Depression Therapy

Does Your Adolescent Seem Like They’re Just Not Themselves Lately?

Are they moody, withdrawn, and reluctant to talk to you?

Have they been falling behind in school and neglecting their hobbies and passions?

Do they have trouble getting out of bed and finding the mental energy to face the day?

Maybe you know something out of the norm is happening, but your adolescent won’t tell you what it is. When you try to talk to them, they might shut down or get upset at you. As a result, you may find yourself considering a therapist who treats childhood and teenage depression.

Depression Often Goes Hand In Hand With Isolation

Perhaps your adolescent hides in their hoodie, stays in their room, and keeps their earbuds in at all times. They might spend unhealthy amounts of time on social media and neglect their friends and family. Their grades may suffer, and they might even skip school. Depression can also lead to changes in their sleep schedule, eating habits, and weight.

If isolation is the catalyst for depression, then relationships are the antidote. A therapeutic relationship gives your child an opportunity to learn new coping skills and get the emotional support they need. Here at Equity Associates, our therapists can help your adolescent improve their mood, manage their depression symptoms, and grow into the best version of themselves.

Depression Is Very Common During Adolescence

In fact, depression rates among children and teenagers keep increasing—about 15 percent of youth in the US now suffer from depression.* And childhood depression often lasts into adulthood if it isn’t treated.

In many ways, the stressful environment that kids grow up in today is a breeding ground for depression. Adolescents face pressure to excel in academics, get perfect grades, and secure a place in top-tier universities. When they don’t live up to these expectations, they often spiral down and struggle with low self-esteem.

Additionally, today’s youth have to wrestle with all the complications of social media. They feel pressured to maintain a perfect online image and have more followers and better content than anyone else. Many of them also face cyberbullying and online harassment.

Add on the daily struggles of family conflict and dysfunction, and it’s no wonder so many children today suffer from depression. Therapy gives them a chance to let go of all the external pressures in their lives and feel seen, heard, and appreciated for who they are.

Depression Therapy Can Help Adolescents Cultivate Hope For The Future

Many adolescents don’t realize that their symptoms are connected to depression. What’s more, depressed teens are often misdiagnosed with ADHD and other mental health issues. It takes a skilled mental health professional to identify the root of an adolescent’s struggles and help them learn the right coping strategies. At Equity Associates, our therapists have lots of experience empowering young people to overcome their mental health challenges.

Our practice provides both individual and group therapy for kids and teens dealing with depression. We find that group therapy is incredibly powerful for adolescents, as it allows them to see that they’re not alone and other people are struggling just like they are. Whether your child chooses individual or group counseling, we’re confident that we can help your adolescent break the hold that depression has on their life.

What To Expect In Depression Therapy Sessions

In sessions with your adolescent, we’ll help them identify specific goals and come up with a plan to achieve them. We’ll give them practical steps for managing their depression, building resilience, and developing a sense of purpose and direction. The goal is to help your teen take an active role in their treatment and create a positive and hopeful vision of the future.

Cultivating hope is essential for treating teens with depression, since it gives them the motivation to overcome their challenges. One of the best ways to cultivate hope is to help teens explore their career interests and connect them with relevant resources and opportunities. Encouraging teens to pursue their passions and explore their creativity can also help them develop a more positive outlook on life and find meaning and purpose.

Tailoring Your Teen’s Treatment Plan

Through a narrative approach to therapy, your adolescent will learn to reframe their experiences in a positive light and see themselves as the author of their own story. This can motivate them to take control of their lives and increase their independence. We also draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to treat depression. CBT focuses on helping teens challenge negative beliefs (such as “I’m not good enough”) and achieve a healthier perspective.

Additionally, our practice offers school-based mental health care, collaborating with social workers, school counselors, and other professionals in the education system. By partnering with your child’s school, we can give them mental health support throughout the school day.

As teens learn to manage depression, they usually find that every area of their life—including their relationship with their parents—benefits as a result. Our hope is that your teen will experience the healing they need to improve their mood, boost their confidence, and deepen their connection with you.

You May Have Some Concerns About Depression Therapy…

My teen doesn’t want to talk to a counselor.

Most teens are used to adults who talk down to them or tell them what to do. They’re usually surprised to find out a therapist does the opposite. At Equity Associates, we aim to create a safe and empowering space where teens feel supported unconditionally and allowed to be themselves unreservedly. What’s more, we often embed art therapy into counseling to help teens create a visual representation of their depression, enabling them to externalize their struggles and gain new insights. In this way, therapy for adolescents can be fun.

My teen is worried that their counselor will just tell them to stop being sad.

Depression is not something you can turn on and off like a light switch. Our therapists will encourage your child to process their feelings instead of shoving them away. They’re allowed to be sad here and show the full range of their emotions without any fear of judgment.

My teen doesn’t think therapy will actually work.

The hallmark of depression is hopelessness. So it’s normal for your teenager to think that therapy won’t help if they’re depressed. They may have even tried therapy before—to no avail. The good news is that we have many different therapists who draw from a wide range of approaches to treat depression. We’ll create a treatment plan that’s uniquely suited to your teen’s situation and help them find solutions that work for them.

Your Adolescent Deserves To Feel Seen, Heard, And Appreciated

Therapy can help them realize their self-worth and tap into their true potential. If you’re looking for someone who provides counseling for childhood teenage depression, we would be honored to work with you. To get started, use the contact form  or call 866-633-4288 to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation.