Anxiety In teens: Treatment Options
Has your child been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, or do you suspect there’s more going on than ‘teen angst?
Are they having panic attacks and sleepless nights?
Do you have nightmares of a future where they might not be able to thrive in the real world?
If you find yourself scrambling for answers, hurting for your child, feeling fearful and desperate. Let me tell you you are not alone; there’s hope, and I can assure you that anxiety in teens does not have to be a life sentence. It can be a chapter, a challenge, or a catalyst for growth.
Understanding the Impact of Anxiety on Teens’ Lives
Anxiety Disorders can significantly disrupt a teen’s daily life, affecting their academic performance, social interactions, and physical health. What you need to understand is that it’s not about finding a cure. Anxiety is a beast, but it is a tamable beast. There’s no quick fix for teen anxiety disorders, but with the right tools, they can not just survive but thrive. How? It starts with you taking the first step.
For instance, Sarah, a former student at Turning Winds, struggled with severe anxiety that caused her to withdraw from everyday life and friends. Every time she found herself in a crowd, she had a panic attack. She had stomach aches and frequent headaches and fell behind in school.
When anxiety impacts your child’s life to the point that they cannot enjoy life as they should, then it is time to recognize the need for specialized treatment beyond therapy.
20.5% of youth worldwide struggle with anxiety.
Why Professional Anxiety Treatment is Non-Negotiable
Battling severe anxiety requires a professional intervention. Your child needs therapists, counselors and specialists to tackle this monster head-on. Indeed, there’s stigma, and the right treatment is pricey, but your teen’s well-being is priceless.
Learning how to manage Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) effectively and prevent long-term consequences requires more than dealing with the symptoms. For your child to find true healing, they must unearth the root causes. They need coping mechanisms that actually work, not just some temporary relief and mindful practice. At Turing Winds, we strive to provide accessible and comprehensive care.
Comprehensive Anxiety Treatment at Turning Winds: Not Your Average Therapy
Personalized Teen Anxiety and Holistic Assessment
Every teen’s journey at Turning Winds begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand their unique needs. We figure out how their minds work, what triggers their anxiety, and what their strengths are. Then, we develop a personalized treatment plan to address their specific issues.
Evidence-Based Therapies
We use proven therapies that work:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): We teach your child how to rewire their brain, turning those negative thoughts spirals that exasperate their anxiety into positive pathways.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): We use this therapeutic approach to help your teen master their emotions (emotional regulation), not just suppress them. Working with our experts, your teen will learn to manage stress and overwhelming feelings and learn essential coping skills.
- Exposure Therapy: More than talking about their fears and feelings, we face them head-on. But safely and in a supportive way that builds confidence and resilience. This therapy gradually reduces anxiety and builds confidence and resilience.
Holistic Approaches: Because Anxiety Isn’t Just in Your Head
General Anxiety Disorders affects your whole body; that is why we go beyond therapy:
- Mental Clarity, Body Harmony and Relaxation Techniques: These techniques are integrated into the treatment plan to help teens:
- manage stress
- recognize emotional and physical patterns
- learn to relax and be present.
- Experiential Therapies: Our treatment center in the beautiful mountains is the perfect environment for nature-based therapy designed to promote:
- emotional growth
- teach problem-solving
- build resilience and confidence
We offer teens a holistic healing experience. We design activities and nature therapies to encourage teamwork, take them out of their head, build grit and find joy again.
Outdoor activities include but are not limited to:
- rock climbing
- kayaking
- hiking
Ready to see if Turning Winds is right for your teen?
Family Involvement: You are Not Sidelined
For teen mental health treatment to be effective, you cannot just be a spectator; you must take an active role.
Family Therapy Sessions
In these sessions, you will learn how to communicate better with your teenager, how to heal old wounds and to build a rock-solid foundation of support. One of the objectives of our treatment is to strengthen family bonds.
Distance doesn’t matter in today’s connected world, you can be at home yet be totally involved in therapy sessions via video conference. Parents communicate regularly with the therapist, get regular updates and you can have regular private video call with your child.
Parent Workshops
Every family is invited to participate in parent weekends and parent workshops. These workshops are incredibly helpful and healing. We will give you the tools you need to be the best possible support system and support your teen’s transition and continued recovery at home, ensuring long-term success.
Parent Success Stories and Testimonials
Meet Sarah:
Her story of hope and healing at Turning Winds…
Her child was trapped in a prison of anxiety, missing out on life, and her parents were at their wit’s end. After her time at Turning Winds, she tells us:
“It’s like she shed a skin and emerged as this vibrant, confident, unstoppable force. She’s crushing it in school, making friends, and actually enjoying life again.”
Sarah is not alone. Parents just like her sing our praises.
Meet Krissy:
“Wow! I don’t feel like I could have gone anywhere and had seven people in the room like taking care of my child.”
Krissy’s 15-year-old daughter struggled with severe anxiety and depression. Below is her perspective and experience at Turning Winds…
“My daughter was engaging in several negative coping skills and we were really concerned about her long-term safety. We chose Turning Winds because they have excellent, experienced staff and a full team whose first priority is the patient. Unlike other programs we spoke to, their communication with the parents is top-notch.
My daughter’s psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, and the other nurses on staff kept me informed of everything going on with my daughter. We’ve worked with lots of therapists over the years, but the therapists at Turning Winds really understand youth; they get their mindset. Once, in a meeting, I looked around the room, and there were seven people trying to help us.
Even after our daughter transitioned home, they are still helping us. Their staff is exceptional.”
Watch Krissy’s Powerful Story: How Turning Winds Transformed her Daughter’s Life
These aren’t just stories. They are proof. Proof that teenage anxiety doesn’t have to be the end of the road. It can be the beginning of a new chapter for your teen and your family.
The right treatment provides struggling youth with “a powerful way to start to understand the world and to face new and hard challenges, and they will take the skills they learn with them for the rest of their lives.”
Your Next Steps: Reclaim Your Teen’s Life
So, if your gut is screaming that your teen needs more than just talk and breathing exercises, listen to it. Don’t allow anxiety to rob them of their potential, their dream, their joy. It’s not easy, but with the right support, your teen can break free from anxiety’s grip and reclaim their life.
Ready to take the next step? Let’s talk. Call us at 800-845-1380.
Let’s work together to help your child break free from anxiety’s grip. We’re here to answer your questions, address your concerns, and help you find the path to healing for your teen. Please don’t let anxiety win this fight.
