Adolescent Therapy

At Willow Tree Psychology, we provide research-based treatments for adolescents. Our primary approach is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which focuses on understanding and changing the relationship between one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

In addition to CBT, other treatment strategies include Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Adolescents (DBT-A); a therapy that combines mindfulness, acceptance, and emotion regulation strategies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); a therapy that encourages acceptance of thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, Attachment-based interventions, Collaborative Problem-Solving, etc.

At our clinic, we treat a wide range of concerns, including but not limited to:

  • Adjustment Difficulties

  • Aggression

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  • Anger Management

  • Anxiety Disorders (Agoraphobia, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias, Panic Attacks, Social Anxiety Disorder)

  • Behavioural challenges

  • Conversion Disorder

  • Emotion Regulation

  • Grief

  • Learning Disorders

  • LGBTQ+

  • Mood Disorders (Depression, Bipolar Disorder)

  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Opposition

  • Perfectionism

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Relationships

  • School Refusal

  • Self-esteem

  • Self-harming behaviour

  • Social Skills

What Can I Expect?

Psychological therapy with adolescents will vary greatly depending on the age of your teen. The adolescent period is a unique time filled with many changes and uncertainty about the self and the future.

While it is quite common to include some family sessions as a part of your teenager’s therapy, this is something that must be negotiated with your teen first. This is due to the laws regarding consent and confidentiality in the province of Ontario.

In Ontario, there is no specific age of consent. Rather, consent depends on the emotional and mental capacity of the adolescent. Accordingly, a teenager under the age of 18 who is deemed to have capacity has the right to complete confidentiality (with a few exceptions which are reviewed in the first session). This means that he/she will decide what information their therapist is allowed to share with their parent. Be assured that your psychologist will determine your adolescent’s capacity within the first session and all parties will be apprised of the results in a timely manner. In the case where the adolescent is determined to have their own right to confidentiality, it is highly recommended that adolescents and parents discuss their expectations with each other early on in the therapy process.