In today’s world, adolescents face unique pressures that, when left unaddressed, often lead to anxiety, stress, rebellion, depression, bullying, eating disorders, rage, low self esteem, and more.
That’s where True Hope Christian Counseling comes in to help.
Through teen counseling, we work alongside your teen so that they may develop skills that promote health, safety and connection to not only thrive in this season but also in adulthood.
How Can Teen Counseling Help Your Teenager?
Teens face unprecedented levels of stress. Not only are they navigating their natural development as an individual, but they also face a world increasingly influenced by social media, growing pressure and competition to take advanced academic courses, demanding extracurricular schedules and ever-changing social dynamics. At the same time, they are faced with important decisions about their future goals and path.
This is a vulnerable time in their lives where they are becoming more independent and are beginning to define their place in the overall constructs of society. Adolescence is often marked by comparison with peers and teens frequently struggle as they define their worth by their performance and by the opinions of others - rather than in their identity through Christ.
The changes that come with this season are particularly difficult for a population whose brains are still under development. As their prefrontal cortex develops, it is essential that teens have resources to help find truth and maintain and build emotional and mental health.
Teen counseling offers guidance and support to adolescents (ages 12 - 17) during this formative time in their life.
Develop Healthy Coping Skills To Thrive
It is stressful to be a teenager. Teens are negotiating a time in life where their performance and social standings are judged by society in a way they have likely never experienced before.
To cope, many turn to unhealthy strategies - looking to distract from emotions and replace shame with external validation instead of with their identity in who Christ has called them to be. At times, this can take the form of avoidance, procrastination, anger, substance use, self-harm, sex, disordered eating, bullying, etc.
By uncovering and addressing the root sources of pain and shame through teen counseling, we can help replace these behaviors with healthy coping skills enabling teens to not only better face their current circumstances but eventually apply these skills to the heightened stresses they will inevitably encounter later in life. In this way, the teenage years serve as a crucial time because intervention into unhealthy behaviors now can have profoundly positive impacts in adulthood.
Heal from Anxiety and Depression
Despite the increasing prevalence of mood disorders in our teenage population, anxiety and depression often go undetected, untreated and are even written off as “dramatic” teenage reactions. Yet, these disorders are very real and present not only crippling emotional and behavioral changes, but even involve physical symptoms as well. The early detection and treatment of anxiety and depression in teens is crucial in their development and in promoting long term emotional, mental and spiritual health.
We work with teens to target anxiety and depression through a holistic approach that acknowledges their hurt and uncovers the underlying sources of worry, fear and shame. We look at how these paradigms fit within their theology - ultimately realigning their expectations for themselves through their identity in Christ rather than in society’s expectations and judgements of performance. This allows teens to find light through relationship with Jesus and to find hope in God’s sovereign plan.
Improve Parent-Teen Relationships
Child-parent conflict often arises when a child reaches adolescence and begins to develop their own values, beliefs and morals. With an increasing desire for independence, teens can feel frustrated operating within the structures their parents have set about for them - and yet, these structures are important as they scaffold the teen’s transition to adulthood and guide them in their development.
The parent-teen relationship suffers when parents confuse their own fears and their own desire for a close future relationship with their child with truly readying their teen for adulthood. Ultimately, the goal of the teenage years is to prepare your teen to live life without their parents’ daily influence, and focusing on this objective provides clarity and consistency for both parents and teenagers.
Through counseling, we help parents approach their children as God does - with patience, grace, love and righteousness. Improving communication and realigning goals between parents and adolescents leads to deeper relationships that allow children to gradually grow in making their own decisions, lessens the chance of codependence or rebellion and ultimately promotes the teen’s development into a god-fearing, contributing member of society.
Is Counseling Right for My Teen?
It is our belief that almost every teen can reap benefits from counseling. The teenage years are a critical time for mental, emotional and spiritual health and building a strong foundation during this stage of development has lasting impacts on adulthood.
