PREPARATION…
In order to make the most of the first session, I have provided you with the Client Paperwork. I have found that there is a lot of anxiety surrounding the first session. Sometimes it helps to read through the Client Paperwork at your leisure, so that you are fully aware of what you are signing and can take your time to think through the questions and answer them. If you are filling out the paperwork for an adolescent, please review it with them and have them sign the paperwork as well.
WEEKLY SESSIONS FOR ADOLESCENTS…
These are the building blocks of therapy. It is here that the most important therapeutic intervention is established: the client-therapist relationship. According to research, this is what makes therapy work. In the first session, I will review the Client Paperwork you prepared, ask about the current problems, inquire about what you and your teen hope to change as a result of therapy, and review the delicacy of confidentiality as it relates to working with a teen.
I prefer to meet with the teen alone for most of the session in order to understand the issues from their perspective. In the second session, we will discuss diagnosis (if needed) and collaborate on a plan for treatment. The remainder of the sessions will be focused on helping your teen to progress towards the goals they established by weaving in strategies that will assist them to effectively manage the struggles they encounter during the week.
LENGTH OF THERAPY…
Each session is approximately 50 minutes long. At the beginning of each session I will ask your child to complete a quick assessment that will let me know their evaluation of the past week. At the end of the session, I will ask them to evaluate how helpful our session was for them. Their feedback is valuable to me and will help me to know if I am helping, or if I need to change what I am doing to accommodate their particular needs.
When therapy is finished, it is my hope that your child is comfortable with who they are and can say, “I can do this on my own!” Each person is unique and brings their own set of tools to therapy, which is why the length of therapy is different for everyone. When your child has reached their goals for treatment and can manage their struggles successfully, graduation from therapy is the next step. On average, a child is ready to graduate from therapy between 6 months to a year. While graduation marks the end of the therapeutic relationship, you are welcome to return to therapy, if needed, or schedule one session as a “check-in”.