What kinds of therapy actually help tweens and teens?

The treatment should match the concern, the child’s developmental needs, and the available research. Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is used to treat childhood anxiety and depression. For significant behavior problems, treatment often includes caregivers and coordination with school rather than relying on the child’s sessions alone. CDC

Structured dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) also has research support for reducing self-harm and suicide attempts in high-risk adolescents. That evidence applies to the treatment programs studied, not automatically to any therapy that occasionally uses a DBT skill. PubMed

Ask a prospective therapist how the approach fits your child, how caregivers will participate, and how progress will be measured. National Institute of Mental Health

I draw on CBT, DBT-informed skills, and ACT, adapting the work to each child or teen’s needs. Learn more about my background and approach or explore the areas I support in therapy to get a better sense of what working together could look like.