The goals of counseling vary to meet your teens where they are and can range from mild support as a resource to more serious counseling goals, and as such, there is no “wrong time” to seek professional, third-party guidance - in fact, by design, counseling offers benefits to individuals in almost any situation or degree of mental health.
One sign that we encourage parents to look for is a teen’s reluctance or inability to share about what they encounter and learn in their day-to-day lives. This can manifest in many ways and while this list is not exhaustive, some common behaviors are:
consistently answering questions about their goals, feelings and experiences with one word answers or short phrases such as “I don’t know” or “I don’t care”
difficulty defining, explaining, experiencing or regulating emotions
isolation from the family or increased conflict with siblings and/or parents
significant friendship/relationship changes (including social withdrawal)
spending disproportionate time with friends virtually with little to no interest in time spent with friends in person
a lack of motivation in setting, maintaining and working towards goals
spending most of their time in bed or isolated in their bedroom
These behaviors are common and are often written off as a natural desire for privacy - but the truth is that when teens emotionally withdraw, it is impossible to know why or to know the depth of any internal struggles they may face without doing the work to uncover and address their needs. Counseling is a safe place that respects their growing maturity and personhood while also ensuring that their emotional needs are being met.
Our Approach to Counseling with Teens:
As Christian counselors, we believe that true health is found in relationship with Christ and as such, we help teens tackle life’s struggles through a biblical lens.
It can be difficult for teens to experience secular society without feeling influenced by comparison, shame, pressures and outside opinions. But placing hope and identity in these conditional sources is unstable.
Instead, we help teens navigate their day-to-day lives through the truths of the Gospel so that they can find true hope in His plan, in their place in His kingdom, in His unwavering love and in their identity as an image bearer of God.
Integrating these biblical truths with research based therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Emotion Focused Therapy (EFT) allows us to serve in the holistic development of their emotional, mental and spiritual long term health.
Teen Counseling FAQs
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With counseling, there are never guarantees, but when teens and parents are committed, teen counseling can be highly effective. Counseling creates a safe place where your child can work with a professional to process difficult feelings and confront important life questions. In this way, they may better understand and select their motivations, influences and goals. This offers benefits that serve teens not just in this season but throughout their adult years.
We see the greatest success in our teenagers who persevere through the ups and downs of therapy and whose parents/guardians are actively involved in the journey and adapt parenting approaches to the changing needs of their teen.
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No two counseling journeys are identical and the struggles addressed will vary based on your teens needs. Some of the most common struggles that we address in sessions are:
Emotional: Anxiety, Depression, Suicidal Ideation, Grief, Low Self-Esteem, Rage, Sadness, Withdrawal, Difficulties Recognizing/Expressing Feelings
Social: Parental Conflict, Sibling Conflict, Friendship/Relationship Issues, Social Isolation, Bullying
Communication: Yelling, Avoidance, Threats, Arguing
Educational: Goal Setting, Stress Management, Academic Performance, Difficulties with Peers/Authority
Behavioral: Self Harm, Substance Abuse, Physical Violence, Pornography Addiction, Defiance, Criminal Activity
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MYTH #1: WHAT MY TEEN IS GOING THROUGH IS JUST A “NORMAL” PART OF THE TEENAGE YEARS THAT THEY WILL “GROW OUT” OF.
As a society, we commonly associate the teenage years with difficult hormonal changes, social conflicts, low self esteem, and emotional dysregulation - but the truth is that whether or not society considers this to be “normal”, the challenges that teens face can be great, and they do not have to navigate these trials alone.
It is all too common for us to speak with parents who had no idea that their teens were struggling because their internal conflicts will not always present obvious external indicators. It may seem that your child is simply going through these “normal” teenage growing pains, but the problem is teens often suppress their feelings, and it can be difficult to know the severity of the situation.
Rather than assuming that this stage is temporary or that your child will grow out of these feelings, we encourage parents to seek professional support. In reality, the situation does not have to be severe to seek counseling and counseling is often most effective in a proactive approach so that root sources may be addressed before they progress to a catastrophic point.
