Adolescent & Teen Counselling Calgary
Takeaway: Adolescence and young adulthood can present many challenges for teens. From relationships to mental illness, health issues, and more, your teen may benefit from some extra support. Counselling for teenagers in Calgary can teach them the skills they need to thrive.
Teens do not come with an instruction manual. Even with all of the information available in self-help books and the plethora of child psychology websites and parenting advice on the internet, navigating the challenges and struggles our teens face can be overwhelming, both for them and for us.
Recognizing your teen is suffering, is having challenges with friendships, is struggle with anger management, having panic attacks, has low self-esteem, and is in need of guidance and resources is the first step to reaching out to a private practice therapist and professional supports to give them the tools to build healthy relationships with themselves and others.
Not one of these things means you are a terrible parent or you have failed your child in the teenage years. Seeking out teenage counselling when you feel uncertain how to help or engage is the most nurturing and loving thing you can do as parents.
Our Calgary team of registered psychologists and counsellors at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates loves helping teens. We will create a space for your young person to share their struggles, talk openly about difficult issues, explore their feelings, and navigate tough topics like suicide or self-harm with them. We will also help them develop strategies to focus on their own mental health and well-being, embark on a journey of self-discovery, and build confidence.
Reach out today to book your teenage counselling.
Our approach to counselling teenagers
Many teens long for acknowledgement and validation of their struggles. We don’t just love connecting with teens; we "get them." We understand the pressures and challenges teens experience and will allow your teen to feel heard, seen, and listened to.
If your teen struggles with sudden emotional outbursts, anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide ideation, low self-worth, or low confidence, we can help them gain greater control of themselves through a variety of emotional regulation techniques. The supportive environment our Calgary, Alberta, counsellors provide—in person or with online counselling sessions—will help to regain confidence and feel more in control.
Many parents are concerned that their teens aren’t developing the skills they will need to succeed later in life. For a troubled client, therapy can make the difference between continued struggles and future independence.
The skills, tools, and techniques we’ll teach your child, with evidence-based treatment (described below) will help them cope with both current and future stressors and identify negative thinking patterns, your teen will be better prepared to deal with life’s challenges with pride and optimism.
CBT
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an effective psychological treatment for teens that is focused on identifying and developing strategies to challenge irrational thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidence-based therapy that allows individuals to access negative emotions and process trauma to create space for emotional healing to occur.
Strength-based, goal-oriented approach
Our counsellors will encourage your teen’s passions. As your teen learns to accept themselves, their emotions, and their situation, they regain an interest in the social and other activities they used to enjoy. We will set bite-sized, short-term, focused, and targeted goals for them specifically and provide them with therapy services with tangible, practical strategies and tools to implement into their everyday lives at school, sports, and with family.
Cultivating an environment—in person or online counselling - where clients can have an opportunity to explore difficult circumstances and challenging emotions and to establish strategies to process and manage their own feelings and behaviours will create resiliency and adaptability that will serve them throughout their lives.
Connect with us to see if we are a good match for your teen.
Who are our youth counselling services for?
Like many parents, you may not know how to help your teen make the often-difficult transition into adulthood, making you feel confused, frustrated, or hopeless.
When your young person is struggling with challenges and displaying concerning behaviours, seeking treatment early can be key to helping them be the healthiest they can be. When they learn how to effectively navigate difficulties and develop techniques to manage stress, anger management, anxiety, panic attacks, and other big emotions, those strategies can serve them for a lifetime.
Here are a few indicators your teen may need the expertise of a psychologist: But, of course, you know your adolescent best; trust your instincts. If you are concerned about signs of anxiety, depression, anger management, addiction, trauma, and overall well-being, our team of psychologists at Shelly Qualtieri & Associates will help explore whatever may be bothering them and guide them to build skills to improve their resilience.
Prolonged Sadness
If your child has been unusually sad for more than two weeks, they may be trying to navigate a difficult situation.
Difficulty Focusing
Trouble focusing, at school or elsewhere in life, might mean something else in life is occupying your child’s mind.
Dropping Grades
If your child has been neglecting their academic and extracurricular activities, there may be something wrong.
Changes in diet and body image
A change in diet, whether that means binge eating, purging, or undereating, could be indicative of something deeper.
Sleep Problems
Children may experience trouble falling asleep, such as insomnia, because of psychological distress.
Physical Signs
Stomachaches, headaches, nausea, and rashes are some examples of mental health issues manifesting physically.
