What Do You Give Your Child To Choose Instead of Drugs?

Notice all the choices shown? Parents, if you expect your teen to make better choices than using drugs/alcohol, you should take responsibility by GIVING THEM THESE CHOICES. Does your teen have any athletic involvement? Have you signed them up for a music/Art/photography class? Do you know what their hobbies are and support them? What are the things your family participates in, as a unit, on a weekly basis?

If you can't provide these answers, then how do you expect your child to pull tools from an empty toolbox? 

All this week, 2/23/15-2/27/15, I will be focusing on providing information focused on the Parent-Teen relationship. Check back everyday for my posts, comment your thoughts, share them to others, and check back other weeks for a focus on many different therapy-related issues.

 

- written by Nakya Reeves, LMFT. I am a therapist and owner of a private practice where my main focus is working with families on communication issues, especially the parent-teen relationship. I also utilize PhotoTherapy techniques in my practice, which integrates bringing in photos that the client has taken or collected as a part of the therapy process. I can be contacted any time at csolutionstherapy@gmail.com

Parents - What if You Could Set Your Phone to: Call Me if the Liquor Cabinet Opens?

#CSTrecommendation for Parents - Apps that help you monitor your home!

Technology is amazing. There's an app for just about everything, whether useful or completely pointless but entertaining. Every once in a while, there's something I see that grabs my attention and I think, "This would be great for a client!" 

HolidaySeasonalDepression: Wondering Why the Holidays Get You Down?

Around this time of year - the weeks between November and January - I encounter many clients and families who feel out of place because, despite all the "holiday cheer" going around, they feel DOWN. They feel alone in this, but they are not. Otherwise known as Seasonal Depression, this mood during the holiday season is very common and it most definitely has many significant contributing factors. In therapy, I've found that once clients can get to the bottom of what is causing the mood/disruption/discord, they are able to begin the process of positive change much more effectively. Changes can be seen when the choices we are making are informed decisions.

Depression is very much a mind AND body issue.

Alternative Emotional Expression for Teens Dealing with Trauma

[These pictures are shown with permission from my clients] - The collages shown were done by a few teenagers I worked with in a therapy session focused on trauma they had experienced. I often find that, for some clients, it is difficult to verbally express feelings relating to certain topics such as trauma, deep rooted self esteem issues, problems in their family, divorce, etc. In these cases, I like to find alternate means of expression that can be just as therapeutic as a conversation about feelings. I push clients to go deep in alternate-media sessions,
and often get interesting interpretations - which turn into deep, revealing sessions

Here are the clients' explanation of their creations:

Using Rituals as Ways of Symbolically Letting Go

When dealing with deep issues from the past, a great deal of the work in therapy involves coping with what has happened and finding ways of moving forward. As you are dealing with your emotions, it can be helpful to find creative ways of letting go. Over the years, I have worked with clients who have found many ways of doing just that. Here are a few examples: