Many adolescents experience difficulty managing emotions and behavior at some point.   Adolescents face many challenges today that can often lead to feeling overwhelmed and confused. They are facing emotional and physical changes along with a growing desire to gain independence from their parents, which can be stressful for the entire family unit.  Teens are navigating their way through stressors such as academic pressure, extracurricular activities, break ups, bullying, & peer pressure. Middle school, high school, and college students are now faced with additional stress related to social media.

Ann Mac typically uses cognitive behavioral therapy and family systems theory when working with teens and their families. Ann Mac also incorporates mindfulness and relaxation techniques into therapy if desired, especially for teens that are stressed out and overwhelmed. Sometimes teens do not have the needed coping skills to deal with pressures they are faced with; talking to someone who is not a parent or a friend can be beneficial. Ann Mac works with teens on:

• Anxiety/Worry/Stress
•  Academic stress, perfectionism
• Coping Skills
• Communication (learning to be assertive not aggressive, setting boundaries, dealing with peer pressure)
• Concentration issues, procrastination, ADHD
• Depression
• Decision Making
• Grief/loss
•  Increased awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviors
• Identity Confusion
• Relationship Conflict (parent/child, sibling rivalry, break ups, bullying, struggles with friends)
• Self Esteem
• Trauma recovery