Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a widely-implemented, rigorously studied field of therapy with an over 60-year history. It’s seen success with children, teens, and adults alike, but whether or not it’s right for your teen may still be a question. Getting the answer can be easy when you know what to ask.
At Imagine Spokane, we champion the use of CBT to help teens identify inconsistencies, negative thought patterns, and destructive tendencies, evaluate them, and continue living their best life. Our cognitive-behavioral therapy program is centered in Spokane, Washington, and has been a home of development and growth for families just like yours. Contact our team of medical professionals online, or call 888.384.3143 today to find out what CBT can do for your teen.
CBT For Teens
For teenagers, acclimating to a new stage in life comes with a lot of implicit baggage. For example, taking on a swath of new responsibilities, forming more complicated relationships, and transitioning from childhood into adult life means that adolescents are socially perceptive on the inside and out. That is to say; teens have a great number of opportunities to come to a head with their mental well-being—whether it’s with how their peers perceive them or how they perceive themselves. Teens with depression, anxiety, or other psychiatric issues are liable to stew on their standing with their peers, often in a doubtful or self-deprecating way.
This is an area that CBT excels. Cognitive-behavioral therapy has been shown to work most effectively in treating a variety of psychiatric disorders, including (but not limited to):
- Major depressive disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
With CBT, teens can work with their therapist to realize which of their thoughts are negatively impacting their daily life and which are beneficial to their mental health. As is the case with most therapies, the nature of this style of cognitive-behavioral therapy means that your teen will have to take the reins, and that takes a great deal of self-awareness and drive.
What Is The Process of CBT Like for Teens?
For both our partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs, CBT acts as both a guide and a skill for teens to understand and utilize. Of course, unhelpful thoughts aren’t the sole cause behind psychiatric disorders, but learning how to navigate through the process of thinking can give teenagers a sense of self-actualization they may not have otherwise obtained. CBT can allow patients to take control over their mental health rather than having it control them, which is vital for overcoming not just the problems they face now, but the problems to come.
In essence, CBT is self-reflection with a purpose: to find out what modes of thinking are problematic and to do something about them. Therapists will direct teens to discuss and pursue the following:
- Self-examine and find what cognitive processes are harmful
- Isolate and re-assess each thought process
- Understand the thoughts of not only themselves but others
- Foster a sense of self-confidence and reliance
An effective CBT program could be highly beneficial for your teen, and the skills they learn can help them for the rest of their lives.
Explore Teen Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Services in Spokane, Washington
At Imagine Spokane, our cognitive-behavioral therapy program works to address every component of our patients’ lives. Oftentimes, CBT identifies multiple issues that either share a source or act as co-occurring disorders. In these cases, the CBT program can work in tandem with our dual diagnosis treatment for teens.
Do you still have questions about whether cognitive-behavioral therapy can make a difference in your teen’s life? Don’t wait; reach out to Imagine Spokane online or by calling 888.384.3143 today. Our highly specialized team of therapists is ready to help your teen develop into the happiest, healthiest self they can be.