All of our consultants are experienced with
adolescents, and we all know that adolescents need a
special approach which recognises their right to a voice
of their own.
We see adolescents with their parents where
appropriate, but it is usual for us to see adolescents by
themselves. We
like to offer them a private and confidential consultation
in which they can feel comfortable to express their hopes
and concerns freely. It is often a relief for
them to feel as if they can truly say what they think
without offending those close to them.
Of course the usual
restraints on confidentiality apply. We will need to tell the appropriate people if the
young person is in danger, or is endangering others.
Before you bring your adolescent to us we recommend that
you discuss why you are bringing him/her in a
non-threatening way. Adolescents who need to see a psychologist are
usually worried about something, or unhappy. A good approach is to say that you feel concerned that they
are not as happy as they used to be, or as you would like
them to be, and that you are taking them to see someone
outside the family and the school, who might be able to
help. It
sometimes is useful for you to say that the young person
can speak to us in confidence, knowing that we will not
tell you or their school what they are saying to us,
without their permission.
Coming to see a psychologist can
be daunting for a young person. We aim to make the visit as painless as possible,
and to work with the young person rather like a coach or a
mentor. Sometimes
it takes a little while for them to relax and let down the
barriers: young people are naturally private and a bit
suspicious at first, so they need to know they can trust
us.
We like to work out how they can work with you as
parents or with their teachers, so that they can feel
happier and more confident in their lives.
Sometimes it is appropriate to do an assessment or to use
checklists in order to assess the young person’s
difficulty more thoroughly. We can also give advice on school and learning
difficulties, as well as careers. This is sometimes a useful way to get to know a young person
better, as well as helping them in a practical way.
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