8 Helpful Types of Therapy for Teenagers

In recent years, a major effort has raised awareness of mental health. It aims to reduce the stigma of seeking help. Research shows that 49.5% of U.S. teens will have a mental health issue at some point. 

The teen years are a rollercoaster of emotions. Social pressures, self-esteem issues, and stress from school and family fuel this. A 2021 CDC survey found that 42% of high school students feel hopeless or sad. Almost one-third (29%) have poor mental health. 

Individual therapy can be a lifeline for teens. It helps them manage issues like depression, anxiety, and peer pressure. Therapy offers relief by giving teens a safe space, healthy coping skills, and someone to talk to.

The best therapy for teens depends on their needs. So, it's key to know how different methods can help. Read on to learn effective therapy techniques for teens. They can help you find the right help for your teenager. 

1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Teens can face overwhelming stress from school, parents, and peers. Big life changes add to it. It's hard to navigate all this, especially when managing things independently. How they react to stress is a big piece of the mental health equation. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is great for teens. It helps them spot and change negative thoughts and behaviors. This way, they can learn healthy ways to react. CBT helps teens manage tough times by identifying how issues affect them. They learn to spot how unhealthy behaviors harm their lives. Then, they explore coping tools to change those patterns. 

CBT treats common teen problems, such as depression and anxiety. It's effective, and it doesn't stop there. It can also give teens:

• Better coping skills

• The ability to manage stress.

• Increased self-esteem

  
  

Throughout the CBT experience, therapists use several methods. Therapists might use any one of these techniques:

• Role-play

• Relaxation and stress relief techniques

• Journaling

• Cognitive reframing

• Guided discovery 

• Exposure therapy

• Gratitude acknowledgment

• Visualization

• Writing

2. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be a powerful teen therapy. It helps those with intense or extreme emotions. DBT offers tools to manage stress and emotions. They can improve relationships.

It can help teens manage stress from new, confusing feelings. It helps teens make healthy choices. It also helps them build positive relationships and avoid acting on impulse. DBT combines techniques used in cognitive-behavioral therapy with mindfulness practices. A key part of DBT is learning skills. Teens can practice new ways of thinking and behaving.

Standard teen therapy techniques often used during DBT sessions include:

• Practicing mindfulness

• Exploring interpersonal effectiveness

• Learning to identify, manage, and tolerate stressors

• Focusing on emotion regulation

3. Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)

Interpersonal therapy (IPT) can be a game changer when it comes to helping teenagers. This type of therapy aims to improve relationships and social skills. These are often at the heart of teen struggles. IPT can treat depression and anxiety with great success. Research shows these peak during the teenage years.

IPT holds that positive, healthy interactions boost mental health. This therapy helps teens see how relationships affect their lives. It teaches them to communicate their feelings in a clear and impactful manner. IPT can relieve symptoms by improving teens' relationships. It can thus address current issues, not past problems.

IPT-trained therapists create a supportive space for teens to explore a range of issues, including:

• Relationship conflicts

• Life changes

• Grief

• Challenges in either starting or maintaining healthy relationships

  
  

Some common techniques used in IPT include:

• Role-playing

• Guided imagery or re-scripting

• Mindfulness and attention regulation

• Body-focused work like grounding or deep breathing techniques

• Attention restructuring

  
  

4. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) helps teens accept the challenges they will face. Rather than using avoidance, ACT encourages teenagers to embrace their emotions and feelings. It's a unique therapy. It teaches teens to live with discomfort and work through pain to achieve their goals.

ACT's main goal isn't to reduce symptoms. It's to promote well-being and flexibility. ACT uses mindfulness to help teens cope with stress and harmful thoughts.

Therapists use several different techniques during ACT sessions, including:

• Emotion exposure

• Meditation

• Metaphors

• Experiential exercises

5. Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is an excellent option for teens dealing with fears or phobias. This specific type of therapy helps teenagers learn to face their fears in a safe and controlled environment. Exposure therapy aims to reduce or eliminate the fear response gradually. By exposing teenagers to what they fear most in a safe and trusting environment, they can learn to cope better, overcome their fears, and live more freely.

Research has shown that exposure therapy can be a helpful treatment option, particularly when combined with other therapeutic modalities. It can effectively treat a variety of things, from phobias to social anxiety disorder to panic disorder to generalized anxiety disorder, and more.

Several techniques and strategies are used during exposure therapy, including:

• Imaginal exposure

• In vivo exposure

• Interoceptive exposure

• Virtual reality (VR) exposure

6. Family Therapy

This therapy brings immediate family members together in a safe, neutral place. There, they can openly discuss concerns and issues and express their feelings. Therapists are key in this type of therapy. They guide sessions and help families understand each other to cope with conflict.

Involving parents, siblings, and other family in therapy aids healing. This is vital for teens with sensitive issues. They include abusive relationships, addiction, self-harm, and disordered eating. Also, they include serious mental health issues that affect families.

Therapists can choose from various family therapy and counseling techniques.

Some popular and effective methods include:

• Role-play

• Mindfulness

• Genograms (visual mapping of family dynamics and history)

• Play therapy

• Reframing and restructuring

• Homework

  
  

7. Play or Art Therapy

It’s not uncommon for teenagers to find it difficult to put their feelings into words. It can be tricky to express themselves. They are trying to navigate newfound emotions. They're often experiencing these feelings for the first time and don't understand them. Play or art therapy gives teens a way to express their feelings. It offers a unique look into what they might be facing.

Art and play therapy use creative methods, like drawing and painting. They help teens express their struggles, even if they cannot articulate them verbally. It encourages exploring experiences in a safe space. It avoids the stress of recounting traumatic incidents.

Art therapy techniques for teens might include:

• Drawing

• Making collages

• Coloring

• Painting

• Sculpting or photography

Popular play therapy techniques are:

• Emotions ball play therapy

• Feelings charades

• Storytelling

• Role-play

8. Virtual Tele-therapy

Online therapy offers teens a safe, convenient way to get help from anywhere. Teen counseling is easy to access and flexible. This makes scheduling convenient, which is crucial in teens' busy lives.

Research shows that online therapy is as effective as, or more than, in-person methods. It offers a stress-free, productive space for teens. They can build trust with their therapists and get support when needed from the comfort of their own home. 

Therapists can use any techniques from traditional therapy in online therapy. At DGCW, teens get online therapy at home, using a method they prefer. No matter their preference, there's a therapy that works. It can be via live video, text, or audio.

The teenage years can be taxing for both teenagers and their families. Different types of therapy for teens can be crucial in guiding you through the often tumultuous journey. The path to understanding your teenager might start by getting professional help. Reach out today to learn more about how Downers Grove Counseling and Wellness (DGCW) can help your family.

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Note: All Downers Grove Counseling and Wellness therapists also offer convenient online scheduling.