Eric went to therapy a couple of years ago when his parents
were getting divorced. Although he no longer goes, he feels the 2
months he spent in therapy helped him get through the tough times
as his parents worked out their differences.
Melody began seeing her therapist a year ago when she was being
bullied at school. She still goes every 2 weeks because she feels
therapy is really helping to build her self-esteem.
Britt just joined a therapy group for eating disorders led by
her school's psychologist, and her friend Dana said she'd
go with her.
When our parents were in school, very few kids went to therapy.
Now it's much more common and also more accepted. Lots of teens
wonder if therapy could help them.
What Are Some Reasons That Teens Go to Therapists?
When teens are going through a rough time, such as family
troubles or problems in school, they might feel more supported if
they talk to a therapist. They may be feeling sad, angry, or
overwhelmed by what's been happening - and need help sorting
out their feelings, finding solutions to their problems, or just
feeling better. That's when therapy can help.
Just a few examples of situations in which therapy can help are
when someone:
- feels sad, depressed, worried, shy, or just stressed out
- is dieting or overeating for too long or it becomes a problem
(eating disorders)
- cuts, burns, or self-injures
- is dealing with an attention problem (ADHD) or a learning
problem
- is coping with a chronic illness (such as diabetes
or asthma) or a new diagnosis of a serious problem such as
HIV, cancer, or a sexually transmitted disease (STD)
- is dealing with family changes such as separation and
divorce, or family problems such as alcoholism or addiction
- is trying to cope with a traumatic event, death of a loved
one, or worry over world events
- has a habit he or she would like to get rid of,
such as nail biting, hair pulling, smoking, or spending too much
money, or getting hooked on medications, drugs, or pills
- wants to sort out problems like managing anger or coping
with peer pressure
- wants to build self-confidence or figure out ways to make
more friends
In short, therapy offers people support when they are going
through difficult times.
Deciding to seek help for something you're going through can
be really hard. It may be your idea to go to therapy or it might
not. Sometimes parents or teachers bring up the idea first because
they notice that someone they care about is dealing with a
difficult situation, is losing weight, or seems unusually sad,
worried, angry, or upset. Some people in this situation might
welcome the idea or even feel relieved. Others might feel
criticized or embarrassed and unsure if they'll benefit from
talking to someone.
Sometimes people are told by teachers, parents, or the courts
that they
have
to go see a therapist because they have been behaving in ways that
are unacceptable, illegal, self-destructive, or dangerous. When
therapy is someone else's idea, a person may at first feel like
resisting the whole idea. But learning a bit more about what
therapy involves and what to expect can help make it seem OK.
What Is Therapy?
Therapy isn't just for mental health. You've probably
heard people discussing other types of medical therapy, such as
physical therapy or chemotherapy. But the word "therapy"
is most often used to mean psychotherapy (sometimes called
"talk therapy") - in other words, psychological help
to deal with stress or problems.
Psychotherapy is a process that's a lot like learning.
Through therapy, people learn about themselves. They discover ways
to overcome difficulties, develop inner strengths or skills, or
make changes in themselves or their situations. Often, it feels
good just to have a person to vent to, and other times it's
useful to learn different techniques to help deal with stress.
A psychotherapist (therapist, for short) is a person who has
been professionally trained to help people deal with stress or
other problems. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers,
counselors, and school psychologists are the titles of some of the
licensed professionals who work as therapists. The letters
following a therapist's name (for example, MD, PhD, PsyD, EdD,
MA, LCSW, LPC) refer to the particular education and degree that
therapist has received.
Some therapists specialize in working with a certain age group
or on a particular type of problem. Other therapists treat a mix of
ages and issues. Some work in hospitals, clinics, or counseling
centers. Others work in schools or in psychotherapy offices, often
called a "private practice" or "group
practice."
What Do Therapists Do?
Most types of therapy include talking and listening, building
trust, and receiving support and guidance. Sometimes therapists may
recommend books for people to read or work through. They may also
suggest keeping a journal. Some people prefer to express themselves
using art or drawing. Others feel more comfortable just
talking.
When a person talks to a therapist about which situations
might be difficult for them or what stresses them out, this helps
the therapist assess what is going on. The therapist and client
then usually work together to set therapy goals and figure out what
will help the person feel better or get back on track.
It might take a few meetings with a therapist before people
really feel like they can share personal stuff. It's natural to
feel that way. Trust is an essential ingredient in therapy - after
all, therapy involves being open and honest about sensitive topics
like feelings, ideas, relationships, problems, disappointments, and
hopes. A therapist understands that people sometimes take a while
to feel comfortable sharing personal information.
Most of the time, a person meets with a therapist one on one,
which is known as
individual therapy
. Sometimes, though, a therapist might work with a family (called
family therapy
) or a group of people who all are dealing with similar issues
(called
group therapy
or a
support group
). Family therapy gives family members a chance to talk together
with a therapist about problems that involve them all. Group
therapy and support groups help people give and receive support and
learn from each other and their therapist by discussing the issues
they have in common.
