In-person and online psychotherapy in Toronto
44 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5C 1Y2 | 647-250-7479
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Therapy for Teens
HAS YOUR TEENAGER BEEN FEELING DOWN LATELY?
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Is your teen dealing with anxiety, depression, or another mental health issue?
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Do they seem unusually withdrawn and uninterested in the things they normally love?
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No matter how hard you try, does it seem like you can't get through to them or figure out what's wrong?
Maybe your teen struggles to make friends and feels left out of social activities. They may spend more time alone in their room, use electronics excessively, and refuse to engage with you. Perhaps they’re moody, defiant, and easily annoyed - every little thing seems to get under their skin and every interaction ends with them getting upset. Although you’re not sure what’s going on, you know they’re deeply unhappy. As a result, you may be thinking of talking to a teen therapist.
Parenting a struggling teen is incredibly hard work
As the parent, you want nothing more than to see your teenager thrive. The more unhappy they become, the more you want to get involved. Yet doing so isn’t easy - after all, they’re not a child anymore. They’re more independent now and they probably want their space from you. Navigating this dynamic is hard, because you don’t want to be a helicopter parent but you also don’t want to let them struggle alone
The good news is that you don’t have to do all the heavy lifting of helping your teen by yourself. Sometimes, all teens need is a compassionate professional who can provide guidance and support without being directly involved in their life.
At Stark Wellness Clinic, our counsellors specialize in making teens feel seen, heard, and understood. We’re confident that we can help your teenager regulate their emotions more effectively and improve their relationship with you in the process.
Start your journey today!
TEENAGERS NOWADAYS ARE UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE TO SUCCEED IN LIFE
Virtually all teenagers go through a period where they explore themselves and begin to form an identity separate from their parents. While this is an exciting time of self-discovery, it’s also deeply stressful. There are so many new emotional challenges that teens face and so many new existential questions that they’re wrestling with, such as: Who am I? What do I want in life? Who do I want to surround myself with? Naturally, many of them struggle to navigate all these pressures and their emotional health often suffers as a result.
Today’s teens are growing up in an especially high-stress environment. They are busy and over-programmed and have to deal with unrealistic expectations from teachers and coaches. Additionally, social media has created a culture where a teenager’s worth is found in clicks, likes, and followers. There is intense pressure on young people to have the best-looking content and the most followers. All of these factors combine to make life difficult for teens in the modern age.
Many teens feel lost and don't know where to turn for support
To cope with their challenges, teens often turn to unhealthy habits like drinking, drug use, or excessive screen time. Additionally, many of them try to lean on their friends for guidance and support. But since their friends are still figuring out life themselves, their advice isn’t always helpful. As a result, many teens feel lost, confused, and unsure of where to turn.
This is why it’s so crucial for teens to have a wise and trustworthy adult that they can talk to. A counsellor can help your teen see things from a clearer, more objective perspective, allowing them to understand what’s working and not working in their life.
Therapy can empower your teen to heal, grow, and become who they really are
Many teens are used to adults lecturing them or telling them what to do. That’s not the case in therapy. At Stark Wellness Clinic, we are here to support your teen unconditionally, validate their frustrations, and help them find the answers within themselves. By making your teen feel seen, heard, and accepted for who they are, we believe we can give them the safety and confidence to explore their emotional challenges and come up with creative solutions to their problems.
We provide therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma, and many other mental health issues that are common throughout the teenage years. Our counsellors have lots of experience working with teenagers—we know how to get on their level and make therapy engaging for them.
What to expect in teen therapy sessions
In the beginning, we’ll start the intake session with both you and your teen present. We’ll go over the basics of therapy, review confidentiality information, and discuss your teen’s symptoms. Then we will conduct the rest of the session with just your teenager.
Although most sessions will be held between your teen and their therapist, we still welcome your participation in the healing process. You know your teen better than anyone and we value your input and insight. Check-ins with you will be tailored to the comfortability level of you and your teenager.
In sessions with your teen, we'll help them:
EXPLORE THEIR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
LOOK FOR PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOUR THAT NO LONGER SERVE THEM
EQUIP THEM WITH SKILLS AND TOOLS FOR STRESS REDUCTION AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION
TEACH THEM HEALTHIER COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES
Additionally, your teen will learn to challenge the narrative they tell themselves about their life, enabling them to achieve a fresher persepctive and break out of beliefs that are holding them back.
OUR APPROACH TO TEEN THERAPY
Our therapists draw from a wide range of practical tools and evidence-based approaches to support and empower young people.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps teens reframe negative self-beliefs (such as “I’m not good enough”), enabling them to improve their self-esteem and become more aware of negative thought patterns.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS) views the self as made up of many different parts (or sub-personalities). By getting in touch with all of their parts, teens can work toward wholeness and achieve a more balanced emotional state.
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Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) teaches teens to work through the negative effects of trauma by challenging upsetting thoughts and changing their responses to post-traumatic stress.
Our approach to therapy is solution-focused, trauma-informed, and deeply eclectic—we will customize your teen’s treatment plan depending on their needs and goals.
In the end, we believe that your teen has the innate ability to thrive, heal, and grow into the person they were always meant to be. Our mission is to help them tap into this innate ability. Along the way, we want to give you the strength and wisdom to support your teen in day-to-day life, ensuring that your relationship stays strong for the rest of your lives.
You may have some questions or concerns are teen therapy
At Stark Wellness Clinic, we’re used to working with teens on the shyer side. That’s why therapy always goes at a pace that’s right for them—there is no pressure to share all their concerns right away. Most of the teens who come to our practice feel comfortable and at ease when they realize that this is a space where they can share their thoughts without any fear of judgment.
How involved will I be in my teen's treatment?
Although what your teen shares in sessions stays between them and their therapist, we want you to play an integral role in their journey toward wellness. From time to time, we can check in with you to discuss progress and talk about any concerns you have about your teen. After all, you are probably with them more than anyone, so your insights are deeply valuable to us!
What if my teen is too busy for therapy?
We understand that your teenager has a lot on their plate. At the same time, it’s impossible to overstate how vital it is for them to take care of their mental health. Having your teenager in therapy can help them increase their emotional intelligence and self-awareness at a young age, setting them for success as adults. It can prepare them for all the challenges of growing up and ensure that they always have effective coping skills to fall back on when times are hard.
YOUR TEENAGER DESERVES TO FEEL SEEN, HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD
Therapy gives them a space where they can be themselves unreservedly and experience compassionate support from someone who understands what it’s like to be in their shoes.
To learn more about our approach to teen therapy, you can email us at info@starkwellnessclinic.com or book a free, 15-minute phone consultation with our teen expert.
