In recent years, some of the nation’s top public health experts have declared a national emergency for teen mental health. Many of the nation’s teenagers report a lack of adequate mental well-being. What’s more, significant numbers of adolescents qualify for a mental health issue diagnosis.
One of the main options used to help young people affected by severe problems is a teen cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) program. The benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy for teens can be specifically geared to meet the needs of young people like your child. These benefits of CBT for teens affect short- and long-term mental health improvement. Contact Imagine Fort Collins online or call 888.291.2309 today to learn more.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy’s Goals and Methods
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a practically oriented form of psychotherapy. It focuses on the moment-to-moment interactions of your:
- Thought processes
- Moods and emotions
- Ways of behaving
These interactions form the basis of your daily reality. Most of the time, they help you stay healthy. However, distortions in your thoughts and moods can have an unhealthy impact on your mental well-being. They can also negatively impact your behavior.
CBT’s goal is identifying and changing negative thoughts, moods, and behaviors. This goal is reached mainly by improving teenagers’ problem-solving and coping skills. Parents play a crucial role by staying actively involved and supporting their children’s recovery.
3 Benefits of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Teens
The benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy for teens are similar in many ways to those for adults. Some of its key advantages for mental health recovery include:
- Helping your child spot distortions in their thoughts and actions
- Easing the impact of anxious and depressed states of mind
- Reducing involvement in impulsive, risky behavior
Depending on your child’s situation, any of these benefits may be the top reason for enrolling in the therapy.
Spotting Distorted Thoughts and Behaviors
Compared to adults, teenagers have less life experience. They also tend to have a more limited perspective on reality. For these reasons, teens are often more susceptible to harmful distortions in their thoughts and actions. Cognitive-behavioral therapy actively works to help your child:
- Get a clearer picture of their inner reality
- Understand how that reality continually influences their behavior
The result is often improved awareness of how their thoughts and actions can make them feel better or worse. In turn, this awareness can make it easier to think and act in healthier ways.
Treating Mental Health Issues
If your child has already developed a mental health condition, cognitive-behavioral therapy can help. It is an evidence-based approach that has been proven effective for treating anxiety disorders, depression, and other common conditions in teens.
By learning and practicing specific skills to manage their thoughts and behaviors, your teenager can significantly improve their mood and reduce symptoms of mental health issues.
Managing Symptoms and Impulse Control
Significant numbers of America’s teenagers are affected by depression or an anxiety disorder. As a rule, these conditions lead to unhealthy mood, thought, and action changes. A teen cognitive-behavioral therapy program for depression or anxiety can directly address these changes. In many cases, teens enrolled in such a program experience substantial symptom relief.
For developmental reasons, no teenager has complete control over their impulsive behavior. However, teens with mental health issues often have less control than the norm for their age. The problem-solving skills your child gains in CBT can help make up for this deficit. The therapy’s overall approach also tends to support improved impulse control.
Enroll Your Child in a Teen Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Program at Imagine Fort Collins
Imagine Fort Collins is dedicated to providing a full range of treatments for teenagers affected by mental health issues and substance problems. In many cases, the benefits of cognitive-behavioral therapy for teens play a significant role in our treatment plans. Want more information on these plans? Call us today at 888.291.2309 or contact us online.