What Happens During Therapy?
If you see a therapist, he or she will talk with you about your
feelings, thoughts, relationships, and important values. At the
beginning, therapy sessions are focused on discussing what
you'd like to work on and setting goals. Some of the goals
people in therapy may set include things like:
- improving self-esteem and gaining confidence
- figuring out how to make more friends
- feeling less depressed or less anxious
- improving grades at school
- learning to manage anger and frustration
- making healthier choices (for example, about relationships or
eating) and ending self-defeating behaviors
During the first visit, your therapist will probably ask you to
talk a bit about yourself. Depending on your age, the therapist
will also likely meet with a parent or caregiver and ask you to
review information regarding confidentiality.
The first meeting can last longer than the usual "therapy
hour" and is often called an "intake interview."
This helps the therapist understand you better, and gives you a
chance to see if you feel comfortable with the therapist. The
therapist will probably ask about problems, concerns, and symptoms
that you may be having, or the problems that parents or teachers
are concerned about.
After one or two sessions, the therapist may talk to you about
his or her understanding of what is going on with you, how therapy
could help, and what the process will involve. Together, you and
your therapist will decide on the goals for therapy and how
frequently to meet. This may be once a week, every other week, or
once a month.
With a better understanding of your situation, the
therapist might teach you new skills or help you to think
about a situation in a new way. For example, therapists can help
people develop better relationship skills or coping skills,
including ways to build confidence, express feelings, or manage
anger.
Sticking to the schedule you agree on with your therapist and
going to your appointments will ensure you have enough time with
your therapist to work out your concerns. If your therapist
suggests a schedule that you don't think you'll be able to
keep, be up front about it so you can work out an alternative.
How Private Is It?
Therapists respect the privacy of their clients and they keep
things they're told confidential. A therapist won't tell
anyone else - including parents - about what a person discusses in
his or her sessions unless that person gives permission. The only
exception is if therapists believe their clients may harm
themselves or others.
If the issue of privacy and confidentiality worries you, be sure
to ask your therapist about it during your first meeting. It's
important to feel comfortable with your therapist so you can talk
openly about your situation.
Does It Mean I'm Crazy?
No. In fact, many people in your class have probably seen a
therapist at some point - just like students often see tutors or
coaches for extra help with schoolwork or sports. Getting help in
dealing with emotions and stressful situations is as important to
your overall health as getting help with a medical problem like
asthma or diabetes.
There's nothing wrong with getting help with problems that
are hard to solve alone. In fact, it's just the opposite. It
takes a lot of courage and maturity to look for solutions to
problems instead of ignoring or hiding them and allowing them to
become worse. If you think that therapy could help you with a
problem, ask an adult you trust - like a parent, school counselor,
or doctor - to help you find a therapist.
A few adults still resist the idea of therapy because they
don't fully understand it or have outdated ideas about it. A
couple of generations ago, people didn't know as much about the
mind or the mind-body connection as they do today, and people were
left to struggle with their problems on their own. It used to be
that therapy was only available to those with the most serious
mental health problems, but that's no longer the case.
Therapy is helpful to people of all ages and with problems that
range from mild to much more serious. Some people still hold on to
old beliefs about therapy, such as thinking that teens "will
grow out of" their problems. If the adults in your family
don't seem open to talking about therapy, mention your concerns
to a school counselor, coach, or doctor.
You don't have to hide the fact that you're going to a
therapist, but you also don't have to tell anyone if you'd
prefer not to. Some people find that talking to a few close friends
about their therapy helps them to work out their problems and feel
like they're not alone. Other people choose not to tell anyone,
especially if they feel that others won't understand. Either
way, it's a personal decision.
What Can a Person Get Out of Therapy?
What someone gets out of therapy depends on why that person is
there. For example, some people go to therapy to solve a specific
problem, others want to begin making better choices, and others
want to start to heal from a loss or a difficult life
situation.
Therapy can help people feel better, be stronger, and make good
choices as well as discover more about themselves. Those who work
with therapists might learn about motivations that lead them to
behave in certain ways or about inner strengths they have. Maybe
you'll learn new coping skills, develop more patience, or learn
to like yourself better. Maybe you'll find new ways to handle
problems that come up or new ways to handle yourself in tough
situations.
People who work with therapists often find that they learn a lot
about themselves and that therapy can help them grow and mature.
Lots of people discover that the tools they learn in therapy when
they're young make them feel stronger and better able to deal
with whatever life throws at them even as adults. If you are
curious about the therapy process, talk to a counselor or therapist
to see if you could benefit.
Reviewed by:
Michelle New, PhD
Date reviewed: August 2007
Originally reviewed by:
David V. Sheslow, PhD, and D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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