Advertisement
Activities for Teens in Therapy: A Critical Analysis of Current Trends
Author: Dr. Emily Carter, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist specializing in adolescent mental health and trauma-informed care.
Publisher: Journal of Adolescent Psychotherapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by the American Psychological Association (APA), a highly reputable organization in the field of psychology.
Editor: Dr. David Miller, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Adolescent Psychotherapy, with over 20 years of experience in adolescent mental health research and clinical practice.
Keywords: activities for teens in therapy, adolescent therapy, therapeutic activities, teen mental health, engagement strategies, evidence-based practices, creative therapies, expressive therapies
Abstract: This analysis examines the current trends in activities for teens in therapy, evaluating their effectiveness, ethical considerations, and alignment with evidence-based practices. It explores the diverse range of approaches, from traditional talk therapy augmented with activities to more experiential modalities. The review also highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and the need for ongoing research to refine and improve the efficacy of activities used in adolescent therapy.
1. Introduction: The Evolving Landscape of Activities for Teens in Therapy
The therapeutic landscape for adolescents is constantly evolving. Traditional talk therapy, while foundational, often faces challenges in engaging teenagers, who may struggle with verbalizing their emotions or find the format restrictive. As a result, the integration of activities for teens in therapy has become increasingly prevalent. These activities aim to bypass verbal barriers, foster deeper self-exploration, and build a stronger therapeutic alliance. This analysis critically examines the various types of activities used, their effectiveness, and the ethical considerations surrounding their implementation.
2. Types of Activities Used in Adolescent Therapy
Activities for teens in therapy span a broad spectrum, ranging from simple exercises to complex, multi-session interventions. Common categories include:
Creative Arts Therapies: Art therapy, music therapy, and drama therapy utilize creative expression to process emotions and experiences. These activities for teens in therapy can be particularly helpful for those who struggle with verbal communication. They provide a non-threatening avenue for self-discovery and emotional regulation.
Experiential Activities: These activities emphasize direct experience and learning through doing. Examples include mindfulness exercises, role-playing, sand tray therapy, and outdoor activities. The emphasis is on promoting self-awareness, emotional regulation, and problem-solving skills.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Activities: CBT techniques often incorporate worksheets, journaling prompts, and cognitive restructuring exercises. These activities for teens in therapy target specific thought patterns and behaviors, helping adolescents develop coping mechanisms and challenge negative thinking.
Psychodynamically-Informed Activities: While often associated with verbal exploration, psychodynamic approaches can also incorporate activities like drawing, projective techniques, and storytelling to access unconscious material and explore underlying conflicts.
3. Effectiveness and Evidence-Based Practices
While the use of activities for teens in therapy is widely accepted, the level of empirical evidence supporting their effectiveness varies significantly across different modalities. Many studies demonstrate the benefits of creative arts therapies for anxiety, depression, and trauma. Similarly, CBT techniques, when integrated with activities, have shown promise in addressing specific behavioral issues. However, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term impact of various activities and their effectiveness across diverse adolescent populations. The quality of the therapeutic relationship remains a critical factor in the success of any intervention, including those that utilize activities for teens in therapy.
4. Ethical Considerations in Using Activities for Teens in Therapy
The ethical use of activities for teens in therapy necessitates careful consideration of several factors:
Informed Consent: Adolescents must understand the purpose and nature of any activity before participating. Their consent, and the consent of their parents/guardians, should be obtained.
Confidentiality: While activities can be a powerful tool, therapists must maintain ethical boundaries around confidentiality and ensure the safety and well-being of the adolescent.
Cultural Sensitivity: Activities should be culturally appropriate and avoid perpetuating stereotypes or biases. Therapists need to be aware of the cultural context of the adolescent's life and adapt activities accordingly.
Potential for Trauma Re-enactment: Certain activities, particularly those involving trauma narratives, carry the risk of re-traumatization. Therapists must be trained in trauma-informed care and implement safety protocols to minimize this risk.
5. Current Trends and Future Directions
Current trends in activities for teens in therapy include:
Increased integration of technology: The use of apps, virtual reality, and online platforms is expanding, offering new possibilities for engaging adolescents and delivering therapy remotely.
Emphasis on mindfulness and self-compassion: These approaches are increasingly incorporated into activities to promote emotional regulation and stress reduction.
Focus on social-emotional learning: Activities are often designed to enhance social skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
Future research should focus on:
Developing standardized measures to assess the effectiveness of different activities.
Examining the long-term outcomes of activities for teens in therapy.
Investigating cultural adaptations and best practices for diverse populations.
6. Conclusion
Activities for teens in therapy offer a valuable complement to traditional talk therapy, providing engaging and effective pathways to address emotional and behavioral challenges. However, their implementation requires careful consideration of ethical implications, cultural sensitivity, and the need for evidence-based practices. Ongoing research and training are crucial to ensure that these activities are used effectively and responsibly to enhance the mental well-being of adolescents.
FAQs
1. Are activities for teens in therapy always necessary? No, talk therapy alone can be effective for some teens. Activities are supplementary tools that can enhance engagement and promote deeper processing.
2. What if a teen refuses to participate in an activity? The therapist should respect the teen's decision and explore the reasons for their refusal, potentially adapting the activity or finding an alternative approach.
3. How do I find a therapist who uses activities in therapy? Search online directories or ask your doctor for referrals to therapists specializing in adolescent mental health and who utilize various therapeutic modalities.
4. Are activities for teens in therapy covered by insurance? Coverage varies depending on the insurance plan and the type of activity. It's best to check with your insurance provider.
5. Can activities for teens in therapy be used to treat specific conditions like anxiety or depression? Yes, many activities are specifically designed to address particular conditions, often in conjunction with other therapeutic approaches.
6. Are parents involved in the selection of activities for their teen? While parental input can be valuable, the ultimate decision on specific activities rests with the therapist and the adolescent, respecting the adolescent's autonomy.
7. How do activities for teens in therapy differ from those used with adults? Activities for teens are tailored to their developmental stage, cognitive abilities, and interests, often incorporating more playful and creative approaches.