MYTH #2: MY TEEN SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO TALK TO THEIR PARENT(S).
The parent-teen relationship is important and open and honest communication is a worthwhile goal.
It is important to understand that the therapy dynamic does not replace this parental relationship. Rather, a professional counselor serves as a third party perspective to work together with parents on the same objective - the overall growth of the teen.
Because the counselor is outside of the family unit, the role we play is unique and offers teens a resource to utilize that is separate from their daily lives and as professional counselors, we are able to apply research based approaches to help achieve therapy goals in the most effective manner possible.
MYTH #3: TEEN COUNSELING IS ONLY NECESSARY FOR TEENS WHO ARE FACING SEVERE MENTAL ILLNESS OR ARE ACTING OUT IN REBELLION THROUGH ILLEGAL ACTS
It is true that seeking counseling when children are participating in criminal activity, substance abuse, physical violence, or where there are thoughts of harming themselves or others is important. This counseling is about intervening in what has already become a serious situation to avoid possibly catastrophic outcomes.
And yet, we would never advise waiting for these serious indicators to first seek support. When counseling is sought proactively, it is most effective and issues can be addressed before they progress to a severe stage.
Teen counseling is about meeting your teen where they are and the goals of counseling vary greatly client to client.
While some of our clients are working on serious behavioral and mental health goals, we also have many adolescent clients who are simply utilizing therapy as a tool to maximize their mental, emotional and spiritual health so that they can reach their fullest potential and thrive.
MYTH #4: THE FACT THAT MY TEEN MIGHT BENEFIT FROM COUNSELING MEANS THAT I HAVE FAILED AS A PARENT
Parenting approaches certainly have a significant impact on teen development but we must remember that your teen is also being parented by society - they are absorbing media, experiencing other authority figures in your family, school, church and extracurricular life and are influenced by their peer groups.
The very fact that you would seek counseling for your teen is a step that indicates a love and commitment to their growth, and we will work alongside you to best help you help your child.
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Prior to your initial visit, please access the adolescent counseling intake forms on the client forms page. The forms will need to be completed by the teens’ legal guardian(s) and brought with you to your first appointment. If you prefer, you can also arrive ten minutes ahead of the scheduled time to complete the forms in office.
It is very important that a parent or legal guardian attend the first session with their teen as both will meet with the counselor. The length of the first session will be utilized so that the parent/guardian is able to offer insight into the situation and the goals for counseling and so that your counselor can meet with the teen to learn about their goals, feelings and perspective - depending on the specific needs this could involve individual conversation with each party and other times could be a joint conversation all together.
At the end of this first session, we will discuss an appropriate plan for ongoing therapy. Oftentimes, this will involve weekly sessions for the first 8 - 12 weeks (but could be more or less often as needed) and then over time, we will recommend adjustments to the plan based on the teen’s progress and mental health. Typically this involves tapering off to biweekly and then monthly sessions.
Throughout the counseling journey, we will work alongside all custodial parties on addressing your teen’s needs to best support them in this season and in their long term development. At times, we will provide updates and recommendations through quick meetings with guardians at the end of session or through short phone calls after sessions. Other times, it may be recommended that parents participate in sessions with their teens.
Ultimately, no two therapy journeys are identical - rather we will tailor the experience to prioritize the health of your child, their needs and their progress.
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The rate for a standard 45 minute teen counseling session is $150.
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While True Hope Christian Counseling is an out of network provider with insurance, we are happy to provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
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Yes - In addition to in-person sessions at our Colleyville office, we offer both virtual and in-home appointments.
Virtual appointments are available at the standard 45 minute session rate and our telehealth platforms are chosen intentionally for your security and confidentiality.
The cost of in home appointments will vary depending on travel time, length of session, etc. Contact us to inquire about a quote for your in home session.
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Schedule an appointment.
We offer teen counseling for adolescents in Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville, Roanoke, Keller, and the greater Tarrant County.
