Adolescent Psychotherapy

The main goal of adolescent psychotherapy is to help the young person to gain the skills needed to cope effectively with life’s stressors, manage difficult feelings and to provide a therapeutic space which allows them the freedom to explore their feelings without fear of being judged so that they can understand what they feel and make sense of their experiences. 

I use evidence-based models, expressive arts, mindfulness tools and psychoeducation to explore problems, and the young person’s relationship to their problems, without shaming or blaming in the process, and consequently help them manage stress and difficult feelings, whilst boosting self-esteem and confidence. 

When working with adolescents it is important to be respectful of the pace at which they want to work. Time is spent carefully building a safe and trusting space before they are supported through painful or uncomfortable emotions. Adolescents often hold some false narratives or unhealthy beliefs which are harmful to their wellbeing and have a daily impact on how they relate to and behave towards those around them. Correcting these can improve emotional stability in all areas of their lives.

Adolescent Therapy for Young People in Fostering & Adoption

I specialise in providing therapy to care experienced young people in foster placements and in adoptive families and can be contracted by local authorities, private fostering agencies and private adoption agencies or contacted directly by foster parents or adoptive parents.

I have worked with children, adolescents and families for over a decade in a variety of social work related roles. My prior career in social work and experience of working with families in crisis and fostering families managing the impact of trauma, attachment issues and developmental trauma, along with my training as a trauma and mental health informed practitioner has provided the knowledge and experience to support young people who have experienced abuse, trauma and other adverse childhood experiences. 

Therapy for adolescents who have experienced trauma, as most care experienced young people have, is very delicate work, and time must be taken to build a safe and trusting space before they are supported through painful or uncomfortable emotions. I use a mix of talking, play, creative activities, storytelling, metaphors, art and psychoeducation. Adolescents often hold incoherent narratives or unhealthy beliefs related to their early experiences that continue to have a daily impact on how they relate to and behave towards those around them. Correcting these narratives and beliefs can improve stability in all areas of their lives.

As an integrative therapist, my work is carefully adapted to the individual needs/issues and developmental age of the child – which for many care experienced young people may not be the same as their developmental age in years. 

I have a full, up-to-date, enhanced DBS check for the child and adult workforce and up to date safeguarding training.

Psychoeducation Workshops

Coming soon.

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