8. Are there any risks associated with activities for teens in therapy? Potential risks include re-traumatization (with trauma-focused activities) or triggering negative emotions. A skilled therapist will address these risks proactively.
9. How can I help my teen feel comfortable participating in activities for teens in therapy? Open communication, creating a safe and supportive environment at home, and encouraging open dialogue about the therapy process can help.
Related Articles:
1. The Role of Art Therapy in Adolescent Trauma Recovery: Explores the effectiveness of art therapy in processing traumatic experiences in adolescents.
2. Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Teen Anxiety: Discusses the use of mindfulness activities to reduce anxiety symptoms in teenagers.
3. Using Music Therapy to Enhance Emotional Expression in Adolescents: Examines how music therapy facilitates emotional processing and self-discovery.
4. The Effectiveness of CBT Activities in Treating Adolescent Depression: Evaluates the efficacy of cognitive behavioral techniques and related activities in managing depression.
5. Drama Therapy and Adolescent Social Skills Development: Explores the use of drama therapy to improve social competence and communication skills.
6. Ethical Considerations in the Use of Projective Techniques with Adolescents: Focuses on the ethical challenges and best practices in utilizing projective techniques in adolescent therapy.
7. Integrating Technology into Activities for Teens in Therapy: Discusses the emerging role of technology in enhancing engagement and access to therapeutic activities.
8. Cultural Considerations in Selecting Activities for Adolescent Therapy: Highlights the importance of culturally sensitive practices in choosing appropriate activities.
9. Measuring the Outcomes of Activities for Teens in Therapy: A Review of Assessment Tools: Provides a critical review of available assessment tools for evaluating the effectiveness of various therapeutic activities.
| activities for teens in therapy: Therapeutic Activities for Children and Teens Coping with Health Issues Robyn Hart, Judy Rollins, 2011-03-21 Winner of the American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year 2011 (Category: Maternal And Child Health) Building on children's natural inclinations to pretend and reenact, play therapy is widely used in the treatment of psychological problems in childhood. This book is the only one of its kind with more than 200 therapeutic activities specifically designed for working with children and teenagers within the healthcare system. It provides evidence-based, age-appropriate activities for interventions that promote coping. The activities target topics such as separation anxiety, self-esteem issues, body image, death, isolation, and pain. Mental health practitioners will appreciate its cookbook format, with quickly read and implemented activities. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Therapy Games for Teens: 150 Activities to Improve Self-Esteem, Communication, and Coping Skills Kevin Gruzewski, 2020-09-15 Build teen self-esteem and communication skills with 150 simple, effective therapy games Planning thoughtful and productive therapy activities for teens doesn't have to be a complex challenge or require a lot of specialized resources. Therapy Games for Teens makes it easier to reach them, with 150 games based in recreation therapy that help teens cope with stress, bullying, grief, anxiety, depression, and more. These fun and inclusive therapy games are designed specifically with teens in mind. Step-by-step instructions show you how to guide them as they practice everything from labeling their own emotions to creative ways of venting frustration, with techniques that incorporate mindfulness and self-reflection. Give teens the tools to navigate life's challenges effectively, so they can grow up into confident, self-aware adults. Therapy Games for Teens helps: Put teens in control--Designed for both groups and individuals, these therapy games use self-exploration and creative expression to help teens let their guard down and learn valuable coping skills. Discussion questions--Each activity includes tips, talking points, and open-ended questions to help teens put what they learned into perspective and apply it to their lives. Practical and doable--The therapy games use simple materials like pencils, paper, dry-erase boards, and tape so there's no need for expensive or specialized tools. Help teens arm themselves with skills to manage their emotions and step into their potential. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Activities for Adolescents in Therapy Susan T. Dennison, 1998 This how to do it book has been written primarily for experienced group clinicians-social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and school counselors. However, it may also be adapted for use by other experienced helping professionals who work with troubled adolescents in group settings, such as art therapists, special education teachers, recreation therapists, and speech/language pathologists. Although the activities are intended for groups, modifications can easily be made for use in individual therapy. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Teen Girl's Survival Guide Lucie Hemmen, 2015-11-01 As a teen girl, you are likely feeling pressure and stress from every direction. Having good, healthy relationships with friends you can count on makes all the difference. In this guide, psychologist and teen expert Lucie Hemmen offers ten tips to guide you toward creating and maintaining the social life you want. Even better, the real experts that make this guide special are older teen girls who have recently been where you are now—and have plenty to say about it. As you move through this fun and engaging guide, you will get a sense of who you are as a friend, appreciate authentic qualities you can share with others, and get moving toward expanding the quality and quantity of your social connections. Before you know it, small steps will lead to big changes and you will find yourself more confident, connected, and happy. Grounded in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the ten tips guide you in developing yourself in both simple and significant ways. You will engage in thought-provoking exercises and take fun quizzes spaced between tips to get you thinking more deeply about yourself and others. If you’re ready to get going on your social life, this book will show you the way. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Therapeutic Activities for Children and Teens Coping with Health Issues Robyn Hart, Judy Rollins, 2011-05-03 Winner of the American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year 2011 (Category: Maternal And Child Health) Building on children's natural inclinations to pretend and reenact, play therapy is widely used in the treatment of psychological problems in childhood. This book is the only one of its kind with more than 200 therapeutic activities specifically designed for working with children and teenagers within the healthcare system. It provides evidence-based, age-appropriate activities for interventions that promote coping. The activities target topics such as separation anxiety, self-esteem issues, body image, death, isolation, and pain. Mental health practitioners will appreciate its cookbook format, with quickly read and implemented activities. