Teen Counseling in Wheaton

Schedule Now

Teen Counseling in Wheaton

Therapy can provide the support that a teenager needs as they’re navigating the part of life that’s particularly confusing and challenging. Teens struggle with any number of issues, such as stress, major life events, worries about the future, self-discovery, and mental health.

Teen counseling can help with all of these problems and more, and also prevent minor issues from becoming larger problems later on in life.

What is teen counseling?

Teen counseling is a type of therapy that’s tailored specifically to teenagers and the unique problems that they can face. Counseling allows teens to engage in talk therapy with a mental health professional in a safe space.

A safe space is one where teens know they don’t face any judgment or repercussions for what they say, and can be completely open and honest. The therapist’s goal is to identify and solve problems, but also to help develop healthy coping mechanisms and allow the teenager to better understand their thoughts and feelings so that they can express them in a healthy way.

There are many different types of teen counseling, such as:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): Teens learn to identify hurtful thought patterns and replace them with brighter ones. Often used for teens that have anxiety, trauma, and/or depression.

Dialectical therapy (DBT): Teens learn to take responsibility for conflict and intense emotions, and then find healthy ways of coping with them. Often used for teens who are suicidal, engage in self-harm, and/or have borderline personality disorder.

Family therapy: Focuses on improving communication and support among family members by including one or more members of the teen’s family.

Interpersonal therapy: Teens learn to address and explore relationships, their meanings, problems, and how interpersonal events influence emotions. Often used for teens with depression and anxiety.

Who is teen counseling for?

It can often be challenging to tell if what a teenager is going through is simply normal teenage life, or if there are more serious issues at hand.

Knowing about a teenager’s life can help to get a better idea of whether or not they need professional help. Some factors to consider are:

How are they doing at school? Beyond just grades, are they happy? Do they get enough rest? Do they have any hobbies?

Do they have friends? 

A major player in teens’ wellbeing is their friendships and how well they go.

Do they really communicate what is going on in their life? 

Teens can sometimes clam up about a majority of their life, because they feel like their family won’t understand or be accepting of what they have to say.

Are they self-destructive? 

Examples include self-harm, substance abuse, ignoring pain, and taking risks excessively.

Are they obsessed with death? 

Including talking and thinking about it.

Have there been dramatic changes in their behavior?

If the answers to these questions are still inconclusive, then the best way forward is to simply ask. This shows the teenager that therapy is an option, and that they are supported in their journey of wellbeing.

What issues can teen counseling help with?

There are reasons and conditions that mean a teen will benefit from counseling, such as (but not limited to):

• Anxiety disorders
• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Autism
• Major life events which cause grief
• Depression
• Struggles with gender and/or sexuality
• Eating disorders
• Loneliness
• Behavioral problems
• Personality disorders
• Racial or cultural discrimination
• Stress
• Substance abuse
• Trauma
• Bullying

In short, counseling is for any teenager that is going through a difficult time, feels like they have no idea what to do, no idea how to fix their problems, and that they have no one to talk to or no one understands them.

What can you expect from teen counseling?

Many people experience a big difference to their overall wellbeing in just a few therapy sessions.

With us, you can expect to get the support that you need. Teens that go to therapy will have a deeper understanding of who they are and what healthy coping mechanisms and choices look like for them. Because of this, they are safeguarded when problems arise in the future. They gain the mental and emotional intelligence skills that enable them to become the best version of themselves that they can be.

Taking the first step

Please know that you are not alone. You can take the first step to your best life by letting counseling help you.

At Cherry Hill counseling, we provide a safe space for you and your family to get the care, support, and guidance that you need. Whether you need a teen or child therapist in Wheaton, Cherry Hill is the right place for you.

Cherry Hill Counseling has several locations in the Northwest suburbs including Lake Zurich, McHenry, Vernon Hills,  Deer Park, Palatine, and Grayslake.

Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with us or to contact us at (847) 438-4222.