How Do You Get Your Teenagers to Go to Therapy?

I’ve got a better question…how do you get your teenagers to do ANYTHING?  Here are some typical complaints by parents.  “My son thinks I am the crazy one who needs to go to counseling instead.”  “My daughter does not want to sit in front of a stranger and tell them all about her personal problems.”

Here are some ways to encourage your teen –

1.  Introduce your teenager to a counselor BEFORE major problems arise.

2.  Promise that you will go into therapy with them.

3.  Empower your teen to take ownership of the sessions.

4.  Negotiate.  We will postpone therapy if I see a marked progress in your behavior.

If all else fails…take control!  That IS your job after all.  Call me for a consultation.  I am a New Jersey child psychologist who has dealt with the challenges of teenagers for decades.  I have even developed a special teen-friendly technique.  My name is Dr. Steven Sussman.  Call me today to meet in my Mountainside, New Jersey office at (908) 217-8106.    

The Dramatic Effects of Technology.

You can ignore it, deny it, or accept it for what it is, but technology has altered the human race.  It makes us think differently…even dream differently.  Our memory, our sleep patterns, and our attention spans are perceptibly changed.  You know what it does to adults, so what does it do to younger minds?

Here are some ways that technology has completely “re-wired” us –

1.  FOMO…fear of missing out

2.  PVS…phantom vibration syndrome.  You THINK that your cell phone is ringing

3.  Younger people are remembering less and less personal info. as it is “stored”

4.  Studies show that kids are more likely to react with unchecked hostility

5.  Falling asleep with the glow of laptops becomes more and more challenging

Inquiring minds want to know, and developing minds NEED to know!  Generation Z (people born in this century) will soon account for a third of the population.  Dr. Steven Sussman wants to help you navigate these swirling waters.  Dr. Sussman is a child psychologist who serves Mountainside, NJ and the area.  Please call him for an appointment at (908) 217-8106.