and transitions happening in a teenager’s life, it is important to recognize how teens can be at risk for experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms. According to the National Institutes of Health:

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• Nearly 1 in 3  of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. 

• Anxiety disorders in children and teens are increasing; they went up 20% between 2007–2012.

• 1 in 5 of American youth will experience some degree of depression.

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In addition, a large research study focusing on trauma and children/teens between 2004–2012, indicated that:

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• 78.7% experienced multiple traumatic experiences, and 21.4% experienced a single traumatic experience.

 

Teens who have untreated anxiety, depression and/or trauma may be at higher risk for other problems such as, substance abuse, eating disorders, self-injury, school difficulties and/or social issues. 

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The silver lining is that anxiety, depression and trauma in teenagers are all very treatable. We use a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, insight-oriented and trauma-informed strategies to help teenagers reduce distressing symptoms and increase their coping strategies, problem-solving skills, communication skills, self-esteem, and positive life outlook. 

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Teenagers may be reluctant at first to talk to a therapist. With this in mind, we meet them where they are at in a down-to-earth manner, to help them feel more comfortable, safe and confident about sharing their thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

 

Therapy with teenagers involves some rules regarding privacy and information sharing with their parents. After the first session is scheduled, we will all meet together to discuss privacy rules that everyone can agree upon. The goal is not to diminish the importance of parents in the process, but rather to establish a therapeutic environment that will have a positive effect for the teenager and their parents. Trust and productive communication between teenagers and their parents will be a foundational theme in the therapy process.

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Collateral Sessions

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There may be times when it can be helpful to include an important member of the client’s life into a therapy session, such as a parent(s) or a spouse/partner. This type of session is called a “collateral session” because the person joining the session can provide important information, emotional support, and/or reinforce practicing skills that will help the client progress in therapy.

 

When we work with teens, we recognize how crucial parents are to the treatment process. Collateral sessions can help parents understand what their child is gaining from therapy and how they can support their child outside of the therapy sessions.

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Collateral sessions differ from family therapy sessions, as the person joining the session is not considered a client and is not the focus of treatment. This does not minimize the importance of the person in the client’s life or their role in supporting the treatment process, but rather it clarifies the boundaries of treatment. In contrast, family therapy treats the entire family as the “client,” with a family-centered treatment focus, specialized strategies and confidentiality protections.