FAQ — Teen Therapy

A consultation can be considered as soon as an adolescent shows signs of discomfort or difficulty.

Early intervention helps prevent symptoms from becoming more serious or deeply rooted

The first session is a parent consultation — both parents, without the adolescent.

It provides a safe space to speak freely, explore the situation, understand the concerns, and clarify the underlying issues.

At the end of the session, the therapist recommends the most appropriate next steps.

Analytic therapy is offered within a carefully structured therapeutic setting grounded in the principles of psychoanalysis.

Analytic therapy offers a confidential, structured environment in which the adolescent’s thoughts and emotions can emerge freely — often one of the rare spaces where they feel they can speak without fear of judgment.

This freedom enables meaningful self-exploration. Over time, the therapist and the adolescent work together to clarify experiences that once felt confusing, overwhelming, or difficult to articulate. The therapeutic space becomes a dedicated place for reflection and self-discovery.

As the adolescent develops a clearer understanding of their inner experience, they can communicate more openly with others. Therapy strengthens family and social relationships by helping them clarify their needs and emotions.

Analytic therapy offers adolescents a space to grow, work through their difficulties, and ease the symptoms that stem from them. It is a place where they can think, heal, and regain a more balanced relationship with themselves and others.

Beyond relieving symptoms, therapy addresses the adolescent’s underlying difficulties during this formative and vulnerable period. Its aim is to prevent these difficulties from becoming long-term patterns.

Every therapy is unique. It depends on the adolescent’s individuality, their difficulties, and their own pace of change.

The earlier therapy begins, the shorter it tends to be. Its duration depends on how intense the difficulties are and how long they have been present. Some adolescents face issues that have been with them since childhood and therefore require a longer therapeutic process.

And is it really so surprising that an adolescent might benefit from taking a little time each week to understand themselves better?

The therapist keeps parents informed about progress but cannot disclose what the adolescent says in session.

An adolescent can only speak freely if they know that what they share will remain confidential. This confidentiality is essential for meaningful therapeutic work.

However, if the adolescent’s psychological or physical safety is at risk, the therapist must inform the parents.

Giving an adolescent full responsibility for deciding whether to begin therapy assumes a level of maturity they may not yet have — just as they wouldn’t be expected to decide alone whether to see a doctor.

It is important to explore what underlies the resistance. It may reveal unconscious fears or uncertainties. Sometimes, the therapeutic relationship simply needs time to unfold.

Preserving autonomy

Teenagers are rarely comfortable sharing a therapeutic space with their parents. Adult discussions about them can feel intrusive and may trigger latent frustration or anger, creating resistance to therapy.

The question of parent sessions must therefore be discussed with the adolescent, with attention to their hesitations. Parental consultations are spaced out more than in child therapy, respecting the adolescent’s need for autonomy.

Moving beyond parental guilt

Adolescent therapy is not always easy for parents. Knowing that their child needs help can stir feelings of guilt, which may interfere with therapeutic progress — both for the parents and for the teenager, who senses their hesitation.

Parents need to feel comfortable voicing their concerns with the therapist so these feelings can be addressed and the therapeutic work can unfold effectively.

Supporting the therapeutic process

An adolescent’s willingness to engage in therapy depends in part on their parents’ support. When one parent feels resistant, the adolescent may experience a loyalty conflict and fear upsetting them by engaging — or not engaging — in therapy. Such unspoken tensions can constrain the therapeutic process.

In contrast, a parent’s trust in the therapist offers the adolescent a secure foundation from which to engage more fully.

Parental involvement is therefore a key factor in therapeutic effectiveness.