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Therapy for Adolescents
Going through adolescence is often one of the most challenging and confusing times in our development. Not only do adolescents experience huge physiological changes, but they also struggle to adjust to the changes from child to adult taking on more responsible roles and having to negotiate new boundaries and expectations making the slow transition from the protected life of the family to the independent life of adulthood. For many adolescents this transition is often confusing, emotional and can be fraught with difficulties which affect relationships within the family, relationships with people in authority and is a time when conformity to the peer group values and behaviours increases. Often there are behavioural changes which can be difficult not only for the young person, but for family members and carers. Acting out behaviour can manifest itself in anti social behaviour, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, being defiant and having difficulties at school. Some adolescents internalize their feelings and become depressed and moody. Therapy helps adolescents in a variety of ways. They receive emotional support, resolve conflicts with people, understand feelings and problems, and try out new solutions to old problems. Goals for therapy may be specific (change in behavior, improved relations with friends or family), or more general (less anxiety, better self-esteem). The length of psychotherapy depends on the complexity and severity of problems. |
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