Adolescent Development Counseling
Adolescence for both boys and girls is a time when all the earlier childhood developmental stages get reworked into the beginnings of an adult identity. It is the achievement of that identity that represents the fundamental task of the teenage years. Inevitably, the adolescent stage of development cannot be traversed appropriately if the earlier childhood stages have not been managed successfully.
If parents are no longer secure in their own male or female identities, it must be particularly difficult for the adolescents under their care to sort out who they are and who they are supposed to become. Adults cannot guide their children if the adults themselves are unsure of the way. It is not possible to do therapy with adolescents and then send them back into a home environment that is generating their difficulties. Therapy with adolescents must include work with the parents responsible for their growth. It will always be a team effort.
It is a joy to work with adolescents. They, for the most part, remain hopeful, they want to grow and get stronger, they anticipate the future with a cautious optimism. They have not yet become hard and bitter – even the ones who have suffered greatly. I always see, at least, a small spark that can be fanned into aliveness. They remain curious about their minds and their uncertain place in the world. They have energy that if channeled appropriately can reengage a derailed developmental process.
There are 4 lectures on Adolescent Development in the Lecture Archive. I encourage parents and their adolescents (if mature enough) to listen to them, take in the material in an open-minded way, and prepare the whole family for some difficult but wonderful work.
you can view my adolescent development Video lecture series by Clicking Here
Or you can download the Audio by Clicking Here
Make an appointment now
In the end, there is no substitute for just picking up the phone and making the call to set an initial appointment. I am here to help you make the changes that will make your fantasies into reality.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) What is adolescent development counseling?
If I where to describe adolescent development counseling in one sentence it would be:
a type of therapy that helps teenagers sort out their identity and figure out who they are supposed to become. It is a team effort that includes work with the parents responsible for their growth.
Please view my blog post exploring the questions you should ask your adolescent before counseling.