Teens
Cobain honored Teen Spirit; so do I.
W orking with adolescents has been a special focus of mine since beginning my career in counseling psychology - both in-patient and out-patient. The energy and perspective they offer is unique, stimulating, sometimes maddening/confounding, and, quite often, enlightening! Based on my experience working with this population, I believe it is fair to say that, on whole, their assessment of me would elicit much the same response. I listen well and treat my adolescent clients with respect. I expect the same in return and, more often than not, get it. The challenges they face may remain relatively constant over time but they are pivotal and worthy of honest and serious attention.
I firmly believe these years in a person's life are critical to one's ultimate development towards becoming a healthy, self reliant, self-respecting, contributive member of his or her future family and society as a whole. They deserve all the healthy support and guidance they can get from as many resources as we are able to afford them. (It truly does often "take a village!")
But make no mistake, the path to therapeutic success and growth is not simply a one-way street. Gratefully, I also learn a great deal from my adolescent clients that I cannot get from adults and that teaches me how to work most helpfully and effectively with the next young person with whom I have the privilege to collaborate. When therapy is most successful with anyone really, not just adolescents, it is a mutually engaging and enriching experience. The final result is truly greater than the sum of its parts.