Therapy

Let’s face it – many children and teenagers don’t like therapy or counseling.

It’s boring. It’s uncomfortable. They’re not sure how it’s supposed to work. They are asked questions about feelings they don’t recognize having, and asked about their progress on goals they never signed on for. No wonder they don’t feel listened to.

I approach kids differently. I don’t bombard them with a lot of questions and I don’t try to “get” them to talk with me—an undertaking I find as insulting to us both as it is unproductive. Instead, I introduce a variety of topics and see which ones evolve into conversations that can heal, animate, encourage, stimulate, or inspire. I’m happy to answer questions, offer opinions, and say what I think is going on without ever trying to muscle any points across. I work quickly, but never rush.

I have spent my career thinking about how to provide services to kids and teenagers and young adults that they actually value and respect, and therefore want to participate in. This eliminates the miserable and undignified tug-of-war and other power struggles that a lot of therapists endure when working with this population. It really doesn’t have to be that way.