Adjustment Issues in Adolescence

Are you worried about how your teen is dealing with a recent change in his or her life? Has your family been through a death of a loved one or divorce and you fear your teen isn’t handling it well? Maybe your family moved or your teen had to move schools recently. Maybe they just experienced a really hard break-up. The pain is real. Sometimes the emotions are exaggerated due to the developmental changes taking place in their body. Really, any change can have a huge impact on the life of anyone, especially your teen.

Everyone handles change differently. Everyone will experience some anxiety, some worry, and some stress or some sadness. However, if your teen is having a hard time coping with his or her emotions and has become depressed or anxious, exhibiting hostility, picking fights, or refusing to go to school, among many possible responses, they may need help coping.  When normal activities of everyday life overwhelm your teen and take away his or her joy, even to the point of not being able to function, then we have a bigger problem.

If you are up against issues of adjustment to change with your teen, you are not alone. Adjustment issues are the third most common mental health issue and affect 10 percent of children at some time in their growing up years. It will be important to determine the right path forward for your teen. Our job is to help you determine what is causing the disruption and the best treatment mode for the fastest results.

How we can help

It can be so hard to find the right help for your child. Who can you trust with one of the most precious people in your life?  At Core Values Counseling we want to personalize your teen’s experience. We have compassionate and well-trained counselors along with Neurofeedback therapy and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy that can help your family begin this journey successfully. We usually use several modes of therapy to bring equilibrium back to your teen’s life and the life of your family.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is all about helping people take control of their brain by assisting them to change negative styles of thinking and behaviors that are often associated with Adjustment Disorder. Using Cognitive Behavior Therapy, we support clients as they identify negative patterns and behaviors, and replace those with healthier ones. Teens struggling with change need a coach on the sidelines of their life helping them find new thought patterns to replace negative patterns so that positivity and stability can be restored.

Neurofeedback

We use a Neurofeedback program called Brainpaint. Neurofeedback is a scientifically proven way to improve how we feel and function in the world by enhancing how our brain operates. Neurofeedback is especially helpful in working with your teen because their brain is still being developed. It can help your teen’s brain heal and recover from the impact the disruptive event has had on his or her life. Clients have noticed significant decreases in anxiety, alleviating feelings of depression, sleeping better, fewer nightmares, and increased the ability to cope with life’s challenges. This type of therapy works well when done in conjunction with play therapy, family therapy, and other therapies.

Family Therapy

When your teen is struggling it can be so painful. All you want to do is find some relief for your teen and from the havoc, the transition has put your family through. We understand and we will need your help in helping your teen. Children need everyone in their family working together, so we will be doing a combination of family therapy, talk therapy and possibly Neurofeedback and EAP is your teen finds them helpful. The more approaches we use with your teen the more support you will all feel. We also understand there are no easy or quick solutions. It takes time for change to happen, and we are here to partner with you and your teen as you move forward.

Counseling is both scary and intimidating. Making the investment of time and money, along with adding something else to your family’s busy schedule can be difficult. Your teen and your family are worth the investment! Your teen’s future and his or her healing are worth every minute and every penny. We will give your teen and your family tools that will last a lifetime of dealing with the many inevitable transitions that you will face in the future.

With the variety of tools and resources we have at Core Values Counseling, from warm, safe and compassionate therapists, to Neurofeedback, to Equine Assisted Therapy, we can personalize your teen’s counseling experience and tailor the therapy to what works best for his or her healing. Incorporating Neurofeedback will help your teen’s brain reset and heal from this time of adjustment, while family therapy will help you and your teen understand triggers,  manage responses to triggers, understand why he or she has reacted to this adjustment period in this way and build a toolkit for dealing with transitions in the future. We also have resources and referrals if medication or physical therapy would be helpful. We will work with your pediatrician to ensure all the health care professionals are working together to benefit your teen best.

We are here for you. You can read the profiles of our therapists here. You are welcome to contact us here to ask questions or set-up an appointment, we will get back to you within 24 hours. Taking the first step toward healthy change is courageous and powerful.