CBT therapy for teens provides them with such techniques that help them recognize the relationship between their thoughts, emotions, and actions. It is commonly used to address issues including anxiety and depression, helping teenagers cope better with them. However, for parents, understanding that CBT therapy for teens works is just the tip of the iceberg—what’s also necessary is how much they are supposed to participate in the process, and what to expect from it.
In this article, you will get to know seven things parents must know about CBT before deciding to apply it to a teenager.
1. CBT Is More Than Talking About Feelings
Perhaps the largest misconception about therapy is that a teen just goes into a room and speaks about his or her problems.
Well, CBT is much more than this.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the fact that our thoughts, emotions, and actions are interrelated. Therefore, the role of a therapist is to help a teen see what pattern he has regarding problematic situations and learn new actions that would be more productive.
For Example, assume a teen got a worse grade than he expected and thinks right away:
“I am really bad at everything. I will never succeed at school.”
This thought can evoke anxiety or depression and make the teen start avoiding classes, asking questions, and even studying altogether.
So, with CBT, a teen starts breaking the cycle of thoughts and emotions.
A teen does not have to believe everything that comes to mind and think in an entirely positive way. In CBT, he learns to think rationally.
2. CBT Can Help With Several Teen Mental Health Concerns
Well, CBT is that type of psychotherapy which is most extensively researched for anxiety and depression in youths. Moreover, psychologists apply it as a treatment component for some other disorders, for example, OCD, PTSD, and certain eating disorders.
CBT therapy for a teen with anxiety will include such aspects as:
- Excessive worry
- Social anxiety
- School-related anxiety
- Specific phobias
- Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations
- Difficulties coping with anxious thoughts
In the case of depression, CBT will involve problems with negative thought patterns, isolation, low motivation, and changes in daily behavior.
However, CBT is not necessarily appropriate for every individual teenager. This type of therapy will have to be recommended by an experienced mental-health professional after the assessment of symptoms, situation, age, and needs of the teen. Therefore, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggests conducting a proper mental health assessment in case parents suspect any symptoms.
3. Your Teen Will Usually Need to Practice Skills Outside Therapy
Unlike psychotherapy, which can only be conducted in your weekly appointments, CBT can involve a therapist giving exercises for a teenager to carry out between their sessions.
These exercises can vary greatly, but they will generally involve activities such as identifying automatic thoughts, tracking triggers of anxiety, practicing coping skills, gradual exposure to the avoided situation, and testing a different approach.
That is also why CBT can be different from traditional notions of therapy.
Therefore, your teen not only learns why they feel particular emotions but also learns how to cope with them.
For instance, a teenager who avoids asking questions in class because of a fear of embarrassment. So, CBT can teach him to progressively practice taking part in a situation that gets more challenging with time. So, a technique of progressive exposure used in the therapy of anxiety can teach young people that they are capable of tolerating uncomfortable emotions rather than avoiding the situation automatically.
Most importantly, parents can facilitate this process by encouraging practice without additional stress.
4. Parents Still Matter—Even When the Teen Sees the Therapist Alone
While older kids and teenagers may spend most of their time during therapy interacting with the therapist, it does not imply that the role of parents becomes insignificant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), parent involvement can vary based on the developmental age of the kid; however, parents can still play an essential role in helping teens go through therapy.
So, the parental role can be:
- Ensuring that your teen is attending appointments regularly
- Encouraging your teen to implement the skills learned in therapy
- Giving appropriate privacy
- Encouraging good habits
- Talking to the therapist about issues that need attention
- Not criticizing the slow pace of therapy
The parental role in therapy has to be balanced.
Any parent who will always be asking his teenager, “What did you talk about with the therapist?” So, asking such a question after every session will unknowingly turn the therapy into a process of interrogation. The best way out is to ask the teenager how he feels about the therapy and leave him to say how much he wants to share.
To conclude, fruitful therapy takes place within a trusting relationship between teens, therapists, and parents.
