I used to know my teen so well, now I feel disconnected and ineffective. What can I do to make things better?

What can I expect if I have my teen do this?

Initial phone call

We will talk for about 20 minutes. You can decide if you feel like I am the right person to help your family, and then we will determine if this type of assessment is right for your teen at this time.

 

First meeting

We will spend about 2 hours together, adults only. Some time will be spent answering your questions about the assessment process as well as privacy within teen assessments. We will then focus on naming and exploring the questions you hope to answer about your teen and about parenting them. We will also plan how to bring them into the process with attention toward helping them feel that this assessment is also for them, not just happening to them.

 
 

Second Meeting

I will spend 1-2 hours with your teen alone depending on their preferences and comfort. Some time will be spent answering their questions about the assessment process and privacy of the answers to their questions. We will then focus on naming and exploring the questions they hope to answer about themselves.

 
 
 

Testing sessions

Your teen and I will spend between 2-6 sessions, each 2-4 hours (depending on your teen’s needs) doing assessments and exploring what the tests might be saying about your teen and their daily experience in the world.

 

Discussing results

After the testing sessions are done, your teen and I will usually have already answered many of their questions and I will have a lot of good information to help answer your questions. Depending on your teen’s age and needs, the first 1-3 meetings to consolidate and discuss the testing results will be with adults only (without your teen). We will also discuss what your next steps might be to help things improve for your teen. We will focus specifically on what you can do as parents to help with those steps.

 

Discussing results as a family

The next 1-2 meetings will be with you all as a family, including your teen. Some find it helpful to have support persons or a therapist they are working with doing these meetings. We will discuss information your teen is comfortable talking about as a group. We will focus mostly on building understanding between you and your teen and creating shared goals.

 
 

Summary Letter

After we complete the discussion sessions, I will write a letter to you listing your questions and summarizing the answers we came to. I will also often write a letter for your teen, answering their questions. This letter is nearly always private, something we will discuss in the first meeting. The letters will include the next steps and recommendations we talked about.

 
 
 

Optional Follow Up Session

You or your teen might find it helpful to meet again several weeks after the discussion session to check in, share and process new insights or revelations, and to fine-tune the steps you are taking to move forward in your goals.