Working with Young People
My Approach
How Therapy Can Help Young People
I am professionally qualified in working with young people and teens aged 11 to 18 years old and hold an additional qualification in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy with the Association for Psychological Therapies (APT). Talking therapy can help to make sense of thoughts, feelings and behaviours and I offer a safe space for you to work through things you're struggling with, and learn coping skills to enable you to manage better.
Therapy can help with a specific mental health issue, but the truth is you don't need any 'diagnosis' or even a specific 'problem' to get value out of the sessions.
Sometimes all we need is it to talk to someone who listens without judgement and validates how we feel.
What do the different terms mean?
You might hear terms like counselling, therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behaviour therapy and psychotherapy, and that can feel quite confusing and scary. Put simply, these are all different types of 'talking therapy' that help young people understand their problems in different ways.
The type of support you might need will depend on:
• Why you're going to therapy
• How long you will need support for
• What type of therapy suits you best and is most likely to help you
Even though the names are different, all therapy approaches are about helping you feel better, cope better and find a way forward, no matter what you're dealing with.
How has therapy helped other young people you worked with?
Therapy helps everyone differently, this is because nobody is the same, and we all feel and experience life differently. No issue is too big or small, if it's something 'you' are finding hard then it's worth talking about it.
If talking to family or friends isn't something that you feel able to do or doesn't help, I can offer the support that might, for example helping you to understand your struggles, and find practical solutions like managing anxiety.
Here are a few of the things the young people that I have worked with said about how our sessions helped them:
- "It changed the way I see certain situations"
- "It made me think about other people in the picture"
- "It's ok to have counselling at a young age"
- "It helped me to communicate better and have more empathy for others"
- "It helped me to see that I matter, and I am worth something"
Amelia's Story
One of the young people I worked with was Amelia, this is her story of our time in therapy together in her own words.
"When I was at school I used to get a lot of anxiety, I would have panic attacks most mornings before going in and I found it really hard to cope with them. I used to be terrified to go to school and the feeling never seemed to go away. l would stay up late thinking about having to go in the next day and I wouldn't sleep properly because of the worry".
"My mum knew that I was struggling a lot, but I found it really hard to talk to her because I didn't want to worry her and thought she wouldn't understand. She helped me to talk to the GP and my school and they sent me for counselling".
"When I first met Tracey I was really nervous, I didn't know what to expect and I didn't say much. But the more I went the easier it was, she made me feel safe and we laughed a lot which really helped me to relax".
"I spoke to her about my anxiety and low moods and she listened to me which was really nice, I felt like she cared and got it".
"Counselling helped me to understand my anxiety and what was causing it, the things I learned help me to manage it better, it also helped me to start feeling ok to be myself and be proud of who I am".
What therapy approaches work well for young people?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy that helps you to understand the relationship between the way you think, feel and behave and how this can relate to negative feelings. CBT is a practical therapy approach, meaning that I provide tasks and activities for you to try and then share how you found them. The idea is to apply the skills learned in your sessions to your daily life to assist in dealing with different problems.
CBT is used to treat depression and anxiety primarily, but is also very effective in the treatment of the following mental health conditions:
- Panic attacks
- Phobias
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
CBT usually lasts between 6 and 12 sessions depending on what it is being used to treat
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
Similarly to CBT, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) looks at how our behaviour is linked to how we feel. The difference is that DBT is designed for those who feel emotions very intensely and struggle to manage and cope with them.
This can lead to impulsive or sometimes risky behaviour. DBT teaches adolescents 'emotional self-regulation', which in a nutshell means managing your emotions in a safe way using practical techniques.
I will work with you to help work through unhelpful behaviours, learn coping skills and guide you to making positive changes in your life.
DBT can be highly effective in helping with:
- Self-harm
- Suicidal feelings
- Depression
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Relationship with food
DBT usually lasts from between 6 and 12 sessions, depending on what it is being used to treat.
Information for young people looking to start therapy with me
What happens during therapy sessions?
In your first session I spend some time explaining what you can expect from your therapy sessions, like:
- how many sessions you might have
- how therapy might help you
- what to do if you miss a session
It's also an opportunity to ask any questions that you might have and get to know me, like:
- what type of therapy I use and how it can help
- a bit about my background and qualifications
- whether I'll tell anyone else what you tell me
What to expect from ongoing sessions
The length and frequency of our therapy sessions will depend on what's going on for you and what we decide is the right therapy approach to use. Our sessions will usually last around 50 minutes and generally happen weekly. You can see me for sessions in person or online depending on what works for you or what you prefer.
In our sessions, I might ask you about:
- past experiences
- family, friendships and other relationships
- what is difficult for you right now
- how you feel and how you react to things
All I ask is that you are honest with me, if you don't feel ready to share something with me, that's totally fine, we don't have to talk about anything that you don't feel ready to, its really important that we do things at your pace and there is no rush or pressure to talk about anything you don't feel comfortable with.
Will you tell anyone what I say?
What you say to me in a therapy session is private - it's just between you and me, therapy sessions are a confidential space where you can feel safe to explore your thoughts and feelings with no risk of worrying what others might think. However, there are times when I might have to share information with others if it means keeping you safe. For example, if I thought you or someone you talk to me about is in danger or at risk, I might need to inform someone like a teacher or emergency services. If I can I will always try to talk to you first and let you know that I need to do this beforehand so that you are aware.
I also see a supervisor who is trained to support me in my work and ensure that I am giving you the best possible help, but that is also confidential so I never use any names, that way you remain anonymous.
Difficult feelings during or after our sessions
Sometimes therapy sessions can bring up really hard emotions, this is normal and is a sign that you are working through something that is important. There isn't a 'right' way to feel, but I always want you to feel safe and supported and so it's important that we talk about it if you are finding anything difficult. I can help to support you and give you the tools to help you cope with how you feel about things that might come up.
If you feel that your sessions aren't working for you for whatever reason, you can talk this through with me and we can look at adjusting things to try and help.
Here are some common feelings that might come up and what you can do:
- Overwhelmed or drained: If it's all too much you can talk to me and we can look at taking a break if you need to, we can also look at ways that you can support yourself and be kind to yourself between sessions.
- Guilt or shame about going to therapy: Sometimes it can feel like your problem isn't important or that other people don't understand why you're going to therapy. It's important to remember that whatever you are dealing with that you deserve support. You can talk to me if this is something you are finding is bothering you.
- Scared of change: Sometimes the idea of making changes can feel scary. We all get comfortable with the way things are and feel, so the idea of things being different can be quite overwhelming. We can work through those worries and fears together, but just know that is all a normal part of the process.