Teen Counseling at Wellspring
Younger children are more concrete in their thinking and adults can be more abstract. Adolescents fall somewhere in between. Their brains are still developing, and they need a mix of concrete and abstract work in therapy.
At Wellspring, we recognize that the needs of people at this age are unique. Depending on the developmental abilities of your child, our adolescent therapists tailor each session to meet your teen where they are — ensuring they feel heard, understood, and empowered to make healthy changes.
What to Expect
Teen therapy typically centers on conversation, reflection, and skill-building, sometimes incorporating creative or experiential activities when helpful. This may look like art, music, journaling, or other creative outlets they enjoy.
Confidentiality, with appropriate boundaries, is an important part of teen therapy. Therapists respect confidentiality while keeping caregivers informed in a way that supports safety and progress. Depending on your teen’s age and therapeutic goals, therapy may include regular parent sessions to help caregivers understand their teen’s progress and learn ways to support them at home. You can read more about our expectations for child, teen & family therapy.
Teen therapy supports adolescents in understanding themselves better, navigating challenges, and developing skills that promote long-term emotional well-being. Our therapists will work with the teen (and often caregivers) to identify goals, such as managing stress, improving mood, strengthening relationships or navigating life changes. Progress takes time and regular sessions to help teens build insight, confidence, and healthier ways of coping.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Therapy
Yes, parents can meet with the counselor at the beginning of the first session to share their concerns and get a feel for how the therapist works. Depending on the comfort level of your teen, this may or may not include the teen themself. We will then have the parents wait in the waiting room for the remainder of the session so our counselor can get to know your teen and begin building rapport and establishing a therapeutic relationship with them.
It depends! Generally, if your child is spending any time at all with either parent, then both parents are strongly encouraged to be a part of therapy. Why? Because, as parents, whether you’re together or separated, you have different thoughts and perspectives on your child that are incredibly valuable to the therapist and the process of therapy. If the child is spending any time in the home of either parent, you may notice similar or different behaviors that can provide insight into how we can help you and your child. Depending on your situation, you may prefer to schedule individual parent sessions with your therapist, or you may prefer to meet with your therapist together. If you ever have any questions or concerns, never hesitate to ask.
Yes! We want our adolescents to feel comfortable sharing with their therapist. This is why we work on having some parts, and even whole sessions, focused on your adolescent. We hope to foster a sense of privacy where your adolescent can talk and not feel that every word they share will be conveyed back to the parents. We want what is shared in the office between your adolescent and therapist to be held as important and private. At Wellspring, each adolescent therapist will work closely with your teen in developing their ability to talk to you directly about important issues. Please note: if there are safety issues, including harm to self, others, or suspected child abuse, our therapists, by law, have the right to break confidentiality.
Wellspring Center for Counseling offers teen therapy at four Illinois locations: Elgin, Sycamore, Mt. Zion, and West Dundee. Each office provides licensed therapists who work with children and adolescents to support emotional growth, build coping skills, and navigate life’s challenges in a safe, compassionate setting.
847-707-2689
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