Tweens and Teens

Anxiety is like a really terrible imaginary friend.

This “friend” makes your child feel overwhelmed & caught up in the future or the past. Day-to-day they don’t feel calm, their mind is racing, and they struggle with staying in the moment because this so called “friend” keeps telling them about the worst-case scenario (in vivid detail). And so often, children (and parents!) have done everything they know how and they just can’t seem to get this friend to leave (why won’t they just take the hint already!?!?!)

At this point you are out of tools to help your tween or teen and that is SO okay. It’s not your fault as a parent and you’re already taking a step towards finding the support your child needs. I can help you and your child feel empowered, connected, confident, present, and ready to take on emotions that comes their way. Together, we can finally find a way to kick that imaginary jerk-of-a-friend to the curb.


What Do We Do Together?

We will definitely laugh. We will probably end up playing games. We might make some music and artwork. We may talk about their favorite movies. We may nerd out about the latest anime show or Marvel movie.

Once we’ve developed a strong relationship and your child builds trust with me, we will begin to deepen the work of identifying difficulties, stressors, pressures, and unwanted thoughts. I strategically integrate therapeutic approaches into your child’s unique preferences to support them with staying motivated in the work, while they begin to develop an understanding of how the brain works, what coping skills work for them, and new ways to process and express their emotions.

With many tweens and teens, working with parents is absolutely necessary. This means we may have a parent session once a month or once every few months depending upon your child’s age. No – this isn’t a time where I tell you about the awful things you’re doing (you’re an amazing parent because you are HERE!). This us an opportunity to share concerns, updates, strategies, and any other important information.

Sometimes talking over the phone can soothe the fears that you may have about this process. Reach out for a free 20 minute consultation so we can get to know each other.

What Does Individual Therapy Look Like?

Assessment

Our first few sessions will be dedicated to getting to know each other. This is a time where I will complete an assessment based off of information you have given me and information you’ve completed in the intake paperwork. An assessment will help us form a solid idea of what is going on for you or your loved one and guide us in determining our path moving forward with treatment and goals.

Treatment

Using our goals as a guide, I will continue to support you or your child by continuing to utilize preferred experiences (play, music, games, anime, tabletop gaming, verbal processing, mindfulness, reflection, etc.) throughout our treatment. During this time, it is my job to take notice of thought patterns, emotions, behaviors, and other concerns that arise within these experiences. Using evidenced-based practice, I will use empathy, authenticity, insight, interventions, and/or practices that can lead you or your loved one towards growth.


What are the logistics?

Our sessions occur on a weekly schedule to support consistency with growth and reduce the likelihood of regression. Individual sessions are $135 per hour. 

At this time I am an out-of-network provider and do not directly accept insurances. However, many insurance plans are able to reimburse you for your out-of-pocket therapy expenses. This means that you are responsible for your up-front therapy expenses at the time of service. I can then provide you with a detailed invoice (called a “superbill”) that you can sent to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement. It may be a good idea to reach out with your insurance company to determine their process in handling out-of-network providers.

Connections Creative Arts Therapy

Kate Shannon, LCAT, LCPC MT-BC

(315) 681-7958

kate@connectionscat.com

919 S. Winton Road
Suite #316
Rochester, NY 14618

Monday
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Tuesday
12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Wednesday
12:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Thursday
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
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