Therapy for Teens
Seeing Your Teen Struggle? We’re Here to Help - We Empower Adolescents During a Complex Time.
Parenting teenagers today can feel overwhelming - their experiences are similar to ours (the importance of peers, desire for independence, strong emotions), but the modern era’s technology and culture brings heightened intensity and worry to the teenage years. Filled with emotional, social, and academic pressures, it’s hard to know if you’re observing “typical teenage angst” or if it’s crossed into something more concerning. If you’ve noticed changes in your child’s behavior - withdrawing from activities they once loved, struggling academically, or showing signs of anxiety or depression - you’re not alone. At The Wren Centre in west Ottawa, we offer supportive therapy for teens to help them navigate these complex years and support for parents who feel overwhelmed by their teen’s experience.
Why Teens May Need Therapy
Did you know your brain - especially the regions responsible for the most “adult” functions - doesn’t stop growing until about the age of 25? Since the teenage brain is still growing - particularly in areas related to decision-making and emotional regulation - when teens face mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or social isolation, it’s often difficult for them to articulate what’s going on.
Early access to psychotherapy for teenagers can dramatically improve mental health, academic success, and resilience, as well as reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression (CAMH). With tailored support, teens develop critical coping skills and emotional well-being that positively impact their lives long into adulthood.
Signs Your Teen Might Benefit from Therapy
Many parents struggle to know if their child needs professional support. Some common signs that therapy might be beneficial include:
- Withdrawal from friends and family (lots of time in room; excessive screen use)
- Persistent sadness or irritability (this may look like labeling you and everything else as “annoying”)
- Difficulty concentrating or changes in academic performance
- Anxiety in social or school settings (excessive worry about performance or peers; school avoidance)
- Self-harm or thoughts of self-harm
- Changes in sleeping or eating habits
- Substance use or risky behaviours
If you recognize any of these behaviors in your teen, therapy can help them gain the tools they need to manage stress, express their emotions, and develop healthy coping strategies.
How The Wren Centre Supports Teens
Just like adults, there’s no one-size-fits all approach for your teenager. At our west Ottawa therapy centre, our approaches can address a variety of mental health concerns that teens face, including depression, anxiety, family conflict, and substance use. Our therapists take a compassionate, integrative approach to therapy that draws on evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness, combined with our biopsychosocial perspective (the interdependence of physical, mental and social health).
What Sets Our Teen Therapy Apart?
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No teen wants to go to therapy that seems like their parents recruited someone to say, “Nice to meet you - your parents are so right.”. We know the best therapy outcomes for teens requires a collaborative approach between teen and therapist within a trusting relationship. As one of our therapists says, “I just met you; I don’t expect you to spill your guts to me.” We help teens feel more at ease by letting them pick the music for the room (please no death metal), playing board games, doing colouring meditations, etc., especially in the early stages of therapy. We can’t do deeper emotional work without trust and respect!
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Regardless of their gender, adolescence is a time when teens begin to explore and question their identity. For LGBT teens, this can come with additional challenges such as discrimination, bullying, or added stress from navigating the world and relationships. Our teen therapists offer a safe, affirming space for teens of all identities to explore their feelings and work through the unique difficulties they face. One of our therapists - Kastin Bradley - has additional education and expertise to support gender diverse youth and adults.
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Many teens come to us having experienced trauma, including bullying, abuse, or witnessing family conflict. Our trauma therapy helps teens process these experiences in a safe and compassionate environment, allowing them to heal and move forward.
The Benefits of Teen Therapy
Improved Emotional Regulation:
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Enhanced Problem-Solving Skills:
Whether your teen is neurodivergent or neurotypical, decision-making is a skill they need now, but their brains are less equipped to do! Therapy can teach them decision-making models and support conflict resolution without resorting to unhealthy behaviors.
Stronger Relationships:
After puberty, your brain’s region that is most responsible for signaling threat (the amygdala) is most soothed by the presence of supportive friends. (This is why feeling excluded from social plans can feel like death for a teenager.) Therapy helps them build better communication skills, improving relationships with peers, teachers, and family members.
Increased Confidence:
By addressing issues like social anxiety, negative self-talk, and helping them get out of the shame/blame cycles a lot of us live in, therapy can boost a teen’s confidence and self-worth.
Resilience For the Teen Years and Adulthood:
Maybe you had a different experience, but high-school can be rough. Your teen needs coping skills to serve them now and throughout their lives, preparing them for the challenges of adulthood by learning how to surf the waves of struggle now. Consider the counselling therapy process for teens as an investment in their strength; not a sign of weakness
How Does Therapy Work?
HERES HOW WE GET STARTED:
You and/or your teen does a Free Consultation with one of our therapists or a Therapist Matching Consultation with our centre director.
Your teen does an Intake session with their therapist, which includes agreeing on a therapy plan and schedule if they’re prepared to move forward. (Obviously parents are part of scheduling!)
Your teen collaborates with their therapist to explore the methods that best meet their needs. Counselling therapy sessions can include:
Talk Therapy: A safe space for teens to express their thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment.
Skills-Building: Using evidence-based techniques, our therapists teach teens how to manage stress, regulate emotions and make values-based decisions in their life and relationships.
Creative Expression: As appropriate, we incorporate art, journaling, somatic therapy, and other forms of creative expression into your teen’s counselling process, because many youth are not best served by strictly talk-based therapy methods.
What About Online Therapy for Teens?
We understand that life is busy, and getting your teen to a therapy appointment isn’t always easy. That’s why we offer online therapy to accommodate your family schedule. We encourage parents to support their teen in coming to in person therapy at least for the first couple of sessions, but we know that sometimes virtual counselling is the only way it’s going to happen. We’ve worked with many teens we’ve only met with for online sessions!
FAQs About Therapy for Teens
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Therapy is a personalized process, but many teens benefit from weekly or every-other-week sessions over a period of a few months. The length of therapy depends on the complexity of the issues being addressed; your teen’s therapist will express their recommendations and work with you to make a plan.
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Yes, confidentiality is a cornerstone of therapy. However, there are certain circumstances where a therapist must break confidentiality, such as if your teen is in danger of harming themselves or others. We are happy to discuss your concerns with you.
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We put part of this question in quotations, because while psychotherapy includes talk therapy in a safe, supportive relationship, it is not “just” someone to talk to. The therapist/client relationship has to be trusting and supportive, including with teens, because therapy is hard work. It’s like an education in being a skillful human! We make it as supportive as possible to help teens do the work.
Read more from our team…
Get the Help Your Teen Deserves
As a parent, watching your teen struggle can be heartbreaking. But you don’t have to wait for things to get worse before seeking help - early intervention can make all the difference. Our team at The Wren Centre is here to support both you and your teen on a therapy journey toward healing and growth. We invite you to reach out for a consultation.
In puberty and adolescence, the brain undergoes the most significant changes of your life … This growth doesn’t complete until about the age of 25, and as puberty revs up, teens’ brains experience “the maturity gap.”