Our counselors offer counseling for teens in Cornelius, NC

My go-to approach for helping people in teen counseling is to assure teens that the therapeutic process can be a safe place for them to openly talk about their lives, including what's going well and what's been challenging. I enjoy getting to know what teens are happy with and most proud of in their lives because this helps them recognize that talking to a therapist isn't just about “fixing the problem.”

I teach the following tools in teen counseling:

• Recognizing triggers - Developing a good understanding of what situations cause big feelings.
• Developing a coping skills toolkit - Having knowledge of various coping skills that can be used at home and in school to help reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression.
• Recognizing and changing thinking mistakes - We often engage in mistakes in thinking, which influence our feelings and actions. By recognizing those mistakes as they happen and learning how to avoid them, teens can help themselves respond differently in challenging situations.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in teen counseling when he/she expresses an improvement in mood and a greater sense of control during and after challenging events.

Clients can supplement their time in teen counseling by completing worksheets, doing assigned readings, and practicing mastering their preferred coping skills.

To prepare for their first teen counseling session, a teen can think about what they would like to discuss in the session and remember that things may feel uncomfortable at first, but with time, speaking with a therapist can become easier and more rewarding.