Therapy for Teens

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Teen Counseling in Plymouth, MN

You are here likely because your teen is struggling in some way but you aren’t sure what to do to help them. Perhaps, you’ve tried what you can to help them but need some additional support. Or, maybe your teen just won’t talk to you. 

Teenage years are hard! And, they don’t always want to talk to their parents about what’s going on.

You Want an Experienced, Relatable Teen Therapist

We love working with teens! In fact, we have a long history of working with teens and loving it. We are happy to help them navigate through a variety of issues. 

Here are some of the most common problems teens seek therapy for:

Depression & Anxiety

Your teen may be struggling with depression and/or anxiety if you note any of the following is happening more often than before:

  • Isolating themselves from family and friends
  • Worrying a lot about grades, friends, romantic relationships, sports performance, etc
  • Thoughts of wanting to harm themselves in some way
  • Not seeming to enjoy things the way they used to or not wanting to do activities they used to enjoy
  • Outbursts of anger
  • Substance use
  • Not being able to be timely with homework or grades decreasing
  • Restlessness (appearing more fidgety hyperactive than usual)
  • Sudden, unexplained stomach aches

Symptoms of depression/anxiety may look different in teens than in adults. We are experts in helping you and your teen figure out if this is part of the problem and how to fix it.

Trauma

Has your teen recently gone through something difficult and doesn’t seem to be bouncing back from it? This could be a death in the family, sexual assault, difficult transition of moving homes/schools, loss of a friend, etc. Symptoms of trauma can often look like the symptoms above for depression and anxiety. We can help them figure out how to move forward in the best way possible.

Family Conflict/Family Therapy

Are you struggling to get along with your teen? Are they often fighting with the family and you just aren’t sure what to do about it?

We offer family therapy to address things going on in your family and make a plan to cope more effectively. 

Here are some common concerns we help through Family Therapy:

  • Family conflict
  • Recent loss in the family causing coping issues
  • Divorce
  • Remarriage or blended family

Our Approach to Helping Your Teen in Therapy:

Happy trans teen, holding a sign with the transgender symbol, smiling and looking at the camera. Gender expression counseling for teens in therapy at Radiant Living Therapy in Plymouth, MN 55446

We approach helping your teen in a variety of different ways. But, one thing we find the MOST important is the relationship between us and your teen. We care about making them feel comfortable in our office and to feel heard. For our therapy sessions, we encourage them to grab a snack, take off their shoes/kick up their feet and get comfortable in whatever way they need to in our office.

It’s important that we establish a trusting relationship where they can talk about whatever they need to without judgment or the fear we are going to tell their parents everything they say. 

Want to know how we work with teens in therapy? 

We find Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is particularly helpful with teens. This theory helps teens identify the “distortions” or negative thoughts that might not be quite rational. But, these thoughts become something that is plaguing them on a daily basis. We can change them! With CBT, teens can identify specific coping skills they will actually WANT to use. And, these skills will be effective in being more rational and coping with things in a different way. 

Happy teen boy smiling at camera in front of school bus, looking confident and calm after therapy for teens in Plymouth, MN at Radiant Living Therapy

We also use EMDR when appropriate with your teen. EMDR is a trauma treatment used to help people move on from events that have made them feel “stuck” in some way. Read more about this treatment on our EMDR page. 

Ready to get started? We are happy to meet with you and your teen for a free 30-minute consultation appointment where you can ask us questions about therapy and make sure it’s a good fit. 

Learn more about your teenager’s therapist:

Isabel Meyer-Mueller, MS

Nicole Cardarella-Gasper, MA LPCC

James Chadwick, MSW LISCW

Sophia “Sophie” Pimsler, MA LMFT

Makenzie McMahon, MS LMFT

Amanda Holmberg, MS LMFT

The latest from the Radiant Living Therapy blog:

Is Your Teen Ready to Begin Counseling in Plymouth, MN? We’re ready too.

Therapy for teens in our Minneapolis area counseling office is a breeze to set up. The hardest part is often getting to the point of making an appointment. All you have to do to get started is:

  1. Schedule a free consultation
  2. Meet with a teen therapy specialist
  3. Start to feel more confident, stable and understood.

Other Counseling Services at Radiant Living Therapy

Often, our problems have many layers. We know these issues are complex so, at our Plymouth, MN counseling office, our professional therapists also offer individual therapy, couples therapy and marriage counseling, EMDR for trauma therapy, counseling for men, therapy for infertility, postpartum and maternal mental health, and more. Let us enhance your life in a meaningful and comprehensive way. 

If you are a helping professional, or therapist looking for supervision or consultation services, we can help you, too. No matter the need, we look forward to connecting with you!