Adolescence

Adolescence is a uniquely challenging time of life.  Young people face a variety of day to day obstacles, but have the added challenge of not yet having the cognitive and emotional tools to cope with demands in the same way as adults do.  Additionally, it is a time of developing and increasing independence from parents, while still needing the parents‘ guidance and support.  Often this natural development toward independence can make it difficult for adolescents to talk to their parents about issues.  Some adolescents are comfortable talking with their parents, but their parents are not sure about how to guide them in specific skill building and coping skills.

While this stage in life is hard enough, many adolescents face issues of depression, irritability, anxiety, stress, pressure to achieve, and body image issues.  It’s not uncommon for teens to struggle with peer relationships, peer pressure, changes in their family dynamics, or divorce.  Pressure to engage in substance or alcohol use is common during this time.   All of these day to day struggles, and extra challenges, are things that can be alleviated with therapy.

Dr. Gibson is adept at working with teenagers.  She is able to quickly connect with this age group, assisting the teen in developing their own independence, and ability to cope with issues, while working with their parents to facilitate a positive, supportive environment for that development.  Dr. Gibson has expertise in clinical work and interaction with adolescents in a variety of settings including juvenile justice, inpatient hospitals, schools, residential treatment centers, and outpatient private practice.  Dr. Gibson can help you or your child build needed skill sets, and has a variety of resources that can be utilized for extra support if needed.