5 Ways Parents Can Support Their Teen’s Therapy

My recent blog post, written for local mental health directory Portland Therapy Center, offers parents some suggestions for how to support their teenager’s therapy. The first paragraph is below, and the whole article can be read on Portland Therapy Center’s Blog.

Many parents struggle with knowing if, when, and how to recommend therapy to their teenager. While there’s ample advice on when to send kids to therapy, it’s not always easy for parents to know what to do once their child has begun treatment. In my experience, many parents think that the best thing they can do for their teenager in therapy is to distance themselves from the whole experience in the name of confidentiality. I often hear parents say, “this is all about them, and we don’t want to interfere in any way.” While a teen’s confidentiality in therapy is of utmost importance, parents also play a critical role in shaping the therapy process, and ultimately in determining the effectiveness of counseling. If you have a teenager who’s in therapy, adhering to some of these recommendations can help your child, and your family, get the most out of therapy.