With adolescents, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is typically used, as well as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) techniques for teens struggling with emotion regulation. CBT helps to identify and correct negative and inaccurate thinking patterns and unhelpful behaviours, which in turn helps to improve emotions.

With therapy for teens, strong emphasis is placed on helping develop skills and strategies that teens can use to manage whatever issue they are facing.

Important emphasis is also placed on developing rapport and a strong therapeutic alliance with our teen clients; it is essential that they feel comfortable and confident with their therapist to fully engage in the therapy process.

It is also essential that teens understand that psychotherapy is a collaborative process, as opposed to an adult telling them what to do.

Although teens are encouraged to involve their parents in the therapeutic process, we are also respectful when they wish to keep their information private. Generally speaking, we find that most teens want their parents involved in the first session to provide background information and to help explain their presenting issue(s). Similarly, most teens are agreeable to having their therapist provide brief updates to parents regarding their therapeutic progress.