Adolescent and Teen Psychotherapy
Specialist psychotherapy for teenagers and young people in Wicklow, Meath and Galway, with online appointments available throughout Ireland.
Adolescence can be an exciting period of growth and discovery, but it can also be complicated. Young people may find themselves struggling with anxiety, low mood, school, friendships, self-esteem, body image, family relationships or simply feeling overwhelmed by the expectations placed upon them.
At Three Shores Psychotherapy, we have specialist postgraduate training in adolescent psychotherapy and understand that working therapeutically with teenagers is different from working with adults.
Our approach looks beyond the difficulty or behaviour that has brought a young person to therapy. We consider the young person as a whole — their stage of development, relationships, family, school, friendships and the wider world in which they are growing up.
Understanding adolescence
Adolescence is much more than the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is a significant period of emotional, social and psychological development, when young people are beginning to work out who they are, where they belong and how they want to relate to the world around them.
During these years, a young person is developing a stronger sense of identity and independence while still needing connection, security and support from the adults around them. Friendships and peer relationships can become particularly important, emotions may feel more intense, and questions around belonging, body image, self-esteem, relationships, identity and the future can come to the forefront.
The adolescent brain is also continuing to develop, including the systems involved in planning, emotional regulation, impulse control and weighing up consequences. Understanding this can help us make sense of behaviour that might otherwise be viewed simply as difficult, impulsive, withdrawn or angry.
At the same time, adolescence is a period of enormous creativity, growth and possibility. Our role is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to understand what a young person's difficulties may be communicating and support them as they navigate this important developmental stage.
Why adolescent therapy can look different
Teenagers do not always communicate what they are experiencing through words. Distress may instead emerge through behaviour, anger, withdrawal, difficulties at school, changes in relationships or feeling unable to cope.
For this reason, adolescent psychotherapy is not simply adult therapy offered to a younger person.
We work relationally and creatively, adapting therapy to the individual young person. Alongside talking, this may include creative or experiential approaches that allow experiences and feelings to be explored when they are difficult to put into words.
The therapeutic relationship is particularly important. We aim to provide a space where the young person can gradually feel safe enough to explore what is happening for them without feeling judged, interrogated or expected to have all the answers.
Working with parents
We believe that the teenager is not "the problem."
A young person's difficulties exist within a wider network of relationships, experiences and circumstances. For that reason, adolescent psychotherapy may include parents or caregivers as part of the therapeutic process, while also respecting the young person's need for privacy and a space of their own.
Parents often hold an important part of the picture. They may also be feeling worried, frustrated, helpless or unsure whether to step in or step back. Helping parents understand what may be happening developmentally — and exploring patterns of communication and connection within the family — can sometimes create change outside the therapy room as well as within it.
Where appropriate, involving parents can mean that therapy becomes more focused and potentially shorter, because responsibility for change does not rest solely with the young person. Small changes in how family members understand and respond to one another can sometimes make a significant difference.
The nature of parental involvement will vary according to the young person's age, circumstances and individual needs and will always be considered thoughtfully within the therapeutic relationship.
We also offer parent consultations, including one-off sessions, for parents who are concerned about their teenager or would like support in understanding how best to respond — whether or not their teenager is currently attending therapy.
What we can help with
Adolescents and families come to us for many different reasons, including:
- Anxiety, worry and feeling overwhelmed
- Low mood and loss of confidence
- School stress, school avoidance and transitions
- Self-esteem and body-image concerns
- Anger and emotional regulation
- Friendship and relationship difficulties
- Family conflict and communication
- Neurodiversity and feeling different from peers
- Bereavement, loss and difficult life experiences
- Identity, independence and the transition towards adulthood
A young person does not need to have a diagnosis or be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Sometimes they simply need somewhere to begin making sense of what they are experiencing.
Specialist training in adolescent psychotherapy
Our therapists have completed specialist Master's-level training in Adolescent Psychotherapy.
This training places adolescent development, relationships, identity, family dynamics and the young person's wider social world at the centre of the therapeutic process.
Our approach is humanistic and integrative and incorporates relational, Gestalt and creative ways of working. This allows us to adapt therapy to the individual young person rather than expecting every teenager to communicate, develop or engage in the same way.
Adolescent & Teen Psychotherapy in Wicklow, Meath and Galway
Online adolescent psychotherapy is also available throughout Ireland, where appropriate for the young person's age and needs.
Finding the right therapist
Feeling comfortable with a therapist is particularly important for a young person. We understand that parents may also be unsure about where to begin or whether therapy is the right next step.
You are welcome to contact us to discuss what is happening and which of our therapists may be the most appropriate fit for your teenager or family.