It might be challenging to work with teenagers in a therapeutic setting. Teenagers are often coerced by their parents to attend, let alone participate in activities they don’t want to. However, a participant’s desire to actively seek treatment is often a factor in determining whether therapy will be successful. Which may raise the issue of how a therapist might assist in changing the situation in order to have a fruitful therapeutic connection with an angsty adolescent.
Positive results are more common for adolescents who are willing participants in their therapeutic treatment. Teens and therapists who engage in active communication work together as a team to achieve the same objective. In the end, this enables them to do more together. Teens will feel more in charge of their future and be more likely to remain involved in therapy when a treatment plan is jointly developed with their input. Here is some advice for therapeutic teen interaction
Reframe the story
Teenagers sometimes hesitate to go to therapy because they are unclear of what to expect. Since it’s often uncharted ground for most people, it might appear awkward, frightening, or forced. When meeting with an adolescent for the first time, one of the most crucial things you do is to be explicit about what counseling entails.
Therapy may be enjoyable, meaningful, and more similar to a coach and student connection than it has to be dry and archaic. Teenagers are more likely to engage and comprehend that their therapist is there to assist and work alongside them, rather than “telling them what to do,” when the narrative is reframed and it is made clear how therapeutic treatment will be offered.
Make a Welcome Environment
Always provide your customers with a welcome, comfortable, safe, and nonjudgmental atmosphere. Give them several choices for modifying the area as required during the session. Comfortable bean bag seats, soft lighting, fidget toys, calming art, calming noises, and other calming activities may all be found in a pleasant and intimate setting. Making their experience as pleasant and beneficial as you can is your aim.
Find the best therapist for them to see
One of the most crucial things that professionals and parents can do is to match an adolescent with a therapist with whom they feel comfortable. Providers should learn about the client’s preferences at the time of intake. Do they favor therapists who are men or women? Do they want to collaborate with a therapist who has a specific area of expertise? Determine how to streamline the teen’s experience so that they feel welcomed, at ease, and able to converse freely. When the therapist and adolescent can establish a solid therapeutic connection, therapy may be quite effective. If you match someone with a therapist outside of their comfort zone, this won’t happen. You may consider this adolescent counseling services from here.
Set a schedule
Teens will have a better sense of the session’s structure if an agenda is established. For instance, describe how a biopsychosocial examination is often carried out during the first few sessions to get a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s biology, psychology, and social milieu. Describe how this tool will be utilized and how the subsequent sessions may go.
They will also discuss their family background, the reasons they are in therapy, and their treatment objectives during these first sessions. Depending on the teen’s desire to engage, progressing through sessions may go smoothly and successfully together. Make sure your patients realize that treatment doesn’t have to be a never-ending process. It might last for whichever long or little time they need.
Try to think beyond the box
Thinking creatively is essential when dealing with any demographic, but it’s particularly important when working with teenagers, as the majority of therapists already know. Being older than a client may be challenging for therapists, so being current with pop culture, fashion, and social media is essential. A skilled therapist may arm oneself with some awareness of the social and environmental issues that kids confront by being aware of all of them. Additionally, therapists may be more creative in their therapeutic approach by getting to know the distinct likes and dislikes of the teenagers.