Young people are embracing therapy and therapists are welcoming the revolution.
Twenty years ago, as my mother was explaining to me through the reception desk at school why I was late, I said, “I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“I actually went to counseling!” I chimed.
“We call it a ‘doctor’s visit,’ Sweetie.”
It didn’t take me long to learn that therapy might not be about talking out loud. My Monday night group therapy session was a “meeting.” My teacher advised me not to reveal to others the special services I received at school (I was bullied and didn’t want to follow social norms or be aware of it right away). ). But at the same time, I was told that this is nothing to be ashamed of.
Today, psychotherapy is becoming an institution for adolescents. Teens encourage each other to reach out in times of need. Mental health terminology is becoming commonplace and we reject the stigma. A recent study of adolescents released from psychiatric hospitalization found that these adolescents had generally positive attitudes toward people living with a mental health diagnosis (Preyde et al. , et al., 2023). This is very important because mental health hospitalizations are often times when hope is low and having a positive outlook upon receiving a mental health diagnosis is likely to facilitate recovery.
Beyond mental health diagnosis, we recognize the role that psychotherapy can play in general development. Psychotherapy is not necessarily aimed at treating illness. Instead, many people seek therapy to explore their identity, determine direction on topics such as career choices, work through grief or family situations, and improve themselves. Youth seem to recognize this.
Additionally, psychotherapists are keen to recognize and respond to the unique needs of adolescents and young adults. In contrast to the old image of psychotherapists leaning back in their forbidding chairs as patients share their deepest secrets, psychotherapy is becoming more casual. As a youth therapist, it seems like almost every other week my girlfriend’s teens teach me new slang and I incorporate it into my vocabulary.
my office
Source: Provided by Jennifer Gerlach
Seating options such as swings and bean bags in addition to traditional chairs give the space the impression of being open and adaptable. We draw, play chess, draw comics, and talk while practicing new skills, working on identity development, and processing trauma.
Therapists use music and playlists to help teens share things that are difficult to express in words. Additionally, following technology trends, therapists are incorporating technology into their practice to respond to the current situation of young people. Mobile apps are being developed to support youth mental health (Litke et al., 2023). Perhaps for the first time, efforts are being made to truly include youth voices in mental health research and mental health policy development (yamaguchi et al., 2023).
This is all very exciting. Young people are our future and I believe that this generation’s openness to self-reflection and growth will bring about positive change for all of us. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens as a result of this.
References
Litke, S. G., Resnikoff, A., Anil, A., Montgomery, M., Matta, R., Huh-Yoo, J., and Daly, B. P. (2023). Mobile technologies to support youth mental health: A scoping review of effectiveness, limitations, and comprehensiveness. JMIR Mental Health, Ten(1), e46949.
Preyde, M., Parekh, S., Wei, Y., and Heintzman, J. (2023). Are predischarge attitudes, mental health literacy, and clinical characteristics associated with perceptions of stigma reported by adolescents discharged from a psychiatric inpatient setting? Psychiatric research communication, 3(1), 100099.
Yamaguchi, S., Bentayeb, N., Holtom, A., Molnar, P., Constantinesc, T., Tisdall, EKM, and Ruiz-Casares, M. (2023).Participation of children and young people in mental health policy making: A scoping review. [Part I]. Management and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 50(1), 58-83.