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Creative Expression Activities for Teens Bonnie Thomas, 2011-06-15 Coping with life's stresses is difficult for everybody, but can be especially challenging for teenagers, who often feel isolated and misunderstood. Creative expression through art, craft, and writing is a natural and effective way of helping young people to explore and communicate personal identity. This book is bursting with art and journal activities, creative challenges, and miniature projects for bedrooms and other personal spaces, all of which help teenagers to understand and express who they are and what is important to them. These fun ideas can be tailored to suit the individual, and require minimal equipment and even less artistic know-how, so can be enjoyed by all. The book concludes with a useful section for counselors and other professionals who work with young people, which explains how these activities can be incorporated into treatment goals. This imaginative and insightful book is a useful resource for all therapists, social workers, and counselors who wish to encourage self-expression in teenagers. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Play Therapy Techniques Charles E. Schaefer, Donna M. Cangelosi, 2002 The second edition of Play Therapy Techniques includes seven new chapters in addition to the original twenty-four. These lively chapters expand the comprehensive scope of the book by describing issues involved in beginning and ending therapy, using metaphors, playing music and ball, and applying the renowned Color Your Life technique. The extensive selection of play techniques described in this book will add to the clinical repertoire of students and practitioners of child therapy and counseling. When used in combination with formal education and clinical supervision, Play Therapy Techniques, Second Edition, can be especially useful for developing treatment plans to address the specific needs of various clinical populations. Students and practitioners of child therapy and counseling, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and child life specialists will find this second of Play Therapy Techniques informative and clinically useful. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The PTSD Workbook Mary Beth Williams, Soili Poijula, 2013-04-01 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an extremely debilitating anxiety condition that can occur after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal. Although many know that this mental health issue affects veterans of war, many may not know that it also affects victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, natural disasters, crime, car accidents and accidents in the workplace. No matter the cause of their illness, people with PTSD will often relive their traumatic experience in the form of flashbacks, memories, nightmares, and frightening thoughts. This is especially true when they are exposed to events or objects that remind them of their trauma. Left untreated, PTSD can lead to emotional numbness, insomnia, addiction, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. In The PTSD Workbook, Second Edition, psychologists and trauma experts Mary Beth Williams and Soili Poijula outline techniques and interventions used by PTSD experts from around the world to offer trauma survivors the most effective tools available to conquer their most distressing trauma-related symptoms, whether they are a veteran, a rape survivor, or a crime victim. Based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the book is extremely accessible and easy-to-use, offering evidence-based therapy at a low cost. This new edition features chapters focusing on veterans with PTSD, the link between cortisol and adrenaline and its role in PTSD and overall mental health, and the mind-body component of PTSD. This book is designed to arm PTSD survivors with the emotional resilience they need to get their lives back together after a traumatic event. |
| activities for teens in therapy: 150 More Group Therapy Activities & TIPS Judith Belmont, 2020-04-23 Bestselling author Judy Belmont has created another treasure chest of hands-on and easy-to-use handouts, activities, worksheets, mini-lessons and quizzes that help clients develop effective life skills. 150 More Group Therapy Activities & TIPS, the fourth in her Therapeutic Toolbox series, provides a wealth of psycho-educational ideas with Belmont's signature T.I.P.s format ( Theory, Implementation, and Processing ). Ready-to-use tools include: Interactive strategies for leading successful group experiences DBT, CBT, ACT and positive psychology-inspired resources Communication skills-building activities Coping skills using mindfulness and stress resiliency practices Self-esteem and self-compassion guides for changing thoughts Fun team building exercises and icebreakers Practical resources for adults, adolescents & children |
| activities for teens in therapy: Reaching Teens Kenneth R. Ginsburg, Zachary Brett Ramirez McClain, 2020-06-29 Completely revised and updated, Reaching Teens provides communications strategies to effectively engage with today's teenagers. This groundbreaking multimedia resource combines video and text to show how recognizing, reinforcing, and building on inherent strengths supports positive youth development. Key Features New edition expands guidance on trauma, by reframing the approach to show that working with youth can be trauma sensitive and also incorporates positive youth development and resilience. Twenty-nine new chapters--93 total New website companion, which includes Full book content, plus references Expanded version of select chapters In-chapter access to videos and group learning and discussion Tailored learning resources for different audiences created in conjunction with subject matter experts: Youth development programs Education settings Health care settings Juvenile justice settings Foster care settings Substance use programs and recovery settings Includes 400 video clips. Earn CME credits/CEUs |
| activities for teens in therapy: Active Interventions for Kids and Teens Jeffrey S. Ashby, Terry Kottman, Donald G. DeGraaf, 2008 |
| activities for teens in therapy: Creative Family Therapy Techniques Liana Lowenstein, 2010 Bringing together an array of highly creative contributors, this comprehensive resource presents a unique collection of assessment and treatment techniques. Contributors illustrate how play, art, drama, and other approaches can effectively engage families and help them resolve complex problems. Practitioners from divergent theoretical orientations, work settings, or client specialisations will find a plethora of stimulating and useable clinical interventions in this book. |
| activities for teens in therapy: DBT Therapeutic Activity Ideas for Kids and Caregivers Carol Lozier, 2020-04-21 Dialectical Behavior Therapy is for children who have difficulty managing emotions and behavior. The book has reproducible handouts and worksheets for caregivers and therapists to teach children effective strategies to cope and manage emotions, behaviors, relationships and cognitions. The last section is specifically for caregiver skills. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Building Bridges Julie Lowe, 2020-09-28 Knowing how to approach children and teens in counseling can be a challenge. Learning to enter into their world and draw them out can sometimes feel impossible. But with Julie Lowe’s Building Bridges—a practical workbook of expressive activities to do with kids and teens in counseling—you will find the biblical tools you’re looking for. There are thoughtful, biblically wise, and creative ways we can engage young people. The responsibility lies on us as adults to work hard at drawing kids out. Thankfully, there are helpful, practical ways to speak the gospel into their lives, and by building bridges with young people, we can build bridges with them to the Lord. With over fifteen years of counseling experience and by working as a registered play therapist supervisor, Julie Lowe understands there is a need to speak truth and hope into the lives of children and teens in a hands-on, meaningful way. That’s why the activities in Building Bridges can be used over and over in multiple contexts. This workbook walks men and women through the rationale for expressive activities, provides examples, and then shows counselors how to do it themselves. By pointing to the Lord through expressive mediums, counselors and youth workers will be able to reach kids and teens in a unique, biblical way. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Therapy Games Alanna Jones, 2013-08-05 In this book, you will find 102 new and exciting ways to turn ordinary games into Therapy Games. Each game used in the book comes with five or more ways to make simple changes that create a new and unique therapeutic experience. In addition to the 102 game options, there's also a section on how playing the game itself without any changes can have therapeutic value. Turn the following games into various new Therapy Games: Apples to Apples; Operation; Taboo; Chutes and Ladders; Monopoly; Jenga; Let's Go Fishin; Jigsaw Puzzles; Cards and Dice; and more. |
| activities for teens in therapy: DBT Therapeutic Activity Ideas for Working with Teens Carol Lozier, 2018-02-21 This fun and engaging activity book helps to teach teens to manage emotions and develop relationships by tracking their progress using Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) techniques. DBT is specifically designed for emotionally sensitive young people, especially those with borderline personality disorder, and the activities in this book will help regulate strong emotional responses which can lead to impulsivity, unstable relationships, low self-image and reactive emotions. It is a concise and easy-to-read resource, accompanied by vignettes and activity sheets. It presents an overview of the four modules of DBT: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills used in these modules can be logged and monitored through the tick lists and diary cards provided. These practical tools and ideas are reproducible, and will be invaluable for anyone working with teens. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Play Therapy with Adults Charles E. Schaefer, 2003-06-16 Learn how to incorporate adult play therapy into your practice withthis easy-to-use guide In the Western world there has been a widening belief that play isnot a trivial or childish pursuit but rather a prime pillar ofmental health, along with love and work. Play Therapy with Adultspresents original chapters written by a collection of internationalexperts who examine the diverse approaches and clinical strategiesavailable for successfully incorporating play therapy intoadult-client sessions. This timely guide covers healing through the use of a variety ofplay therapy techniques and methods. Various client groups andtreatment settings are given special attention, including workingwith adolescents, the elderly, couples, individuals with dementia,and clients in group therapy. Material is organized into four sections for easy reference: * Dramatic role play * Therapeutic humor * Sand play and doll play * Play groups, hypnoplay, and client-centered play Play Therapy with Adults is a valuable book for psychologists,therapists, social workers, and counselors interested in helpingclients explore themselves through playful activities. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Big Book of Therapeutic Activity Ideas for Children and Teens Lindsey Joiner, 2011-11-15 For difficult or challenging children and teenagers in therapeutic or school settings, creative activities can be an excellent way of increasing enjoyment and boosting motivation, making the sessions more rewarding and successful for everyone involved. This resource provides over one hundred tried-and-tested fun and imaginative therapeutic activities and ideas to unleash the creativity of children and teenagers aged 5+. Employing a variety of expressive arts including art, music, stories, poetry and film, the activities are designed to teach social skills development, anger control strategies, conflict resolution and thinking skills. Also included are character education activities and ideas for conducting therapeutic day camps, including sample schedules and handouts. The activities can be used in many different settings with all ages, are flexible, and can be adapted for use with individuals or groups. Brimming with imaginative ideas, this resource will be invaluable to anyone working with children and teenagers, including school counselors, social workers, therapists, psychologists and teachers. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Anxiety Workbook for Teens Lisa M. Schab, 2010-01-07 This professional edition includes both the Instant Help book and a companion CD that offers the complete book and printable worksheets for your clients. About one in four teens suffers from mild to serious problems with anxiety, and many of them get little or no help. The Anxiety Workbook for Teens, written by an experienced therapist, gives teens a collection of tools to help control anxiety and face day-to-day challenges. This workbook both gives anxious teens insight into their problems and offers practical guidance for overcoming them. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Teen Relationship Workbook Kerry Moles, 2001 This workbook is for therapists, counselors, and other professionals working with young people to prevent or end relationship abuse. Designed to teach teens to recognize the warning signs in relationship abuse and develop skills for healthy relationships. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Play Therapy with Adolescents Loretta Gallo-Lopez, Charles E. Schaefer, 2010 Adolescents are often resistant, hostile, moody, and difficult, but they can also be fascinating, creative, spontaneous, and passionate. How do mental health professionals get past the facade? Play Therapy with Adolescents is the first book to offer a complete variety of play therapy approaches specifically geared toward adolescents. The chapters, written by experts in the field, offer readers entry into the world of adolescents, showing how to make connections and alliances. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Fair Play Eve Rodsky, 2021-01-05 AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK Tired, stressed, and in need of more help from your partner? Imagine running your household (and life!) in a new way... It started with the Sh*t I Do List. Tired of being the “shefault” parent responsible for all aspects of her busy household, Eve Rodsky counted up all the unpaid, invisible work she was doing for her family—and then sent that list to her husband, asking for things to change. His response was...underwhelming. Rodsky realized that simply identifying the issue of unequal labor on the home front wasn't enough: She needed a solution to this universal problem. Her sanity, identity, career, and marriage depended on it. The result is Fair Play: a time- and anxiety-saving system that offers couples a completely new way to divvy up domestic responsibilities. Rodsky interviewed more than five hundred men and women from all walks of life to figure out what the invisible work in a family actually entails and how to get it all done efficiently. With 4 easy-to-follow rules, 100 household tasks, and a series of conversation starters for you and your partner, Fair Play helps you prioritize what's important to your family and who should take the lead on every chore, from laundry to homework to dinner. “Winning” this game means rebalancing your home life, reigniting your relationship with your significant other, and reclaiming your Unicorn Space—the time to develop the skills and passions that keep you interested and interesting. Stop drowning in to-dos and lose some of that invisible workload that's pulling you down. Are you ready to try Fair Play? Let's deal you in. |
| activities for teens in therapy: WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour , 2020-11-20 |
| activities for teens in therapy: Directive Play Therapy Elsa Soto Leggett, PhD, LPC-S, RPT-S, Jennifer N. Boswell, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, RPT, 2016-10-26 Structured, therapist-led approaches to play therapy are becoming increasingly popular due to their time-limited nature and efficacy for such specific disorders as trauma and attachment issues. This is the first book to provide comprehensive coverage of numerous directive play therapy techniques and interventions that are empirically validated and can be adapted for use in clinical, school, group, and family settings. Designed for both students and practitioners, the text addresses the theoretical bases for these approaches and provides in-depth, practical guidance for their use. The book describes how directive play therapies differ from nondirective therapies and illustrates best practices in using directive techniques. It examines such diverse approaches as cognitive behavioral, solution focused, sensorimotor, and the use of creative arts in play therapy. Each approach is covered in terms of its theoretical foundation, research basis, specific techniques for practice, and a case example. The text describes how to adapt directive play therapy techniques for use in various contexts, such as with families, in groups, and in schools. Helpful templates for treatment planning and case documentation are also included, making the book a valuable resource for both training courses and practicing professionals in play therapy, clinical mental health counseling, child counseling, school counseling, child and family social work, marriage and family therapy, and clinical child psychology. Key Features: Delivers step-by-step guidance for using directive play therapy techniques--the first book to do so Addresses theoretical basis, research support, and practical techniques for a diverse range of therapies Covers varied settings and contexts including school, clinical, group, and family settings Includes case studies Provides templates for treatment planning and case documentation |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents Catherine Ford Sori, Lorna Hecker, Molli E. Bachenberg, 2015-07-24 In The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents, 2nd ed, you'll find the most powerful tools available for aiding children with their feelings, incorporating play techniques into therapy, encouraging appropriate parental involvement in family sessions, and providing group therapy to children. This ready reference is divided into ten thoughtfully planned sections to make it easy to find the right activity, handout, or intervention for the problem at hand, whether you’re looking for creative ideas, running a children’s group, putting interventions into practice in the classroom, or looking for ways to increase parental and familial involvement. Instructions for the activities are clearly explained and highlighted with case examples and many illustrations. Chapters are by leading experts, including Eliana Gil, Risë VanFleet, Liana Lowenstein, Howard Rosenthal, and Volker Thomas, and explore strategies for treating children both individually and in a family context. With more than 60% new material, this expanded version delves into the latest research and thinking on family play therapy and addresses many pertinent issues of our time, including bullying, suicidal ideation, ADHD, autism, adolescents and sex, and cultural issues. It’s a must-have arsenal for both novice and experienced professionals in family therapy, play therapy, psychology, psychiatry, counseling, education, nursing, and related fields. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Teen Anxiety Sheri L. Turrell, Christopher McCurry, Mary Bell, 2018-10-01 Move past anxiety and discover what really matters to you. Written by three experts in teen mental health, this powerful workbook offers evidence-based activities grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) to help you cope with anxiety, build resilience, stop avoiding the things you fear, and lead a fuller, happier life. Anxiety is what we feel when we’re scared about some future event that may or may not happen. When you’re struggling with anxiety your mind is trying to protect you from danger, so it’s busy telling you about all the things you can’t do. Along with these thoughts come a host of feelings and bodily sensations—such as sweaty palms, restlessness, lightheadedness, and stomach aches. But it’s not the anxious thoughts that make anxiety a problem. It’s the actions we take, or don’t take, as a result of these thoughts. In The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Teen Anxiety, you’ll find helpful alternatives to the ineffective strategies and habits you’re currently using to deal with anxiety, such as avoidance. You’ll find basic information about anxiety to help you recognize what it looks and feels like, mindfulness tips to help you stay in the moment when you feel worried about the future, and tips to help you connect with your own values so you can start putting the important things in life first. |
| activities for teens in therapy: How to Parent Your Anxious Toddler Natasha Daniels, 2015-09-21 Why does your toddler get upset when his or her routine is disrupted? Why do they follow you from room to room and refuse to play on their own? Why are daily routines such as mealtimes, bath time, and bed time such a struggle? This accessible guide demystifies the difficult behaviors of anxious toddlers, offering tried-and-tested practical solutions to common parenting dilemmas. Each chapter begins with a real life example, clearly illustrating the behavior from the parent's and the toddler's perspective. Once the toddler's anxious behavior has been demystified and explained, new and effective parenting approaches are introduced to help parents tackle everyday difficulties and build up their child's resilience, independence, and coping mechanisms. Common difficulties with bath time, toileting, sleep, eating, transitions, social anxiety, separation anxiety, and sensory issues are solved, along with specific fears and phobias, and more extreme behaviors such as skin picking and hair pulling. A must-read for all parents of anxious toddlers, as well as for the professionals involved in supporting them. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Feeling Better: CBT Workbook for Teens Rachel Hutt, 2019-03-19 Help teens relieve stress and anxiety when it strikes with CBT Dealing with school, friends, and thoughts of the future can be challenging for teenagers. This CBT workbook can help, with simple strategies for overcoming tough feelings and living with more positivity and optimism. Find activities and writing prompts that will help you determine your values, boost your self-esteem, and learn to let thoughts come and go without getting stuck on them. Navigate anxiety and anger management for teens with: Interactive exercises and questions―Understand your feelings with quizzes and write-in prompts that help you turn negative habits into more productive ones. Manageable goal setting—Learn how to break down overwhelming tasks and challenges into small steps that make it easier to move forward. Real therapy methods―Explore exercises built on the latest strategies from CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness. This CBT workbook gives teens the strategies to be who they want to be. