- Amanda Fincher
Why Teen Therapy?
ADOLESCENTS FACE A LOT OF STRUGGLES:
To name a few examples, teenagers are challenged with social awkwardness, family problems, choosing a path after high school, and starting to have adult emotions. They often still lack the tools to effectively manage these challenges.
TEENS HAVE A LOT TO DEAL WITH THESE DAYS:
There is pressure at school. A large number of teens come from divorced homes. They face peer influence to try sex and drugs. Teenagers also struggle with issues in friendships and dating relationships. It is hard for a teenager to regulate their emotional reactions to these challenges, which is where counseling is helpful.
ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS:
Sometimes these issues can lead to behaviors that frighten a parent. Teens might express irritability. They might feel lonely, or anxious. They may become angry or even rageful. It is possible to see a drop in grades. It is not unusual for these emotions to escalate into more severe problems such as cutting and self-injury, drug or alcohol experimentation, or promiscuity.
If you notice your teen struggling, you might be feeling helpless, hopeless, frustrated or concerned as a parent. Try to remember, there is hope.
Contact me today. 410-541-6686
For teen girls struggling with:
- depression
- anxiety
- impulsivity
- self-harm
- suicidal thoughts
- anger/aggression
- unhealthy relationships
Our teen girls live in a complicated, contradictory, and media-saturated world, and the roads they must navigate extend beyond the changes of their physical bodies. Some of these roads include: discovering a unique identity, taking on more and more aspects of adulthood while leaving aspects of childhood behind, and developing independence while maintaining healthy family bonds.
It’s not uncommon to run into teen girls who have not yet discovered what they’re good at or what’s important to them. Girls often need help recognizing their own skills and strengths, identifying the influences that are shaping them, and learning to make values-guided decisions. Developing that core-self is not an overnight process, it takes time to uncover what makes you unique, what your gifts are, how to respect and learn from your emotions, and what you want to stand for in this world. Counseling offers a protected space for those conversations to take place.
COMMON STRESSORS IN TEEN GIRLS:
Anger
Self-injury
Anxiety (school, social, OCD & generalized)
Body Image issues
Depression (may present differently in teens-please see article below)
Eating Disorders
Jealousy & Fears
Loss & Grief
Low Self-Esteem
Academic challenges
BENEFITS OF TEEN COUNSELING:
Closer relationships with friends and family
Feeling more comfortable with the way they look
Feeling more creative and joyful
More confidence and self assurance
Uncovering strengths and using them in rough times
Discovering academic strengths and how to use them sucessfully
AS A PARENT LOOK FOR THE FOLLOWING TELL SIGNS IN YOUR TEENAGER IF YOU SUSPECT THEY BE GOING THROUGH A TOUGH EMOTIONAL TIME:

Being the victim of bullying
Social skills
Not "fitting in"
Difficulty making or keeping friends
Shyness
Self esteem and self confidence
Poor grades
Excessive worry or anxiety
A sudden change of friends or mood
Risky sexual behaviors
Feelings or thoughts of suicide
Developing an illness or disability
Using drugs, alcohol or illegal substances
Tragic events in the community or the world
Changes in mood, weight, appetite, friends, etc
Problems at school – academically or behaviorally
Violent or illegal behaviors – fighting, stealing, drug possession, etc.
Changes in family life - moving, divorce, death or serious illness of a family member
The loss of a close friend, girlfriend/boyfriend through death, a breakup, or moving
Oppositional and defiant behaviors
Frequent temper tantrums or rages
Persistent nightmares
Self injury, such as cutting
Aggressive behaviors
Unhealthy dating relationships
Rapid weight gain or loss
Sleeping too little or too much
Social withdrawal
Lack of interest in activities they used to like
Angry or emotional outbursts