Adolescents who identify as any of the more than 100 gender identities or the more than 100 sexual orientations often feel lonely and marginalized. When they are seeking help for addiction or mental health issues, they are looking to you […]
Continue ReadingWhen looking for ways to connect with adolescent clients, the complementary music therapy of drumming can be powerful. Although some teens may be skeptical at first, those who have participated have reported positive results, including improved self-expression. Drum circles and […]
Continue ReadingWhen your child has a mental health disorder, psychiatric medications can be life-changing. These medications can offer stability, normalcy, and the ability to function on a daily basis to those who would otherwise be debilitated by the symptoms of their […]
Continue ReadingWhen it comes to experiential therapies, surf therapy can be very appealing to adolescent clients. The appeal is helpful, but surf therapy itself actually has many benefits in the treatment of both substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health disorders. […]
Continue ReadingReaching adolescents with substance use disorders and mental health issues can be challenging. The use of drama therapycan be a powerful way to help clients build self-esteem while accessing emotions and processing their trauma and related issues. Teens can develop […]
Continue ReadingUsing outdoor therapy can make a difference in reaching teens. For some, being active and pushed physically helps them open up emotionally. Others connect with nature and have emotional or spiritual breakthroughs because of being in a different environment. Still […]
Continue ReadingStaying busy is an important component of preventing relapse. Yet during the summer, adolescents have plenty of free time and often less supervision than during the school year. How do you support your teen in staying sober while they have […]
Continue ReadingOutdoor and adventure therapies combine the interest of being outdoors and the added benefits of having fun and risk-taking that appeal to many adolescents with substance use and mental health disorders. Being in nature also provides an optimal therapeutic background, […]
Continue ReadingYour teen may have unresolved trauma from as far back as their childhood, whether you knew about their experiences or not. Unresolved trauma can not only become “stuck” and develop Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but also lead to substance use […]
Continue ReadingYou are the heroes of mental healthcare. You see it all – teens at their lowest, their highest, and those who want to die at their own hands. You chose this field because of the compassion you have for teens […]
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