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Teletherapy Toolkit? Roseann Capanna-Hodge, 2020-10-27 The Teletherapy Toolkit? is the first-ever book written on teletherapy. If you're a therapist who was thrown into teletherapy because of the pandemic, and you're struggling to find effective and easy-to-use therapeutic activities with your clients, this book will show you how to:?Keep kids engaged by using proven therapeutic activities that work just as well as if they were sitting in front of you.?Avoid the biggest teletherapy mistakes most therapists make with Teletherapy Dos-And-Don'ts. ?Design your teletherapy so you can feel comfortable leading client sessions without worrying about the details using the Teletherapy Essentials Checklist?.?Help children and families better understand and address their issues with parent-information and psycho-ed sheets.?Stop questioning yourself because you feel unprepared and reinstate your confidence. Research shows that teletherapy is as effective as in-person counseling. After watching my own team of therapists struggle to find theory-grounded therapeutic techniques to use, I felt compelled to write this book to help you provide great therapeutic care for the kids and families who need it most right now. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Anger Management Workbook for Kids Samantha Snowden, 2018-11-27 The Anger Management Workbook for Kids offers kid-friendly exercises and interactive activities to feel happier, calmer, and take control of anger. Everyone gets angry, but teaching kids how to respond to anger is what really matters. The Anger Management Workbook for Kids offers fun, interactive activities to help kids handle powerful emotions for a lifetime of healthy behavioral choices. From drawing a picture of what anger looks like to building a vocabulary for communicating feelings, the activities in this workbook give kids ages 6-12 the skills to understand and talk about anger habits and triggers. With this foundation, kids will learn positive and proactive strategies to deal with anger through gratitude, friendliness, and self-kindness. At home, school, or with friends, the Anger Management Workbook for Kids equips kids to take control of anger, with: A close look at anger that helps kids and parents identify habits and triggers, and recognize how anger feels to them. Interactive exercises that provide a fun format for learning how to communicate feelings, needs, and wants to take control of angry outbursts. Feel-good habits that help kids develop better responses to anger by cultivating self-kindness, joy, and appreciation. Anger is a regular emotion just like joy, sadness, and fear--but sometimes anger acts bossy. Give your kids to the power to say STOP to anger with the Anger Management Workbook for Kids. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Big Book of Therapeutic Activity Ideas for Children and Teens Lindsey Joiner, 2011-10-15 Drawing on art, music, stories, poetry and film, the author provides more than 100 fun and imaginative therapeutic activities and ideas to unleash the creativity of children and teenagers ages 5 and older, with the activities designed to teach social-skills development, anger-control strategies, conflict resolution and thinking skills. Original. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Problem-Solving Therapy Thomas D'Zurilla, PhD, Arthur M. Nezu, PhD, ABPP, 2006-09-18 MAXIMIZE POSITIVE PATIENT OUTCOMES Enhance Function--Avert Relapses--Present New Problems In this new updated edition, authors Thomas J. D'Zurilla and Arthur M. Nezu, present some of the most useful advances in problem-solving therapy (PST) today. An excellent resource for maximizing positive patient outcomes, this all-inclusive guide helps enhance your problem solving skills and apply successful clinical techniques to help your clients improve their lives. Known for its presentation of solid research results and effective PST training tools, this best-selling guide has been fully updated to include: NEW research data on social problem solving and adjustment NEW studies on the efficacy of PST NEW social problem solving models NEW updated and more user-friendly therapist's training manual Written for a wide audience, from therapists and counselors to psychologists and social workers, this highly readable and practical reference is a must-have guide to helping your patients identify and resolve current life problems. The book set is designed to be read alongside its informal manual accompaniment, Solving Life's Problems: A 5-Step Guide to Enhanced Well-Being by D'Zurilla, Nezu, and Christine Maguth Nezu. Purchase of the two books as a set will get you these life-changing texts at an $7.00 savings over the two books bought individually. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Telemental Health with Kids Toolbox: 102 Games, Play and Art Activities, Sensory and Movement Exercises, and Talk Therapy Interventions Amy Marschall, 2021-12-15 Keeping kids engaged in therapy comes with its own set of challenges - and doing it over a screen is no exception. As clinicians increasingly make the switch to remote therapy, the need for kid-friendly telehealth interventions has become more crucial than ever. In Telemental Health with Kids Toolbox, Dr. Amy Marschall has created an arsenal of flexible, creative, and fun virtual interventions that will allow you to provide effective, evidence-based treatment while still capturing the attention of even the youngest of clients. Inside you'll find over 100 ready-to-use telehealth games, exercises, and activities that offer the same therapeutic benefits as your in-person sessions. Each intervention includes suggested age ranges and step-by-step instructions, equipping you with the tools you need to effectively (and confidently!) provide treatment through a screen. You'll also receive guidance on how to create your own kid-friendly, virtual intervention that are unique to your practice! Designed to fit with any therapeutic orientation, this toolbox targets a variety of skills: - Frustration tolerance - Perspective taking - Problem solving - Cognitive flexibility - Perfectionism - Empathy building - Winning and losing well - Impulse control - Decision-making - Emotion regulation - Following directions - And more! |
| activities for teens in therapy: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) American Psychiatric Association, 2021-09-24 |
| activities for teens in therapy: Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens Michael A. Tompkins, Jonathan R. Barkin, 2020-01-28 Between school, friends, dating, the latest drama on social media, and planning for the future-today's teens are totally stressed out. Based on the self-help classic, The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, this evidence-based guide will help teen readers identify the underlying causes of their stress, anxiety, and worry. Teens will also learn to develop a game plan for reducing stress so they can focus on reaching their goals. |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Invisible String Patrice Karst, 2025-01-07 With over 1.5 million copies sold, this accessible, bestselling picture book phenomenon about the unbreakable connections between loved ones has healed generations of children and adults alike. A Spanish edition (El hilo invisible by Patrice Karst and Joanne Lew-Vriethoff) and a companion workbook are also available (The Invisible String Workbook). Parents, educators, therapists, and social workers alike have declared The Invisible String the perfect tool for coping with all kinds of separation anxiety, loss, and grief. It's also been joyfully embraced as a year-round celebration of love--gifted at births, graduations, weddings, Valentine's Day, and beyond. In this relatable and reassuring contemporary classic, a mother tells her two children that they're all