Summer break can be a time for teens to relax, recharge and explore new interests. But sometimes, even with all of that free time, teens can experience challenges that can impact their enjoyment or well-being. As a parent, you may wonder if therapy can be helpful for your teen. Short-term psychodynamic therapy can be a great option for teens facing a variety of issues, offering support and tools to help them navigate these crucial years. 

What is short-term psychodynamic therapy?

Short-term psychodynamic therapy, or a Short-Term Option, is a type of psychotherapy that can help teens explore the “why” behind their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Therapy is a journey of self-discovery, and Short-Term Option therapy can help your teen focus on target issues and equip them with coping skills within a set time frame. Short-term means it lasts at least two weeks, but isn’t for an extended period of time like traditional therapy. 

Is your teen feeling anxious about starting high school? A Short-Term Option wouldn’t do a deep dive into every childhood experience, but it can help them understand how past anxieties may be influencing their current worries. By exploring these connections and developing coping skills, a Short-Term Option can help your teen face the new school year with more confidence. 

Why summer is the perfect time for short-term therapy: Benefits your teen can gain

Summer offers a unique window of opportunity. Your teen is free from the pressures of school and extracurricular activities. They have more time for self-reflection and focused therapy sessions, which can allow them to address underlying issues without feeling rushed and integrate new coping skills before the new school year begins.

A Short-Term Option offers some compelling reasons why this approach can be a game-changer for your teen this summer:

• Unlocking potential — Your teen may grapple with self-doubt and anxieties that hold them back. Therapy can help them understand these internal struggles and unlock their full potential, giving them a confidence boost and a more positive self-image.
• Building resilience — Summer can be a good time for experimentation and social exploration. Therapy can equip teens with the skills to navigate challenges, manage stress and bounce back from setbacks. This can help make them more resilient in the face of life’s curveballs. 
• Strengthening relationships — Teens can experience conflict with parents or when navigating complex friendships. Therapy can create a safe space for open communication, fostering stronger and healthier relationships with loved ones.
• Academic success — Underlying anxieties and emotional turmoil can hinder academic performance. By addressing these issues, therapy can help your teen by equipping them with the tools they need to better handle them. Being better equipped to handle issues like anxieties or emotional struggles may also help improve their academic performance. 
• Developing healthy habits — Summer can be a great time to establish positive habits. Therapy can help your teen build routines for stress management, healthy sleep patterns and effective communication. These skills will benefit them not only in their teen years, but also throughout their lives.

What short-term psychodynamic therapy can look like at different levels of care

Short-term psychodynamic therapy can work at a variety of levels of care to help your teen experience the support they need. Here’s a look at how a Short-Term Option can help at each level:

• Residential Treatment Center (RTC) — At the RTC level of care, a Short-Term Option can involve at least two weeks in a beautiful residential home setting. Your teen will have three individual sessions with their experienced primary therapist, biweekly family sessions and one session with a staff psychiatrist each week. They can also do up to five daily group sessions led by trained clinicians. 
• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) — At the PHP level of care, or Day Treatment Program, a Short-Term Option involves five group sessions every day. It also includes two one-on-one sessions with their therapist each week. Biweekly family sessions are also involved.
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) — At the IOP level of care, a Short-Term Option can help boost your teen’s outpatient therapy activities to ensure that they’re receiving comprehensive support. This therapy happens five days a week. Your teen will have three group sessions per day along with biweekly family sessions. 

Conditions that can benefit from short-term psychodynamic therapy

Here are some situations where a Short-Term Option can be helpful:

• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Low self-esteem 
• Family issues 
• Relationship difficulties 
• Stress management 
• Grief and loss 

Your teen can experience improved mental well-being with our Short-Term Option at Lightfully Teen 

At Lightfully Teen, we understand the challenges that teens face. We can help your teen turn summer break into a launchpad for their success. Our Short-Term Option can be the tool that helps equip them to crush anxieties, navigate tricky relationships and unlock their full potential. Lightfully Teen can be the spark that ignites your teen’s confidence and sets them on a path to success, for this summer and beyond! 

Change is possible. When they’re ready to take the first step, contact us. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of them.