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Author: Esther Krohner LMFT & Karin Schalnger LMFT

Beyond Labels: A Solution-Focused Approach to Teen Mental Health

In a mental health landscape often dominated by diagnostic labels, the Problem-Solving Brief Therapy Model stands as a beacon of hope for teens navigating the complexities of their challenges. This approach offers a refreshing perspective by prioritizing efficient, solution-focused techniques over lengthy explorations of the past. Let’s take a look at how the Brief Therapy Model transcends labels and empowers teens to overcome obstacles with resilience and self-awareness.

Swift and Impactful Interventions from a Solution Focus approach:

At the core of the Brief Therapy Model lies a commitment to swift, impactful interventions. Rather than getting bogged down in the intricacies of diagnosis or dwelling on painful loops, therapists employing this model guide their teen clients to the heart of the change they want to see. By focusing on the person who wants to see change and guiding towards tangible steps for improvement, the Brief Therapy Model facilitates rapid progress and empowers teens to take control of their mental well-being in harmony with their parents with whom they usually live. A win/win situation.

Proactive Approach to Building Resilience:

For teens grappling with anxiety, the Brief Therapy Model offers a proactive approach to building resilience. If a teen is struggling with school refusal due to stress, bullying, or social anxiety, brief therapy sessions could involve teaching effective limit-setting techniques, conflict resolution strategies and/or systemic communication and advocacy around expectations and needs. Therapists focus on practical solutions to improve communication and understanding within the family unit. Through role-playing, reframes and homework assignments, teens learn to express their needs assertively and navigate familial conflicts constructively, leading to a less stressful family environment. Therapists help teens identify coping strategies and develop confidence-boosting techniques to navigate school environments more easily.

Addressing Digital Saturation and Screen Addiction with Problem- Solving Brief Therapy:

In a screen centric world, screen addiction poses a significant problem to teen mental health. The Brief Therapy Model encourages teens to explore alternative activities and cultivate meaningful connections beyond the screen, fostering a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Imagine a teenage girl struggling with negative body image and engaging in disordered eating behaviors. In brief therapy sessions, the therapist would help the teen see what it is she wants to accomplish and help her shape a more sustainable and empowering approach to her body and self-image. Through helping the teen feel heard, seen and problem solve based on what she decides is important to her, the teen can recover her sense of confidence and control. Rather than dwelling extensively on the root causes of the eating disorder, or exclusively on possible self-destructive behavior, the focus is on equipping her with practical skills to regain control over behaviors related to food and body image. Sometimes therapy focuses on elements that are adjacent to the problem centric area and through refocusing and building other areas, the problem saturated behaviors shift. The solution focus therapist helps find a place to start and this is a unique approach. We work with the interests and the motivation and then lay tracks for them to then be applied in other areas BY working respectfully and collaboratively with the teen and their parent(s).

Promising Strategy for Lasting Change:

In the field of teen mental health, the Brief Therapy Model is a promising strategy, offering a pathway to resilience, self-awareness, and lasting change. By transcending labels and prioritizing practical solutions, therapists embracing this model empower teens to navigate life’s challenges with confidence and strength.

If you’re seeking a therapeutic approach that values efficiency, empowerment, and tangible results, the Brief Therapy Model offers a constructive solution. Our model aims to strengthen the teen, their family and to follow motivation. Our emphasis on assessing, utilizing and building on motivation is unique and very powerful with teens and their parents.

Check out more on this topic with our related blog

Effective Therapy for Teens – Brief Therapy Center | World Leader in Brief Therapy

Karin Schlanger

MFT
Karin Schlanger was the Director of the Brief Therapy Center in MRI since 2008 until the sale of the building in 2019. She continues to be the director of the BTC currently. She has worked as a psychologist, supervisor in the Brief Therapy Model and professor at several universities international...

Esther Krohner

Master en Psic.
I have 14 years of experience working in mental health settings. I am and LMFT and RYT. I have been training and practicing  family therapy with Karin Schlanger for 5 years at the Mental Research Institute. I help couples, families, kids and teens  to make the changes they want to. When faced wit...

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