5. Finding the Right Therapist Matters
Of course, there will be variations between therapists in terms of their experience with teenagers.
When choosing a professional for your child, you can find out about their experience with adolescents and particular concerns. According to NIMH, when hiring a therapist for teens, parents can consider such aspects as experience, approach to therapy, goals, expected period of time, measurement of progress, and involvement of parents in the process.
Parents are likely to ask the following questions:
- Do you work with adolescents regularly?
- What is your CBT approach?
- Have you helped teens with similar concerns before?
- How will you measure progress?
- How do you usually involve parents?
- How will confidentiality be ensured?
- What do we do if my teen does not make progress?
Well, the last question is the most important because good therapy cannot be standardized. If the teenager does not show any progress, it may mean that there is something wrong with the treatment and it needs to be changed.
6. CBT Doesn’t Mean Parents Should Expect Instant Results
Well, it is natural that parents want quick results from therapy when their teenager is experiencing difficulties.
However, CBT is a time-consuming process.
Factors such as the specific issue addressed, its intensity, the teenager’s involvement in the therapy, surrounding circumstances, and the therapeutic protocol determine the effectiveness of therapy. While some teenagers might experience beneficial effects relatively soon, others might require more time.
Researchers continue demonstrating efficacy of CBT as an evidence-based approach in treating teenage anxiety disorders. For example, in one NIH-funded study, 69 children with anxiety disorders were treated using 12-weeks of CBT program and experienced statistically significant improvements in reduced anxiety symptoms and increased functioning.
However, this does not imply that each teenager needs 12 weeks of therapy, or that CBT will have the same effect on every teenager.
What parents should watch for are slow but noticeable changes like a teenager avoids fewer situations, copes with school-related stress better, expresses emotions more freely, or uses coping strategies without prompts.
7. CBT Works Best When It Fits the Teen’s Actual Life
Well, at times it happens that the adolescent does not feel anxious or depressed only when they are in the office of a therapist.
The issues may emerge at school, at home, on the Internet, among friends, when writing exams, and during family disputes. Thus, an effective therapy has to be relevant to the teenager’s reality.
It means that a therapist should explain how perfectionism influences their homework, how the fear of social contacts affects their friendships, how negative self-talk impacts their motivation, etc.
At the same time, parents may facilitate this process with their observation without always trying to correct it.
Thus, instead of the phrase:
“You should not be worried about this.”
it would be better to say:
“From your behavior, I can understand that you feel anxious in this situation. What do you think can help you in this situation based on what you have learned in therapy?”
Another thing is to create an atmosphere of trust. CDC suggests speaking with adolescents about mental issues with compassion without being judgmental and letting them feel free to tell their problems.
When Should Parents Consider Professional Help?
Well, it will be a wise step for parents to contact a health care practitioner or a mental health specialist in cases of ongoing:
- anxiety or worry
- sadness or disinterest
- refusal to attend school or participate in activities
- significant behavioral changes
- problems coping in either home or school environments
- issues regulating emotions
- isolation from peers
- sleeping or eating disturbances
Professional assessment will clarify what the problem is and if CBT or another intervention would be helpful.
However, in case a teenager mentions thoughts about suicide, self-harm, or inability to protect himself, parents should take it seriously and contact a local emergency or crisis service immediately.
The Bottom Line: CBT Therapy for Teens
Wrapping up, CBT therapy for teens is more than just “telling” the adolescent not to think negatively. They get a chance to see what negative patterns they have, learn how to cope, and respond to different situations differently.
Moreover, in the case of a parent, the most helpful thing to do is not to be the therapist when you’re at home. You should encourage the teen, respect his privacy, ensure that he does not fall off track, and communicate with him regularly.
Mental Health Note:
This article serves the general purpose of education only, and it is recommended that you consult with a qualified health care provider before making any kind of diagnosis or starting any treatment process, as the needs of every teenager are unique.