connected by an invisible string. That's impossible! the children insist, but still they want to know more: What kind of string? The answer is the simple truth that binds us all: An Invisible String made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love. Does everybody have an Invisible String? How far does it reach? Does it ever go away? This heartwarming picture book for all ages explores questions about the intangible yet unbreakable connections between us, and opens up deeper conversations about love. Recommended and adopted by parenting blogs, bereavement support groups, hospice centers, foster care and social service agencies, military library services, church groups, and educators, The Invisible String offers a very simple approach to overcoming loneliness, separation, or loss with an imaginative twist that children easily understand and embrace, and delivers a particularly compelling message in today's uncertain times. This special paperback edition includes vibrant new illustrations and an introduction from the author. Recommended by Oprah Daily! This book is a beautiful way to begin to try, as parents, to instill in children the impenetrable power of the heart, the energy of love, and the flow that can be felt from the grace in every moment. —Tony Robbins Read all the books in The Invisible String series: The Invisible String Backpack: Your very own tool kit for school—and life! The Invisible String Workbook: Creative Activities to Comfort, Calm, and Connect The Invisible Leash: An Invisible String Story About the Loss of a Pet The Invisible Web: An Invisible String Story Celebrating Love and Universal Connection You Are Never Alone: An Invisible String Lullaby |
| activities for teens in therapy: The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents Catherine Ford Sori, Lorna L. Hecker, 2014-04-04 This book puts a myriad of homework, handouts, activities, and interventions in your hands! Targeted specifically toward children and adolescents, the “therapist's helpers,” you'll find in this extraordinary book will give you the edge in aiding children with their feelings, incorporating play techniques into therapy, providing group therapy to children, and encouraging appropriate parental involvement. The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents covers sleep problems, divorce, illness, grief, sexual abuse, cultural/minority issues, and more, incorporating therapeutic approaches that include play, family play, psychodynamic, family systems, behavioral, narrative, and solution-focused therapy. This ready reference is divided into eight thoughtfully planned sections to make it easy to find the right activity, handout, or intervention for the problem at hand: Dealing with Children's Feelings, The Use of Play in Therapy, Special Child Problems, Youth/Adolescents, Specific Approaches or Interventions, Family Issues, Parent Education and Intervention, and Illness and Bereavement. Covering a wide age range, The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents will help you become even more effective with your youthful clients by: providing creative ideas for use with children expanding your repertoire of proven interventions and approaches to working with children and specific children's issues exploring effective ways to run children's groups showing you how to work with children in many modalities--individual, family, with parents, and in groups examining ways to include parents and families in child/adolescent therapy to increase the ability to make systematic changes-helping the client’s behavioral change to be reinforced at home A far cry from typical child intervention books, The Therapist's Notebook for Children and Adolescents: Homework, Handouts, and Activities for Use in Psychotherapy does much more than simply help you teach skills to children. Make it a part of your therapeutic arsenal today! |
| activities for teens in therapy: Teambuilding with Teens Mariam G. MacGregor, 2007-11-15 The 36 activities in this book make learning about leadership a hands-on, active experience. Kids are called on to recognize each other’s strengths, become better listeners, communicate clearly, identify their values, build trust, set goals, and more. Each activity takes 20–45 minutes. Digital content includes all of the book's reproducible forms. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Parent-Teen Therapy for Executive Function Deficits and ADHD Margaret H. Sibley, 2016-08-24 This user-friendly manual presents an innovative, tested approach to helping teens overcome the frustrating organizational and motivation problems associated with executive function deficits and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Supporting Teens' Autonomy Daily (STAND) approach uses motivational interviewing (MI) to engage teens and their parents in building key compensatory skills in organization, time management, and planning. Parent training components ease family conflict and equip parents to support kids' independence. Ready-to-use worksheets and rating scales are provided; the book has a large-size format for easy photocopying. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print all 45 reproducible tools. |
| activities for teens in therapy: Creative Therapy Angela Hobday, Kate Ollier, 1998 A user-friendly resource that encourages creativity in therapy and assists therapists in talking with children to facilitate change. Ranging from simple ideas to the more complicated and innovated, the activities have been designed to be used as tools to supplement a variety of approaches to an individual child's needs. |
Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents, and …
A variety of activities are provided within each section to enable practitioners to choose interventions that suit their clients’ specific needs. Each technique outlines specific goals.
DEALING WITH TRAUMA: A TF-CBT WORKBOOK FOR …
Practice activities can be assigned each week for the teen, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes homework/practice activities that are labeled as practice …
Self-Regulation Workbook for Teens - The OT Toolbox
Self-regulation is a superpower that helps you control and manage your thoughts, emotions, and actions. It's like having an internal control center that helps you make smart choices and …
Coping Skills for Teens Workbook - Choosing Therapy
Cope with stress and support your mental health by tuning into your thoughts, expressing your emotions, and caring for your body and mind – designed for teens. Coping skills come in many …
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training with Adolescents
Part One covers DBT for teens with comprehensive and age-relevant skills explanations, examples, and applied worksheets. Yet beyond the too-common bullet-point and text-driven …
Telehealth Activities for Youth - Omnes IPA
Apr 16, 2020 · Engaging youth in telehealth services can be difficult. These activities have been adapted to assist youth in better engagement through the screen. The activities are interactive …
Trauma Treatment Toolbox for Teens: 144 Trauma:Informed …
help teens to understand the multiple factors that may be influencing their behaviors and beliefs, and provide teens with skills to manage their emotions and symptoms in a healthy manner that …
The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens
The activities in this section teach teens to rec - ognize their anger triggers and then to replace anger thoughts with more helpful coping thoughts. The final activity in this section helps teens …
Managing Trauma Workbook for Teens - Whole Person
hort-term assessments and activities to help teens manage their issues related to trauma and to experience a greater sense of well-being. In addition, this workbook is designed to .
