Trauma for Teenagers in Colorado Springs
How can I help my child be okay again?
Your teenager is struggling. They seem irritable and moody a lot. They have trouble going to sleep or sleep a lot more than they used to. They may have experienced a terrible accident, or perhaps they’re being bullied. Whatever the situation was, your son or daughter has changed in the aftermath.
You know something is wrong. You’re seeing these changes, and you’re concerned for your child’s well-being.
You've tried to talk with them, to help them feel better and return to the way they used to be, but no conversation feels like it's enough. You may have asked for other people in their life to talk to them too—coaches, mentors, teachers, or religious leaders—but nothing is helping.
Trauma impacts the brain and requires intentional care for healing.
Therapy can help your teen process their traumatic experiences and move into a healthier and rejuvenated approach to life.
Through Colorado Springs trauma therapy, your traumatized teen will learn how to:
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find a way back to happiness and healthy relationships
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be able to understand and explain what's happening to them
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re-process the events that brought on their trauma
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create coping strategies to manage their reactions
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be able to talk about their experiences without being burdened by them
Your child will benefit most from Colorado Springs trauma counseling if:
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they are at least 12 years old
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they are not abusing substances
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they're willing to talk about what happened to them
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they want to feel better about their life
Is trauma therapy really useful for my teenager?
I can understand how difficult it must be for you to see your teenager going through the aftermath of a traumatic event. As a parent, you want to do everything possible to help your child heal and move forward, but it can be a challenging and overwhelming process. However, I want to assure you that seeking trauma therapy for your teenager can be an important step towards healing and recovery.
Trauma therapy, in Colorado Springs, can be an incredibly valuable tool for anyone who has experienced a traumatic event, including teenagers. Trauma is a complex experience that can affect a person's mental, emotional, and physical well-being in many ways. Traumatic events can cause feelings of fear, helplessness, and horror, and can even impact a person's ability to form relationships and trust others. It can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It's not uncommon for teenagers to struggle with traumatic events as they often lack the life experiences or coping mechanisms to deal with them.
Trauma therapy can help your teenager process their emotions and feelings related to the traumatic event. Intermountain Counseling's therapists provide a safe and supportive environment where your teenager can share their experiences, talk about their feelings, and work through the challenges they are facing. Our Colorado Springs trauma therapists can help your teenager to understand and identify the symptoms of trauma and teach them coping mechanisms to manage and overcome them. Therapy can also be a valuable tool for building resilience and improving self-esteem, which can help your teenager regain a sense of control and confidence in their lives.
It's important to understand that trauma counseling is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Different people may require different types of therapy, and the length of treatment can vary depending on the severity of the trauma and the individual needs of your teenager. A qualified therapist will tailor the therapy to the needs of your teenager, and work with them to develop a plan that is specific to their needs.
It is also essential to acknowledge that trauma therapy can be a difficult and emotionally challenging process. Your teenager may be asked to confront painful memories, feelings, and emotions. This process can be overwhelming, and it is not uncommon for teenagers to experience a range of emotions during their treatment. However, with the support of a qualified therapist, your teenager can learn to manage and cope with these feelings, and work towards healing and recovery.
As a parent, it's natural to want to protect your teenager and shield them from any harm or pain. However, it's important to understand that trauma therapy is not about reopening wounds or causing more harm. It is about helping your teenager heal and move forward, and giving them the tools to live a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.
Are you open to exploring therapy for your teenager?
The trauma therapy process for teenagers in Colorado Springs:
Trauma therapy will help your son or daughter identify the areas of their past that is triggering traumatic reactions. The Colorado Springs based trauma therapist will help them with coping skills and lead them through practices that reprocess their trauma and heal their brain.
Each trauma counseling session is 50 minutes long. For best results in treating trauma, we recommend at least eight consecutive weeks of therapy. This timeframe helps the child and therapist move beyond surface conversations and develop a relationship that focuses on deep healing. Once the relationship has been established, sessions can be moved to biweekly or, if the child has resolved his or her significant struggles, can begin to move toward termination.
wHAT TO EXPECT
wEEK 1:
The first week is the intake session. Colorado’s laws allow for teenagers to be in charge of their own information; the Colorado Springs trauma therapist will discuss with teenagers the value of including their parents and/or families in counseling. The intake session also involves beginning to establish a warm and welcoming relationship between therapist and client, so your child feels comfortable opening up and working on their issues in subsequent sessions.
Week 2 and THE FOLLOWING weeks:
The early weeks of therapy will involve building rapport. This is crucial; young people will be more willing to open up and will have greater success addressing their struggles if they trust their trauma counselor. The trauma therapist will evaluate the child’s needs and use a combination of therapies determined to be the best fit for the unique needs of your son or daughter. Your child will also receive homework to be practiced at home. Ongoing and consistent application of skills and tools is necessary for growth.
Intermountain Counseling is committed to creating a safe, warm, and welcoming environment for teens and preteens so they feel empowered and equipped to overcome the obstacles in their life.
Termination:
Termination is the agreed-upon ending of the therapeutic relationship once goals are achieved and takes 1 to 3 sessions, depending on your child's needs. The trauma therapist will coordinate with the client to determine what is appropriate. Therapy should be a springboard into life; it’s vital that the relationship not be ended prematurely, which would undermine everything your child has work toward. If termination is deemed appropriate, the therapist will work with your child to establish a plan moving forward so that change remains consistent.