Counselling for Teens 15-17 Years of Age
Teenagers today are facing more challenges than ever before, from the pressures of school and relationships to the constant influence of social media. While these pressures are part of growing up, they can take a toll on a teen’s confidence and self-esteem. Feelings of sadness, fear, and worry often emerge, compounded by the struggle to fit in and the complexities of social dynamics. Over time, many teens begin to internalize a persistent narrative that they don’t belong, shaped by emotions like loneliness, confusion, and a sense of failure.
Therapy offers a powerful way to change this story. It provides a framework to help teens reshape their narrative, moving away from feelings of isolation and hopelessness, and instead focusing on their strengths and potential for personal growth. Through this process, teens can re-author their lives, transforming their relationships with themselves, their peers, and the world around them.
How does it work with teenagers?
Teen Counselling in Oakville at Bronte Wellness Boutique has the therapist join then teenager in their journey, helping them resist the influence of problem-saturated stories and limiting narratives. An example could be: “I’m worthless because I failed a test.” The counsellor adopts an open and curious approach, helping the teen distinguish their emotional struggles from their identity. This process involves listening attentively and identifying moments of strength, knowledge, and skills that challenge the dominant problem story. These moments, though often small, can reveal rich alternative narratives—stories of hopes, values, intentions, dreams, and desires. The therapist adopts a stance of curiosity and exploration, creating a space where preferred stories can grow and become more prominent. A core principle of this approach is that people’s lives and identities are shaped by multiple stories, rather than being defined by just one. Instead of experts diagnosing or solving problems, narrative therapists focus on creating space for individuals to explore the hidden, undervalued, and preferred possibilities within themselves. In this collaborative process, teenagers re-author their lives, discovering new meanings and possibilities that were previously overlooked or suppressed.
How does Counselling benefit teens?
Therapy offers a space that is safe and non-judgmental where they can explore their experiences, emphasizing their unique stories, strengths, perspectives, hopes, dreams, and preferred narratives. This approach creates an environment where teens feel comfortable sharing their journey’s story, with the freedom to reveal as much or as little as they choose. It is important that they tell their story in their own way, using language that resonates with their personal experience. Narrative therapy takes a curious, respectful approach to the overlooked or undervalued stories—those that have been minimized or ignored—believing that these narratives can uncover a teenager’s hidden skills, insights, knowledge, and inner resources.
If you would like to explore teen counselling, book a free meet & greet today!