Anxiety Therapy

Is Your Child Or Teenager Struggling With Anxiety?

Have you noticed changes in their behavior lately?

Do they seem nervous, withdrawn, and unable to connect with others?

Are they characterized by catastrophic thinking, always sweating the small stuff and worried about the worst-case scenario?

Maybe your adolescent has been suffering from social anxiety—they’ve become reclusive and spend all their time hidden away in their room. Perhaps they’re unable to sleep, tossing and turning at night because they’re always fretting about tomorrow. They might have trouble focusing, keeping up in school, and regulating impulsive behavior. For the first time, you may find yourself considering an anxiety therapist for them.

Your Adolescent May Be Overly Worried About The Future

They probably face a lot of pressure to be popular, get good grades, and know what they want to do with their future. As a result, they may worry that they’ll never be good enough. This fear could lead to perfectionism and cause them to berate themselves over inconsequential concerns. They might ruminate over every detail of every interaction and struggle to feel content with their accomplishments. The alarm bells of anxiety are always ringing in their head.

If you’re at a loss to help your adolescent regulate their anxiety, we encourage you to connect with one of our therapists. Here at Equity Associates, we specialize in treating childhood and teenage anxiety and we are confident that our group therapy programs can help your adolescent kick anxiety to the curb.

Adolescent Anxiety Is Often The Result Of High Expectations And Pressure To Succeed

After all, today’s youth live in a culture of achievement. The world of standardized testing puts intense pressure on them to succeed academically and get into the best colleges. Then there’s social media, which plays a significant role in shaping the self-esteem of children and teens. It creates a comparison culture where they’re exposed to everyone else’s highlight reels and worry that they don’t “measure up.”

Additionally, today’s youth are growing up in a scary and threatening world. They live in fear of school shootings and terrorist attacks, making normal public spaces a source of anxiety. It’s no wonder over 30 percent of adolescents suffer from an anxiety disorder.*

Many Kids Think Anxiety Is Unique To Them And Don’t Realize There’s A Way Out

They often feel alone in their struggles and internalize their anxiety, as if it’s their fault. Although there are lots of options that can help, many adolescents feel like their only choice is to live in panic mode. Whether they avoid getting therapy because they’re afraid of stigma or the desire to solve problems on their own, they inadvertently let anxiety control their choices.

Therapy is a chance for kids and teens to realize that they are not alone in their struggles and that many other people feel just like they do. Through both individual and group therapy, they can learn to understand their anxiety, manage their symptoms, and get back in the driver’s seat of their lives.

Anxiety Therapy Can Help Adolescents Feel In Charge And At Peace

Let’s be honest: your child’s struggles with anxiety are probably making you anxious, too. You might lose sleep trying to figure out how to help them. Thankfully, you don’t have to any longer. Here at Equity Associates, we’ll give your child the opportunity to explore their anxiety, locate the source of their fears, and develop strategies to reduce their symptoms.

Our clinicians have both personal and professional experience tackling anxiety. We get it! That’s why we’ll offer a sense of empathy while providing your child with quality, evidence-based treatment. Along the way, we’ll make sure you’re an integral part of the healing process and give you the tools to help your child manage their stressors in everyday life.

What To Expect In Anxiety Counseling Sessions

We accommodate our approach to meet the needs of each child and teen. That said, we believe that the most powerful intervention for most adolescents is group therapy. Young people find so much hope and validation in knowing that they’re not the only ones struggling. Being in one of our counseling groups with other kids and teens can help them work through anxiety with people who share many of the same challenges.

In addition to individual and group counseling, we provide integrated, school-based mental health care for children. We combine mental health services with the educational system, collaborating with psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, and other professionals. Bringing mental health services into the school setting allows children to receive timely and appropriate care throughout the school day.

Tailoring Your Adolescent’s Treatment Plan

Our therapists are trained in a wide range of evidence-based approaches. We use acceptance and genuine positive regard to build adolescents’ willingness to try new skills and practice them consistently. We draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help kids understand how catastrophic thinking creates anxiety and form a healthier outlook on their situation. And we use a lot of Narrative Therapy techniques to help them externalize their story, see it from a clearer perspective, and accept it as their truth.

Please be assured that no matter how much your adolescent is struggling right now, there is always hope. Living in panic mode doesn’t have to be their only option—a life free from incessant worry and catastrophizing is possible. With our help and support, your child can learn to flip the switch on anxiety and get control of their life again.

You May Have Some Concerns About Anxiety Therapy…

My child is afraid that you’ll tell them to change.

We aren’t going to try and change who they are. We’re simply here to help your child develop skills and create new opportunities for themselves. We fully accept and value each adolescent for who they are and seek to work with them on their own level. The goal is not for them to become someone else, but for them to gain a clearer perspective on their life and utilize the strengths they already have.

My child doesn’t want to talk about their problems.

There is no pressure for your child to open up right away. After all, we’re here to follow their lead. Our sessions provide a space where they can be genuinely seen, understood, and accepted regardless of how much or how little they want to share. What’s more, our approach is very directive and focused on coaching and teaching. Most sessions will be spent learning new techniques and practicing new skills, not psychoanalyzing complex problems.

My child tried counseling before and it didn’t work.

Oftentimes, when young people say they’ve tried counseling before, they only attended a couple of sessions. We ask that your child commit to at least eight weeks of individual or group therapy with a goal that we’ll help them develop and monitor. We have very positive results with adolescents who work through our eight-week counseling programs.

Your Adolescent Doesn’t Have To Live In Panic Mode Anymore

A healthier, happier life awaits them with Equity Associates counseling. To begin treatment and learn more about how we can help with childhood and teenage anxiety, you can use the contact form or call us at 866-633-4288 to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation.