Therapy for Teens

The Help Your Teen Deserves

Being a teen is not easy.

Your teen may face many challenges and changes, such as academic stress, peer pressure, family conflict, social media, bullying, self-esteem, identity, and more. They may feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, angry, or confused. Often, this leads to conflict with parents, acting out, and difficulties in school.

Other common issues teens experience might include:

• • Identity questions and changes
  • Loneliness
  • Screen dependence
  • Use of illicit substances
  • Risky behavior
  • Fighting with siblings
  • Self-harm
  • Mood swings
  • Running away from home or school
  • Social anxiety and extreme shyness
  • Fear of missing out (FOMO)
  • and more

Parents often feel overwhelmed and stuck when trying to help their teens navigate challenges like these. At Deep Eddy Psychotherapy, our teen therapists are here to help.

What is therapy for teens?

Teen therapy is a lot like therapy for adults. In fact, teen therapists work hard to help their clients feel empowered to use therapy as their own private space to work on themselves. Parents may be less involved in therapy with a teenager compared to therapy with a younger child, although parent and family sessions are often part of the process.

Your teenager will have a chance to:

• • Overcome fears and insecurities
  • Identify unhealthy ways of thinking and acting
  • Understand and empathize with others
  • Discover themselves and their true values
  • Open up about things that feel awkward discussing with parents
  • Prepare for adulthood, college, and whatever else is next

Our therapists use evidence-based techniques that are proven to be effective for teens, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based therapy (MBT), and more. Additionally, we offer teletherapy services that allow you to access therapy from the comfort of your home or anywhere else through text, phone, or video. Read on to learn more about the different approaches to teen therapy used by Deep Eddy therapists!

Deep Eddy Psychotherapy’s

Teen Therapy Approach

Our pediatric psychologists and teen therapists utilize personally-tailored therapy methods based on your teens goals, personality, and other factors.

Here are some of the most common modalities used by Deep Eddy’s team:

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy is a type of therapy that helps teens understand and heal their inner conflicts. IFS is based on the idea that we all have different parts of ourselves that have their own feelings, thoughts, and goals. These parts can sometimes get along, but other times they can clash or hurt each other.

IFS therapy helps teens identify and communicate with their parts, especially the ones that are causing them problems. Some of these parts may be protective, trying to keep the teen safe from pain or harm. Some may be wounded, carrying the burden of past trauma or negative beliefs. Some may be creative, playful, or curious, expressing the teen’s true self.

IFS therapy also helps teens access their Self, which is the core of who they are. The Self is not a part, but a source of wisdom, compassion, and confidence. The Self can help the teen heal their parts and restore harmony within themselves.

In IFS therapy, teens use various techniques and exercises to explore their parts and their Self. For example, they may:

• Keep a journal to write down their thoughts and feelings from different parts.
• Use diagrams to illustrate the relationships between their parts.
• Imagine a room where they can invite one part at a time and talk to it with the help of the Self.
• Visualize themselves walking along a path and meeting different parts along the way.
• Ask themselves “Who’s there?” whenever they feel a strong emotion or impulse and listen to the answer from the part.
• Feel their heart and notice how it changes when they connect with different parts or the Self.

IFS therapy can help teens with various issues, such as anxiety, depression, anger, self-esteem, substance abuse, eating disorders, trauma, and more. By working with their parts and their Self, teens can learn to cope better with stress, express their emotions in healthy ways, improve their relationships, and discover their true potential. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Teens sometimes struggle with their emotions, thoughts, and actions. They may feel sad, angry, anxious, or confused. They may act out, withdraw, or avoid. They may have trouble at home, at school, or with friends. These difficulties can affect their happiness, health, and well-being.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of therapy that can help teens and parents understand and cope with these challenges. CBT is a structured and organized approach that involves setting goals, practicing skills, and monitoring progress. This approach is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected and influence each other. For example, if a teen thinks that they are not good enough, they may feel sad and lonely. If they feel sad and lonely, they may isolate themselves from others or lash out in anger. If they isolate themselves or lash out, they may miss out on positive experiences and feedback that could improve their mood and self-esteem.

CBT helps teens break this cycle by teaching them how to identify, challenge, and change their negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. CBT also helps them learn new skills, resources, and strategies to cope with stress, solve problems, communicate effectively, and build confidence.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Teens face many challenges as they grow and develop. Sometimes, they may feel overwhelmed by their emotions and have trouble getting along with others. They may feel out of control or confused about what is happening inside of them. They may act in ways that are harmful to themselves or others, such as cutting, hitting, or yelling. They may have difficulty making friends, keeping promises, or following rules.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy that can help teens cope with these challenges. DBT is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that teaches teens how to balance their emotions and thoughts, and how to interact with others in a respectful and effective way. DBT helps teens learn four sets of skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

• Mindfulness helps teens become more aware of their present moment experience, without judging or avoiding it. Mindfulness helps teens calm down, focus, and accept themselves and others.
• Distress tolerance helps teens cope with difficult situations and emotions, without making them worse. Distress tolerance helps teens find healthy ways to soothe themselves, such as breathing, listening to music, or talking to someone.
• Emotion regulation helps teens understand and manage their emotions, without being overwhelmed by them. Emotion regulation helps teens identify their emotions, express them appropriately, and change them if needed.
• Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens communicate with others in a way that respects their own and others’ needs and goals. Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens ask for what they want, say no to what they don’t want, and deal with conflicts. DBT was originally developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, a serious mental health condition that affects how people think, feel, and relate to others. However, DBT has been adapted and proven to be helpful for teens with various difficulties, such as mood disorders, eating disorders, self-harm behaviors, suicidal thoughts or urges, extreme behaviors, or relational difficulties.

DBT is not only helpful for teens, but also for parents. DBT helps parents better understand their teen’s emotions and behaviors, and how to support them in a positive way. DBT helps parents learn how to communicate with their teen in a way that fosters trust, respect, and cooperation. DBT helps parents become more effective in guiding their teen to make positive choices and changes.

DBT is a powerful tool for helping teens and parents overcome difficulties, develop skills, and discover their potential. DBT is a collaborative process that involves working together as a team to achieve growth and well-being.

Interpersonal Therapy

Teens often have trouble forming or maintaining healthy relationships with their family, friends, or romantic partners. They may experience conflicts, losses, or transitions that affect their mood and self-esteem. 

Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) is a type of therapy that can help teens and parents cope with these challenges. IPT focuses on how teens relate to others and how their relationships affect their emotions and behaviors. IPT helps teens learn how to improve their communication skills, express their feelings and needs, and resolve conflicts. IPT also helps teens cope with grief, separation, or role changes that may trigger depression or anxiety.

IPT is based on the idea that there are four main types of interpersonal problems that can cause or worsen emotional distress:

• Grief: This is when teens experience the loss of a loved one, such as a parent, sibling, friend, or pet. Grief can cause sadness, anger, guilt, or numbness.
• Role disputes: This is when teens have different expectations or goals than others in their relationships, such as their parents, siblings, friends, or partners. Role disputes can cause frustration, resentment, or dissatisfaction.
• Role transitions: This is when teens face changes in their roles or responsibilities, such as moving to a new place, starting a new school, graduating, breaking up, or becoming a parent. Role transitions can cause stress, uncertainty, or insecurity.
• Interpersonal deficits: This is when teens have difficulty forming or maintaining satisfying relationships with others. Interpersonal deficits can cause loneliness, isolation, or low self-esteem.

IPT helps teens identify which type of interpersonal problem they are facing and how to address it. IPT helps teens learn how to:

• Communicate clearly and assertively with others
• Express their feelings and needs in a respectful and appropriate way
• Listen and empathize with others’ feelings and needs
• Negotiate and compromise with others to resolve conflicts
• Adapt and cope with changes in their roles or responsibilities
• Build and maintain positive and supportive relationships with others

Work with the best teen therapists in Texas.

Deep Eddy hires only the best of the best (learn more here). Our team of psychologists, counselors, and social workers includes the top pediatric therapists in the state of Texas, expertly trained and vetted for their skills in adolescent treatment.

We are passionate about giving our clients the best possible therapy experience – you deserve nothing less.