Mental Health Activity Games - Menachem Education …
These activities are appropriate for children, teens, and adults Time: Each game below will outline time Medium: All of these games are made for in person or virtual adaptation. Virtual …
Mindfulness Exercises for Teens - Hope Therapy Center
Combining the power pose with a positive statement is a great way to connect to your internal strength and set powerful intentions for your day. Do this exercise on days when you have a …
When facilitating expressive art for incarcerated youth, the …
https://www.expressiveartworkshops.com/how-to-start-your-own-art-program/spontaneous-art-therapy-activities-for-teens/ 1/ 11 Encouraging Teens to Find their Creative Power When …
Anxious Teens Download - Between Sessions
Tools for Helping Anxious Teens is part of a series of workbooks designed to give therapists and their clients easy access to pracXcal evidence-based psychotherapy tools. 1
Think Confident Be Confident Workbook for Teens …
This workbook is designed to provide interactive exercises that allow teens to grow self-esteem and confidence, while diminishing doubt. Teens will gain an in-depth understanding of …
YOUR VERY OWN TF-CBT WORKBOOK
Homework activities can be assigned each week for the child, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes a relaxation activity that is labeled as homework (it can …
DEALING WITH TRAUMA: A TF-CBT WORKBOOK FOR …
Homework activities can be assigned each week for the teen, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes a relaxation activity that is labeled as homework (it can …
Managing Disruptive Behavior Workbook for Teens
Managing Disruptive Behavior Workbook for Teens provides assessments and self-guided activities to help teens reduce the intensity of their problem behaviors, learn coping skills, and …
Spontaneous Art Therapy Activities for Teenagers
Following is a list of art activities that have worked well with teenagers that encourage spontaneity, original thinking, and imagination. All projects focus on the fun, exploration and …
“Lara Honos-Webb’s book contains forty activities for helping
“Lara Honos-Webb’s book contains forty activities for helping teenagers with ADHD thrive and excel at home, in social situations, and at school. The ADHD Workbook for Teens is an …
Dealing with Grief - A TF-CBT Workbook for Teens Final
This workbook is a companion to Dealing with Trauma: A TF-CBT Workbook for Teens and is intended for adolescents (ages 12-18) who are experiencing traumatic grief as the result of the …
Favorite Therapeutic Activities for Children, Adolescents, and …
A variety of activities are provided within each section to enable practitioners to choose interventions that suit their clients’ specific needs. Each technique outlines specific goals.
DEALING WITH TRAUMA: A TF-CBT WORKBOOK FOR TEENS
Practice activities can be assigned each week for the teen, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes homework/practice activities that are labeled as practice …
Self-Regulation Workbook for Teens - The OT Toolbox
Self-regulation is a superpower that helps you control and manage your thoughts, emotions, and actions. It's like having an internal control center that helps you make smart choices and …
Coping Skills for Teens Workbook - Choosing Therapy
Cope with stress and support your mental health by tuning into your thoughts, expressing your emotions, and caring for your body and mind – designed for teens. Coping skills come in many …
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training with …
Part One covers DBT for teens with comprehensive and age-relevant skills explanations, examples, and applied worksheets. Yet beyond the too-common bullet-point and text-driven …
Telehealth Activities for Youth - Omnes IPA
Apr 16, 2020 · Engaging youth in telehealth services can be difficult. These activities have been adapted to assist youth in better engagement through the screen. The activities are interactive …
Trauma Treatment Toolbox for Teens: 144 Trauma:Informed …
help teens to understand the multiple factors that may be influencing their behaviors and beliefs, and provide teens with skills to manage their emotions and symptoms in a healthy manner that …
The Relaxation & Stress Reduction Workbook for Teens
The activities in this section teach teens to rec - ognize their anger triggers and then to replace anger thoughts with more helpful coping thoughts. The final activity in this section helps teens …
Managing Trauma Workbook for Teens - Whole Person
hort-term assessments and activities to help teens manage their issues related to trauma and to experience a greater sense of well-being. In addition, this workbook is designed to .
Mental Health Activity Games - Menachem Education …
These activities are appropriate for children, teens, and adults Time: Each game below will outline time Medium: All of these games are made for in person or virtual adaptation. Virtual …
Mindfulness Exercises for Teens - Hope Therapy Center
Combining the power pose with a positive statement is a great way to connect to your internal strength and set powerful intentions for your day. Do this exercise on days when you have a …
When facilitating expressive art for incarcerated youth, the …
https://www.expressiveartworkshops.com/how-to-start-your-own-art-program/spontaneous-art-therapy-activities-for-teens/ 1/ 11 Encouraging Teens to Find their Creative Power When …
Anxious Teens Download - Between Sessions
Tools for Helping Anxious Teens is part of a series of workbooks designed to give therapists and their clients easy access to pracXcal evidence-based psychotherapy tools. 1
Think Confident Be Confident Workbook for Teens …
This workbook is designed to provide interactive exercises that allow teens to grow self-esteem and confidence, while diminishing doubt. Teens will gain an in-depth understanding of …
YOUR VERY OWN TF-CBT WORKBOOK
Homework activities can be assigned each week for the child, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes a relaxation activity that is labeled as homework (it can …
DEALING WITH TRAUMA: A TF-CBT WORKBOOK FOR TEENS
Homework activities can be assigned each week for the teen, caretaker, or dyad at the discretion of the therapist. The workbook includes a relaxation activity that is labeled as homework (it can …
Managing Disruptive Behavior Workbook for Teens
Managing Disruptive Behavior Workbook for Teens provides assessments and self-guided activities to help teens reduce the intensity of their problem behaviors, learn coping skills, and …
Spontaneous Art Therapy Activities for Teenagers
Following is a list of art activities that have worked well with teenagers that encourage spontaneity, original thinking, and imagination. All projects focus on the fun, exploration and …
“Lara Honos-Webb’s book contains forty activities for helping
“Lara Honos-Webb’s book contains forty activities for helping teenagers with ADHD thrive and excel at home, in social situations, and at school. The ADHD Workbook for Teens is an …
Dealing with Grief - A TF-CBT Workbook for Teens Final
This workbook is a companion to Dealing with Trauma: A TF-CBT Workbook for Teens and is intended for adolescents (ages 12-18) who are experiencing traumatic grief as the result of the …
