Lafayete Hills

acting out teens

Your teen may be:

A fundamental part of adolescence is to strive for independence, and disagreements between a parent and a teen are nothing surprising and are in fact expected. However, if you feel like you’re losing control of your child, I can work with you to get things back on track.

Often, when a child acts out, it’s a response to a situation or uncertainty in their life that they don‘t know how to address.  They may actually be looking for your understanding and guidance, but you’d never know it by the way they push you away.

The most effective ways to reduce these behaviors include setting limits and improving family relationships.  It's necessary to do both, because limit setting won’t likely work if your child doesn’t think you understand them or their needs. If they do think you understand them, then they are more likely to accept your limits as the guidance they were seeking. In such situations, I can work with you and your child to open communication within the family so everyone feels they’re being heard.

Treatment often involves both individual and family therapy. Initially, I meet with the parents to identify primary concerns before meeting with your teen. When the time is right, we’ll meet with the parents and teen to make sure we can address everyone’s needs. I’ll work with your family to identify the issues concerning your child and improve your relationship, as well as assist you with effective limit setting to guide your child and help improve behavior.