CBT for Teens

CBT for Adolescents

CBT for teens has been found to be the gold standard in the treatment and management of generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, social anxiety, depression, social anxiety, panic disorder, ADHD and behavioral difficulties. The benefits of this form of treatment are its structured, goal focused, collaborative and highly engaging format. It empowers teens to have a greater sense of effectiveness in their lives and achieve their desired goals.

CBT for adolescents resembles adult interventions while taking into account the developmental abilities of the person. Therapy begins with psychoeducation and a thorough understating of core concepts. Teens learn to recognize problematic and ineffective thoughts and behaviors. Subsequently, they learn to respond in more balanced and healthier ways, reduce unhealthy behaviors, manage stress more skillfully and work towards their identified goals.

Key CBT interventions are designed to create a shift in thinking and behavior, through specific techniques. It is always tailored to the particular needs of the teen. CBT therapy equips teenagers with strategies to cope with their distressing emotions and cognitions. Likewise, it provides tools to create important changes in behavior.

At the center of CBT is an increased awareness of one’s thought and beliefs. Challenging irrational thoughts and core beliefs allows individual to respond more adaptively to a difficult situation.

Common cognitive techniques include:

• Thought monitoring and journaling

• Becoming more cognizant of how thinking errors that don’t match up to reality or are unhelpful may impact our experiences.

Once these patterns are identified, therapists use guided discovery to examine assumptions, find evidence for and against one’s beliefs to broaden perspective and develop flexibility and adaptive responses.

Another central concept in the CBT framework is that behavioral change is essential.

Behavioral Interventions:

Behavioral activation

• Reduces avoidance and isolation typical in depressed mood.
• Establishes good habits and routines.
• Provides opportunity for satisfaction and mastery

Mindfulness, breathing and relaxation techniques

• Teaches self-soothing, distress tolerance and emotion regulation
  Reduces stress
• Improves flexibility of choice and self-efficacy

Successive approximation

• Breaking down difficult tasks into smaller more manageable steps.
• Offers opportunity to learn and build on previous efforts.

Exposure and Response prevention for anxiety based disorders.

• Confronting fears and phobias in a gradual, guided manner

Behavioral Rehearsal

• Helps to walk through the different scenarios that a person might be fearful or avoidant of in order to try out new behaviors.
• Assists with communication, problem solving and communication.

Call today for an in-person or teletherapy appointment:

Phone: 201.694.2129
Please leave a message or email:
annabreytman@cbtofnyc.com
online form

Two Office Locations:

New Jersey office location:
194 North Harrison Street
Princeton, NJ 08540

New York City, Manhattan,
Upper West Side:
27 West 86 Street, Suite 1B
NYC, NY 10024

Directions

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