Information for Teenagers

A space where you can just be yourself, and explore thoughts, feelings and experiences in a way that feels natural to you. You might want to paint, draw, play, talk or sit quietly together - whatever feels right for you each time you are here. You don’t need to arrive knowing what you will say or create. Creative therapy can help you to find your own way to figure things out without needing to explain everything in words. It will just be you and me in the room, you can go at our own pace, and I’m here to support you with no judgement or pressure. We can work together to navigate challenges, better understand your thoughts, feelings and experiences, and help you to feel better.  

It is a safe and confidential space. That means what you share stays private (unless there’s a safety concern). 

Sessions last 50 minutes and are usually held at the same time each week. The first time we meet, your parent/guardian will come in for a few minutes, and I’ll read you something called a Touchstone Story - it lets you know what I’ve been told about why you are coming to see me.  I know that I may not have the full story when we meet, and you may have different views on what you need from therapy; we can explore that together.  After the story, it’s just you and me. 

There’s no “right” way to do therapy, you’ll find a way that feels right for you. Sometimes you might want to talk, other times you might want to make things or explore. We will go at your pace, one step at a time.

When we first meet, I’ll explain what is private (just between the two of us) and what I might need to share. 

I won’t talk about the details of what you say or do in sessions, but I do meet regularly with parents/guardians to talk about how you are - and things like how to support you and what’s going well.  I’ll talk to you first about what I plan to say and check if there’s anything you want to share too. 

If I’m ever really worried about your safety, I would need to talk to other adults to make sure you’re safe. But I’ll always try to talk to you about that first.

No, it’s completely up to you. You can talk to anyone you trust about therapy, or you can keep it to yourself. It’s your choice.

This is your space to make sense of your thoughts, feelings and things that have happened, especially when things feel messy or confusing. Working through things creatively, and maybe talking too, can help you better understand your feelings and experiences and your problems can get better. 

Benefits of Creative Therapy include:

• Encouraging creativity and self-expression

• Improved confidence, self-esteem, and resiliency

• Greater self-awareness and understanding

• Increased ability to manage difficult emotions and life challenges 

• Emotional balance and a more positive outlook

There will come a time when you are feeling able to manage without me, and you feel ready to say goodbye. We’ll talk about it and make a plan together when that time comes. Saying goodbye might feel difficult, but I’ll help you through it.

The first step is a brief phone call with your parent/guardian to see if this might be the right fit for you. There’s no pressure to commit to coming to therapy, it’s just a chance to ask questions and get a sense of what it’s all about.

If coming to see me for therapy might be suitable for you, I meet with your parents/guardians to build a picture of what is happening for you all and how I may be able to support you and your family. It is typical to have at least 12 sessions, but therapy goes at your pace and you will figure things out in your own way. This means it’s not possible to know from the start exactly how many sessions you will need, but we will check in regularly to see how things are going. 

Therapy isn’t forever, and when it’s time to finish, we will make a plan together so it doesn’t feel sudden or rushed.