Conflict with parents or guardians: Adolescents often experience friction with authority figures as they seek more independence or struggle with differing expectations. Therapy can help mediate these conflicts.

Divorce or family changes: Significant family transitions, like a parent’s divorce or a change in living arrangements, can create a lot of emotional distress for teens.

Lack of understanding or support at home: Teens may feel misunderstood or unsupported by their families, and therapy can provide a space to express those feelings and develop better communication strategies.

Feelings of sadness, anxiety, or irritability: Teens often experience emotional turbulence. They may struggle to understand or regulate their emotions, leading to periods of feeling "down" or overwhelmed.

Difficulty managing stress: Between school, relationships, extracurricular activities, and family dynamics, teens can experience chronic stress that becomes hard to manage alone.

Lack of self-esteem or confidence: Adolescence is a time of self-discovery, and teens might feel lost, confused, or unworthy, leading to a poor self-image.

Bullying or social exclusion: Whether it’s in-person or online, bullying can cause significant emotional pain, leading to feelings of loneliness, isolation, or even depression.

Peer pressure: Teens may face intense pressure to fit in or make choices (e.g., substance use, risky behaviors) that they’re not comfortable with.

Struggles with relationships: Navigating friendships, romantic relationships, or conflicts with peers can be difficult, and therapy can provide tools for building healthier connections.

Confusion about identity: Adolescence is a critical period for forming a sense of identity. Teens may struggle with their sexual identity, gender identity, cultural identity, or their place in the world, leading to confusion or internal conflict.

Pressure to “figure it all out”: Many teens face overwhelming pressure to make life decisions (career, college, relationships) at an age when they may not feel ready.

Loss of childhood or innocence: Growing up can feel like a loss of the simplicity and comfort of childhood. It can feel scary to grow up.

Substance abuse: Experimentation with drugs or alcohol can sometimes escalate into dependency or problematic use. Therapy can help address the underlying causes of these behaviors, such as emotional distress or peer pressure.

Engaging in risky behavior: Teens may engage in risky behaviors (unsafe sex, reckless driving, etc.) as a way to cope with their emotions or fit in. Therapy can address the root causes of these behaviors and help them make healthier choices.

Experiencing trauma: Some teens have experienced trauma, whether it's physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, which can manifest as anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Therapy helps them process and heal from these experiences.

Loss of a loved one: Grief, whether from the death of a family member or friend, or even the end of a close relationship, can be a major source of pain for teens. Therapy can offer a space to grieve healthily.