Adolescence is a difficult time. Teens undergo significant physical, social, and emotional changes, making it hard to identify the difference between normal teenage moodiness and mental health and substance abuse disorders. When teens are progressing through puberty, emotional irregularities are common. However, if you find yourself asking whether family therapy for teens is a good idea, it can indicate that your child is struggling.

Teens can have problems expressing their emotional problems with their parents, which makes it important to identify symptoms of behavioral issues. If your teen is resistant to discussing their problems with you, family therapy to reach your teens can help improve your relationship. If you believe family therapy can help your teen, contact our adolescent treatment center today.

Common Problems Among Teens

Teens are still maturing, which can create significant conflict in families. Since the human brain does not fully develop until the mid-to-late 20s, teens have more difficulty making rational decisions. Additionally, teens who struggle with symptoms of mental health disorders can feel isolated, alone, and anxious. Anxiety can make it hard for your teen to express their symptoms with you, even if you are open, accepting, and supportive.

While preferences and hobbies usually change during high school, drastic alterations in your teen’s social circle, such as hanging out with teens who use drugs and alcohol, are not normal. Teens can turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with symptoms related to mental illness, which can exacerbate symptoms.
Teens who have anxiety disorders can be more likely to cave to peer pressure, as social phobias can make it hard to experience rejection from peers.

Mental health symptoms can occur at any age. However, most adults who have a mental health disorder begin experiencing symptoms in their teens. Symptoms that your teen may have mental health or substance abuse problems can include:

• Demonstrating self-esteem issues, such as making negative comments about their appearance
• Losing interest in activities or hobbies
• Crying excessively
• Sleep problems
• Experiencing angry outbursts
• Self-harm behavior, such as cutting

If your teen experienced a traumatizing event or a major life change, it could cause negative and overwhelming emotions that require treatment.

Family Therapy to Reach Your Teens

Family therapy to reach your teens can help resolve familial conflicts and ensure that your teen has a safe place to express their thoughts and feelings. When you use family therapy to reach your teens, it is important to be honest during treatment sessions. A therapist uses evidence-based and holistic therapies to engage all family members, which focuses on improving communication and understanding.

Another time family therapy to reach your teens is a good idea is if your family recently experienced a divorce or significant loss. Losing a loved one during the teenage years can make it difficult to cope. During therapy, you and your teen can build a stronger relationship by learning how to treat each other with respect while improving your communication. Family therapy also helps family members construct healthy boundaries. If your teen has severe behavioral problems, family therapy to reach your teens can include creating a list of rules and agreeing on consequences if rules are violated.

Family therapy also provides your teen with a way to connect to siblings. Overall, family therapy to reach your teens is an effective way to address your relationship with your teen and to understand their struggles better.

Find Family Therapy Today at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery

Family therapy is a critical tool that we use at Foothills at Red Oak Recovery. We provide this treatment in an effort to help our clients understand how their actions have hurt their loved ones and allow them to rebuild their relationships. However, we believe that it is critical to combine family therapy with other therapeutic modalities. Doing so helps our clients to understand the cause of their addiction and begin the recovery process as they build healthy coping mechanisms. For instance, we offer a variety of evidence-based and experiential treatments, which we tailor to the needs of our clients, such as:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Equine-assisted therapy
• Exercise therapy
• Experiential therapy

With the combination of family therapy and other treatment options, it is possible for our clients to enter long-term recovery. They can then grow and thrive outside of our adolescent treatment program for teenage boys.

Teens can struggle with stress, anxiety, and body image, which can strain relationships between teens and parents. If you are wondering whether family therapy to reach your teens is a good idea, it likely means that your teen or other family members are struggling with emotional and behavioral problems. To find out more about our family therapy programs, contact Foothills at Red Oak today at 866.300.5275.