ADOLESCENT COUNSELING: Dealing with adolescence, which is a tumultuous and difficult time for most, can be a hassle.  Many therapist avoid working in this area.  I started my professional career, 25 years ago, with troubled adolescents and their families.  Part of what I learned during these early years was to focus on the positive such as the I.D.F.Y. (Idaho Drug Free Youth) program to counter the “negative recognition is better than no recognition at all” syndrome.

 Adolescent counseling techniques need to provide an introspective approach with evaluation of self not what others tell you or try to “make you”.   Positive affirmations can lead to rewarding results such as my S.O.A.R.I.N.G. inc. Program (www.soaringyouth.org).  I have extensive experience with working with our schools and doing groups in them including the Juvenile Probation and Diversion Programs.

                                                ISSUES:

* Anxiety and depression.

* Bored, lonely, and bullied.

* Oppositional/Argumentative

* Threatening, emotionally/physically violent toward others.

* Destroys property, lies, avoids responsibility, steals, shoplifts.

* Drinks or takes drugs, cutting, self-mutilation, promiscuous.

* School problems, truant, poor grades, disrespect for authority.

* Attention/hyperactive (I do not do medication).

* Cancer in the family.

* Military deployments of parents.