Questions To Ask A Prospective Teen Therapist
Your Teen Has Asked To See a Therapist, How Do You Find The Right Teen Therapist?
Just because someone has a license does not mean they will be a good fit for your teen and your family. There are some basic elements you will want in place in case your teen needs more care than teen counseling or different care than you anticipated at Shade Tree Family Counseling.
Here are the basic questions you should ask that cover the ethical and legal structure that should be in place by the teen therapist. Also, consider your family culture. What elements of your values and ethics do you want this therapist to share?
Basic Questions to Ask a Prospective Teen Therapist
1. What is their experience with working with teens? How many years and in what variety of settings?
The more experience the better. Rapport is most important at the end of the day, but if you can find a therapist with years of experience working with teens and their families then, they are likely more skilled and ready for all the variations in needs that come with supporting teens. It is also a bonus if the therapist has worked in a variety of settings with teens. A person who has seen more variety and severity of mental health symptoms in teens and in different environments is more prepared to accurately assess how severe your teen’s struggles are.
2. Ask how they will communicate with you about the treatment plan and at what frequency they check in with you during the course of treatment.
Your teen therapist should always have a plan for developing a working relationship with you, even though you are not the client. Another way to say this is, that you should be given time in the initial session to meet this therapist and express your concerns about your teen’s mental health and be able to ask the therapist questions about their approach. They should also provide you with a structure for how they will be communicating with you about the treatment plan and how you can communicate with them should issues arise in your family that they need to know about.
3. What is their licensure level? Are they living in the area for the long haul or if they are just passing through?
If you are using a mental health clinic in your area it is possible that your teen could be placed with an Intern. An Intern is someone who is working under a more experienced therapist license and collecting hours toward full licensure. This can be a good thing in that they may be younger and closer to your teen’s generation. But it can also mean that they are only working at the clinic for a short time to gain experience and then will be moving on.
If you think your teen would benefit from long-term care then ask about this intern's longevity at the clinic. You are more likely to find a therapist who is not moving around a lot if they are already licensed and in private practice.
4. Ask how they manage escalating crises in your teens' lives. At what time would the teen therapist choose to pull you into providing more support than they can offer one hour once a week?
If your teen’s mental health symptoms escalate, you will want to know how the teen therapist will communicate that to you. What are the limits of their confidentiality? What behaviors from your teen would mean they would reach out to you?
5. Are they comfortable with doing family therapy if it is needed?
Sometimes the best mental health treatment for a teen is family counseling. It can be hard to know in the beginning if this is something you will need but it is always nice to know it's an option if they need it.
Is Your Teen Ready to Begin Meeting With a Skilled Teen Therapist in Salt Lake City, UT?
Are you a teen struggling with overwhelming emotions or difficult life transitions? Take the first step towards healing by reaching out to a skilled teen therapist at Shade Tree Family Counseling. Don't face your challenges alone; let us support you on your journey toward mental wellness and a brighter future with teen counseling. Start your path toward healing and growth by following these three simple steps:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to see if Teen Counseling is right for your child
Begin meeting with a skilled teen therapist
Start seeing your teen begin to overcome their challenges in healthy ways!
Other Services Offered at Shade Tree Family Counseling
At Shade Tree Family Counseling, we want to provide support for the whole family. So in addition to helping your teen with their challenges in teen counseling, our team offers EMDR-Trauma Therapy for those struggling to overcome past trauma and want to begin healing, and Teen Group Therapy for teens looking for extra support from those their own age. For more about teen counseling check out our blog!