Discover how starting teen counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
2 therapists available in Manassas
Keleisha Dixon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has 15 years of experience in the mental health field. Keleisha spe...
About
Keleisha Dixon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) who has 15 years of experience in the mental health field. Keleisha specializes in helping people from various walks of life who have dealt with such issues as anxiety, depression, trauma, relationships, and phase of life transitions, as well as teens who self-harm, and parents in need of support. She believes that counseling can provide clients with self-examination, alternative points of view, concrete steps, and skills to see them through this endeavor call life. In counseling, one can learn new ways to make better choices and conduct relationships with evidenced-based techniques. Keleisha uses techniques from family therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and solution-focused therapy to help her clients gain insight, restructure negative thoughts, and find coping skills to manage symptoms of one’s diagnosis.
Keleisha believes that people experience life in numerous ways. No one is always living the ideal life; no one is always perfect, or armored for everything life brings in their path. Triumphantly or despairingly, whether for short or long periods of time, whichever way you are experiencing life, counseling is here for you. You may need a safe place to work through your issues, a shoulder to lean on, or have in-depth introspection; whatever you are dealing with, counseling is here for you. Many people want to have the best relationships with family, friends, and loved ones. Many people want joy, companionship, and to figure out their place in life. Some people want to belong. Counseling is here for them.
It may seem scary to begin changing and improving your life, but it is not impossible. The possibilities are endless of what you can learn and how strong you can become. You have the potential to rebuild broken relationships. Take a chance on improving your life, learning better ways of dealing with issues in relationships, and finding joy by coming in for counseling. Contact Keleisha for counseling today; your time will not be wasted because seeking to improve yourself is never a waste of time.
Education and training
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I have learned to value and embrace diversity without being judgmental....
I have learned to value and embrace diversity without being judgmental.
Claudette Gadson is currently a Supervisee in Social Work (SISW) Resident of the State of Virginia with years of experience. She treats clients of all ages and specializes in depression, grief, trauma, PTSD, anxiety, and suicidal/homicidal ideations.
Claudette completed her Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) at Fordham University. The interventions that she utilizes include some elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and motivational interviewing.
Claudette is here to help you and to help start your successful path towards change and a bright future. Schedule a session with her today.
You deserve dedicated time with a mental health professional — it can be life-changing.
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Supervisee in Social Work
Tami: My go-to approach for helping people in teen counseling is a holistic approach. I find the best benefit in a solution-focused approach because it empowers teens and families to focus on positive e attributes and how to build on those for the best functional status.
Claudette: My go-to approach for helping people in teen counseling is CBT. I find the best benefit in utilizing CBT because it allows people in teen counseling who are struggling with any type of mental disorder to challenge distorted thoughts, replacing them with positive ones and utilizing reframing to make them more realistic. CBT can be an effective tool to help anyone learn how to better manage stressful life situations.
Tami: I use the following tools:
Claudette: Tools that can be used in teen counseling are as follows: teaching clients to identify, process, and manage intense emotions; teaching clients CBT strategies to challenge negative thought patterns and replace them with positive ones; teaching clients to implement positive coping skills to reduce and manage intense symptoms; working with clients in developing and reinforcing a routine and encouraging them to participate in social/recreational activities that increase social communication to enrich their lives; and teaching clients to develop an awareness of the cognitive messages and insight into triggers, thoughts, vulnerabilities, and emotional needs.
Tami: I recognize progress in teen clients as they develop an understanding of how thoughts can lead to behaviors and through seeing them implement learned techniques to manage mood and maintain positive peer and family relationships.
Claudette: The client is making meaningful progress in teen counseling when they experience reduced symptoms and can regulate their emotions in stressful situations or in times of conflict.
Tami: To supplement their time in counseling, teens and families can set healthy boundaries, communicate without blame, use learned somatic and grounding techniques to manage emotions, and question distorted thoughts.
Claudette: Clients can implement positive coping skills and CBT strategies that they learned in teen counseling to supplement teen counseling in their personal time.
Tami: To prepare for teen counseling, families should discuss the reason and benefit of talk therapy and be open to sharing and learning information.
Claudette: To prepare for starting teen counseling, one should feel ready to engage in therapy and feel good about themselves, ask for a phone consultation prior to starting the session, know why they want to attend therapy, tell a friend or loved one, make a list of topics that they want to talk about during the session, review their life history and how life experiences may be impacting them presently, dress for comfort, get parents' assistance with paperwork and practical business, not be worried about what to say in the first meeting, be open and honest with the clinician or therapist, ask the therapist questions, understand that they may cry or get emotional at the first session, and clear space or establish a healthy time and schedule to attend therapy.
Teen counseling helps young individuals better understand and manage the challenges that affect their mental health. Common challenges amongst teens include anxiety, depression, ADHD, and problematic relationships with food.
Teen counseling works by using multiple techniques, tailored to fit the teen’s unique needs — based on their age group, their challenges, and the severity of their challenges. It might involve cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, art therapy, and others for varying ages. In any case, Thriveworks teen therapists in Manassas have the expertise and experience to help young individuals at their level.
Signs that teens might need Teen counseling can be very subjective, as they are experiencing many changes and can have intense reactions to them. As parents, you know your child best and are best equipped to judge whether certain reactions are standard behaviors for your teen or whether they might be hinting at a larger problem. Even so, there are a few common signs and events that often point to a need for therapy, such as experiencing divorce or loss, grief, consistent low moods, teens distancing themselves and becoming isolated, losing interest in hobbies, excessive anger or irritability, substance use issues, and suicidal ideation, among others.
Teen counseling providers at Thriveworks in Manassas, VA offer both in person and online therapy by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
The length of teen counseling depends on your teen’s needs as well as the goals that you and their therapist might have for them. Generally, teen counseling sessions will last for several months.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
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