Youth 13 to 15 Years

When is it time to get help?

Like most mental or physical health issues, it’s always better to seek help sooner rather than later. This is especially true in youth who are exhibiting signs of mental health issues or are suspected of having developmental or learning disorders. It’s important for parents to learn how to deal with their children’s issues and how to best support their child. If you’re finding that your child’s behaviour or moods seems different, such as more frequent or severe emotional outbursts, they’re significantly withdrawn, you notice are being ostracized by their friends, you have concerns about their choice in friends, their behaviour is causing turmoil in the family, their teachers are expressing concerns about their behaviour in school, or your child is experiencing the symptoms listed above, it’s likely time to seek help – especially if they’ve recently suffered a traumatic event.

Treatment methods for mental health issues in teenagers

There are various treatment methods that are effective for teenagers, depending on what they are experiencing or what situation they are facing. Your therapist will determine the best treatment for your child’s individual circumstances. They include:

• Acceptance and commitment therapy encourages clients to accept the difficulties and misfortunes of life. Clients learn coping techniques to not dwell on negative emotions by staying in the present.
• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves.
• Psychotherapy is a broad term that encompasses numerous styles of therapy and uses verbal or nonverbal communication with a client to help treat psychiatric problems, behavioral issues, personality disorders, and various other types of emotional distress. This form of personal counselling is based on an interpersonal relationship, as opposed to the alternative chemical or physical forms of therapy.
• Person Centered Therapy differs from more traditional therapeutic approaches in the belief that, while the therapist has expertise in many areas, the client is the expert on themselves and their lived experiences. People are essentially trustworthy and have a vast potential for understanding themselves while also being able to ultimately resolve their own problems when guided properly.
• Mindfulness therapy is an approach to treatment that focuses on how people’s thoughts, emotions, and beliefs influence their behaviour and how they perceive themselves, others, and the world. The ability to be in the moment, to acknowledge and regulate your emotions helps you to break free from negative thought patterns.

Treating children this age may involves parents. Effective treatment methods include:

• Family systems therapy looks at the family as one emotional unit. This therapeutic approach looks at the relationships within the family and the structure as a whole.
• Structural family therapy involves looking at the structures within the family unit. Changing the underlying structure tends to cause a ripple effect on the family. This therapy analyzes the hierarchical structure, subsystems, and boundaries within the family.

Your therapist may also recommend couples counselling if there is stress in your relationships that is affecting your child, or your child’s mental health issue is causing your relationship stress.