Adolescent Counseling Services: Expert Assistance at BNI Treatment

While many of us like to believe drug addiction is an adult problem, it often starts at a young age. According to Drug Abuse Statistics, in 2023, 1.86 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 reported using drugs in the last month. 5.67% of overdose deaths involve individuals 15-24.

Fortunately, adolescent therapy is available. But which therapies are best suited to your child, and what do they entail? This article will tell you all you need to know.

What is the Importance of Adolescent Counseling in Recovery Treatment?

Addiction is often tied to mental health issues. Rather than get professional help, people often self-medicate to calm feelings of depression and anxiety. While drugs can provide temporary relief, they often make problems worse, causing chemical imbalances in the brain that interfere with emotional regulation and lead to relationship, professional, legal, and personal issues.

Adolescence is a tough time, and teens deal with stress too. Common sources include school, family, and peer pressure. Some are even exposed to trauma at a young age. And just like adults, rather than reach out for help, many self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.

Therapy offers an alternative. It helps adults and teens develop coping skills so they don’t need to rely on drugs and alcohol, often supporting long-term recovery.

What Counseling Approaches are Used in Adolescent Therapy?

Mental health professionals will determine which approach to use with your child based on their individual needs, considering their state of emotional wellness and the type and severity of the addiction. However, the following therapies are commonly integrated.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy recognizes how negative thought processes lead to negative outcomes, like drug use. It aims to help people identify and address negative patterns and change their behavior. The teen therapist will work with the adolescent to help them recognize unhelpful self-talk and cognitive distortions and replace them with more realistic, rational thoughts.

The therapy is:

• Structured and Goal-Oriented: Typically, a specific number of sessions (6-20 weeks) is used to produce results.

• Problem-Focused: It targets current problems rather than exploring unconscious meanings.

• Homework-Based: Teens may be assigned homework to work toward goals between sessions.

• Skill Building: Individuals learn coping skills to become their own therapists.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a subset of CBT, but it focuses more on helping teens accept their emotions and regulate them. It is more suited for PTSD and emotional regulation than anxiety disorders. The therapy emphasizes mindfulness and validation rather than trying to change thought patterns.

Dialectical behavior therapy also typically lasts longer than CBT, with sessions lasting 6 months to a year. It also incorporates therapy, skills training, and phone therapy between sessions, whereas CBT involves individual therapy only.

Motivational Enhancement (ME)

Motivational enhancement grew from motivational interviewing and is also related to CBT. It motivates people to change, guiding them away from abivalent thought processes.

In ME, the therapist takes a non-judgmental approach, asking open-ended and scaling questions. The main goal is to get the client to weigh the pros and cons of drug use and consider their values. Ideally, they will realize drug use goes against their values, championing their recovery.

Family Therapy

Family involvement is extremely important in child and adolescent recovery. A 2016 NIH study found that family counseling improves recovery rates by 40% compared with individual therapy and group counseling alone.

Here’s what’s involved in these mental health services:

• Families learn more about their child and the underlying factors of addiction

• They learn to identify and avoid codependent and enabling behaviors that may contribute to drug use

• Clinical social workers teach them to create a safe and supportive environment for their child and develop a therapeutic relationship, conducive to healing

Contingency Management (CM)

Contingency management rewards people for positive change, such as maintaining sobriety for a set period, being honest in therapy sessions, and improving relationships. Typical rewards include gift cards, tokens, small items, and even cash.

The idea of the therapy is to replace the rewarding effects of drugs with actual, real rewards. It is especially effective in teen therapy as a young person’s reward system is more vulnerable than an adult’s, because their brains are still developing. A 2020 NIH study reveals how heightened neural responses in the ventral striatum contribute to these vulnerabilities.

The therapeutic approach reduces the potential dangers of drug use, promoting more positive behavior changes.

Group Therapy

Support groups are often integrated in a teen treatment plan. Teens get together to discuss issues that may have led to drug use and celebrate each other’s goals and victories. It helps group members:

• Reduce feelings of isolation, which may contribute to depression and substance use

• Gain a deeper understanding of why they may have used drugs in the past

• Learn coping strategies from their peers

• Develop a positive support network

How is Counseling Integrated in Recovery?

Teens who enter recovery typically go through treatment in stages, as follows:

Detox

The first step involves allowing the teen to ‘dry out’ from drug use. They will undergo withdrawal symptoms that may make them want to go back to using substances, but clinics provide supervision to make them as comfortable as possible. They typically:

• Use medications to reduce cravings and symptoms

• Monitor vital signs to prevent serious complications

• Supervise the process to ensure relapse doesn’t occur

Therapy

Once detox is complete, teens start therapy and undergo an initial assessment during their first session. The mental health team will work closely with them to identify emotional challenges and determine the most appropriate evidence-based approaches. Sessions can take place in a residential or partial hospitalization setting.

Aftercare

Sessions may be completed, but recovery is a life-long process. The clinic will continue to provide support with the following techniques:

• Ongoing outpatient services, including individual counseling and family sessions, are provided on a flexible schedule

• Specialists recommend healthy habits that replace unhealthy behaviors and improve low self-esteem

• Relapse Prevention: Therapists work with families to identify and prevent triggers, ensure teens hang out with the right crowd, and follow a structured schedule to prevent relapse

BNI Treatment Centers Specialize in Teen Recovery

BNI offers specialized treatment for teens, helping them overcome drug use and move on to healthier living. We are familiar with adolescent issues and provide a safe space for recovery, prioritizing parental involvement. Our team takes a dual diagnosis approach, addressing mental health issues to support long-term well-being.

Contact us to learn how we can help your child achieve a healthier future.

FAQs

What signs indicate my teen needs adolescent therapy?

Your teen may need adolescent therapy if you notice withdrawal from activities, risky behavior, personality changes, declining grades, hangover symptoms, signs of self-harm, and red, glassy eyes. Early intervention can reduce escalation and mental health crises.

Are BNI Treatment counselors trained specifically through adolescents?

Yes, our team of licensed professionals has developed an expertise in addiction and mental health issues in teens, ensuring age-appropriate, holistic care. Many have master’s degrees in this specialized approach.

What options exist for inpatient vs. outpatient adolescent counseling at BNI Treatment?

Teens may enroll in a residential treatment plan, which requires staying at the facility24/7 while undergoing therapy and supervision, or a partial hospitalization plan (PHP), which involves staying at the facility several hours a day and returning home at night. After these initial stages of therapy are complete, teens typically move on to outpatient therapy, receiving care on a more flexible schedule.

How involved are parents in BNI’s adolescent counseling?

We understand family dynamics are essential in teen wellness. We bring families together so they can navigate challenges, develop communication skills, learn to set healthy boundaries, and provide a safe environment for their child.

Does BNI offer dual diagnosis counseling for teens?

Yes, BNI offers a dual diagnosis approach, addressing addiction and its underlying psychological cause. We help teens develop the tools they need to deal with their emotions in a healthy manner, reducing the risk of drug use.