Sometimes do you ask yourself, “Who on earth is he?” or think, “My daughter’s been replaced by someone I don’t know.” We’ve asked those questions, too. The adolescent years can be exciting, disturbing, scary, and at times unsettling. Changes occur rapidly between the ages of 11 and 16. From one decade to the next, life is moving at an ever increasing speed resulting in uncharted territory for parents.
One uncharted territory is the world of technology which changes exponentially every 12 – 18 months. The abundance of social connectivity for adolescents is almost mind-boggling. These advances create new kinds of stressors for our families.
Some of the common situations we see in our practice are:
- Excessive use of screen time
- Video gaming obsessions
- Pornography and the use of adult dating sites
- Bullying
Technology is not the only adolescent/family challenge. Also, in our practice we treat adolescents with:
- Questions about their identity
- Alienation from family
- Attachment issues
- Eating disorders
- Divorce and Blended family challenges
- Depression and anxiety
- Domestic violence and abuse
The adolescent years can be exhilarating and exhausting. Sometimes, it takes a new perspective to understand and address the emotional and behavioral challenges. That’s what we help make happen by providing insights, safety, alternate forms of expression through art and play. All of the focus is on promoting meaningful change.