Adolescent Therapy
For the most part, adolescent struggles can be seen through the lens of self-identity issues and transitioning away from their parents and relying more on their friends and classmates. This transition to more independence and the increased responsibility and diminished parent safety-net this transition comes with can be daunting. Therapy helps the adolescent gain insight into their motivations, increases their self-esteem, and gives them someone safe to bounce ideas off of. It’s a safe, judgement free place where teens can figure out who they are, what is important to them, and who they want to become.
Most of the defiance and other behaviors parents receive from their teen can be traced back to the fact your teen does not feel that they are being listened to and their perspective is being considered.
These adolescent issues go hand in hand. The need for greater autonomy from mom and dad means they also feel their perspective and point of view needs to be heard. They are getting more freedom (which also means more responsibility) so they feel they need to be listened to more.
Both of these concepts are sliding scales. Your 14 year old has a different curfew then your 16 year old who has a different curfew than your 18 year old. Thus, the older they get the more they feel they need to be heard and part of the conversation. If they are not included, they feel like they are being treated like a child much younger than them. Among other things, this creates resentment, frustration, and anger. These feelings eventually come out as behaviors the parents do not like.