Unusual Anger
If your child is experiencing unusual anger outbursts and tantrums, they may be struggling with a deeper issue.
Emotion regulation
Teens can develop coping skills and methods to effectively regulate their moods by becoming more self-aware and resilient in the face of emotional difficulties.
Loss of interests
A loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, such as hobbies or sports, may be a sign the teen years are creating anxiety, depression, or other issues for your young person.
Friendship challenges
Teens can develop effective communication skills, learn to set healthy boundaries, and navigate the complexities of friendships, which can improve their relationships with peers.
Young people can be defined as those up to and including the age of 24. A thorough literature review by the United Nations led to the definition of "Adolescents" as individuals ages 10–19 and "Youth" ages 15–24.
Contact our office to book your complimentary consultation.
Benefits of counselling for teens
Through counselling, teens can develop a greater sense of self-awareness, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities, empowering them to navigate the complexities of adolescence with greater ease and confidence.
Improvements with Stress, Anxiety and Depression
Stress, anxiety, and depression are the most common health issues that youth will experience. Counselling can assist adolescents in developing coping strategies and address these issues resulting in improved family connection and allowing your teenager to engage in their extracurricular activities like before. Sometimes our teens may also require ptsd counselling for a trauma event they have experienced.
Enhance self-awareness
Counselling provides a safe environment to examine thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, resulting in increased self-awareness and self-understanding.
Build self-esteem and self-confidence
Self-esteem and self-worth are the fuel for our lives. Children learn these skills through healthy role modelling, emotional support, praise, and protection. When teenagers lack these qualities, they typically experience some kind of distress. These attributes are the cornerstones of providing emotional security and are especially important during the transition to adulthood.
Improve communication skills, peer pressure, and eating disorders.
Teens can acquire effective communication skills through counselling, which can improve their connections with family and friends, reduce conflict, and enhance their overall well-being.
Peer pressure and eating disorders play a huge role in the problems adolescents face. Peer pressure is one of the biggest challenges; the pressure can be intense in some cases, leading to severe problems like eating disorders.
Increased resilience
Counselling can assist adolescents in developing resilience and the capacity to recover from setbacks, adapt to change, and surmount obstacles.
By addressing issues such as anxiety or stress that may be affecting their academic performance, counselling can help improve their academic outcomes and help them realize their maximum potential.
Sex Education, Healthy Living and coping skills
It’s important that teenagers know about safe sex, how to live healthily, and how to deal with the many emotions they encounter every day. All of these aspects are essential to growing up and can be a deciding factor in whether a teenager’s friendships and lifestyle are positive or negative.
Learning Disabilities, Learning Differences and Social Skills
Learning disabilities, learning differences, and social skills are very broad topics. On a continuum, there are specific learning disabilities that range in severity from mild to severe. Social skill development may be impacted at home, school, church, or in the community. Learning differences may severely impact a student’s ability to learn in a traditional classroom environment.
We are here to help, learn more.
FAQs about working with a Calgary therapist for teens
What is teen counselling?
Does my teen need counselling?
How can I get my teen to attend counselling services?
Should I be looking for family counselling or teenage counselling?
Does my teen need a therapist or a psychologist for teens?
What will my teen learn from working with a therapist for teens?
Support your teen’s mental health by connecting them with a young adult therapist today
When youth are experiencing anxiety, emotional or behavioural problems, stress, depression; any obstacle that is impairing their ability to function, develop, and be happy, therapy can be an amazing tool for growth and emotional healing.
You may hear your loved one comment about having high expectations of themselves, things being too much to deal with, or not knowing "who" to be. They may also make comments about being caught up in their own thoughts all.the.time and feeling exhausted!
Alternately, your teen may be distant, spending more time on their own than they do with others, feeling helpless, or shutting you out by either ignoring you or lashing out emotionally.
It isn't uncommon for adolescents to need help dealing with relationships, emotions, family problems, academic concerns, and/or social stress. These demands can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety in social situations, difficulty regulating emotions, and inappropriate coping skills (ex: cutting or self-harm).
As a parent, this can be scary to witness, and as a teen, it can be completely overwhelming. At Shelly Qualtieri & Associates, we provide therapy for teens with great understanding of the behaviour changes that occur during this stage of development.
Supporting your teen's mental wellness is crucial for their overall well-being and success. Adolescence is a time of significant growth and development, both physically and emotionally, and it can be a challenging time for many young people. We can help and support you and your teen. We will provide you with practical, bite-sized strategies to implement in your daily life.
Schedule a free consultation to get started.
