Teen Counseling and Adolescent Therapy for Ages 9-24

Idaho Youth Ranch teen counseling helps young people, ages 9 to 24, with proven outpatient therapy designed to address trauma, dangerous behaviors, and troubling feelings or experiences.

Idaho is in the midst of a frightening rise in teenage depression and teen suicide. According to the pediatric psychologist Ethan Benore, PhD, "Mental health issues in children and teenagers have been steadily increasing over the last decade or so. However, in the last two years — in part related to the pandemic — there has been a significant increase in teens who are facing mental health difficulties.”

For many Idaho youth, they find themselves in an emotional crisis without someone that they can trust and without access to the resources they need. Adolescent counseling services offer teens therapy, from expert counselors, to build coping skills for teenagers facing mental challenges.

Teen Counseling (sometimes referred to as “psychotherapy” or “therapy”) is a process where vulnerable teenager works one-on-one with a trained therapist toward treatment goals. Our priority is to help teens and adolescents overcome whatever pain or challenges they might be facing and give them the tools they need to find healing and hope. Our masters-educated and trained therapists and counselors have the experience your teenager needs to find healing.

Today, teen mental health is at an all-time low, and our youth are facing daily challenges that often become a crisis in their minds. When youth are facing intense emotional distress, they need a well-trained and experienced therapist who specializes in individual teen counseling. Thankfully the stigmas around teen counseling and mental health are beginning to subside. Teens today are more open to talking with a trained counselor or therapist to work on their mental health and behavioral health needs.

Mental and behavioral health care is unfamiliar to many families. The Idaho Youth Ranch therapy team is trained to offer psychotherapy and diagnose mental health conditions and they are experienced in youth-focused treatment models. Our team does not prescribe or provide medication management like psychiatrists.

At Idaho Youth Ranch our adolescent counseling services are dedicated to teens and youth. You play a critical role in the journey to healing and our therapist will partner with you and support your role as a parent.

As parents, sometimes it is too easy to downplay the stress our teenagers are experiencing. While the teenage years have always been a somewhat crazy time, there are new stressors that we didn't often experience when we were growing up that are creating new challenges for our youth. Social media and constant "on" cell phones mean the social pressures and sometimes bullying behavior are always with our teens reinforcing negative messages. When many of us grew up we could leave those things behind when we left school and while we didn't forget them, we weren't constantly facing the pressures and feelings of an unsafe world our children face today.

Mental Health and Counseling Teens

In a study after the first full academic year after the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control found that more than 4 out of 10 teenagers feel "persistently sad or hopeless," and 1 in 5 teenagers has contemplated suicide.

It can be upsetting to see your child dealing with mental health issues, and it is often difficult to talk to them about it. If you are concerned that your teenager may be experiencing these challenges, now is the time for you to provide the parental leadership your child needs and seek help through teen counseling. Idaho Youth Ranch therapists have the training and experience your child needs to find hope, healing, and resilience in times of emotional crisis.

Idaho Youth Ranch provides both individual counseling and therapy services and group sessions for our clients.

To schedule time with a therapist, if you are in the Treasure Valley, call 208-947-0863. In North Idaho, call 208-667-3340.

Teenage Counseling and Therapy From Experienced Counselors

We know the behaviors that led you here can create a scary time for a parent. Communication and clear information on any diagnosis or services for your child is a priority for our therapists.

The number of therapy sessions that may be needed will vary depending on what the therapist observes, the progress your child is making, and the types of services and support they need.

At Idaho Youth Ranch, we invest in additional training so that the therapist or counselor your child has therapy sessions with is specifically trained in the issues your son or daughter is experiencing. By focusing on adolescents ages 9 – 24, we are able to provide the expertise needed across a variety of concerns.

Over the last several years in Idaho and across the country, levels of teen anxiety have been soaring. According to the Journal of American Medical Association Pediatrics, anxiety disorders now affect 31.9% of children between the ages of 13 and 18. Unfortunately, left untreated, teenagers with anxiety perform more poorly in school, miss out on critical social experiences and often "self-medicate" through substance abuse.

Teenagers today are suffering from a range of anxiety disorders from social anxiety disorder, to panic disorders, to generalized anxiety disorder. Our therapists are skilled in helping teenagers feel safe and experience the support they need to move forward through their anxiety.

Sometimes it seems that anger and teenagers just go together as a part of life. However, it is important for a parent to know what is normal teenage moodiness and what might be a sign of a bigger concern. While there are no hard-and-fast rules, when it begins to get in the way of daily living, it becomes a cause for concern.

Most often anger is triggered by other intense emotions that teens are feeling and when you see your teenager exhibiting avoidance behavior it may be a sign it is time to reach out for additional help. Avoidance behavior often shows up by withdrawing from friends or family and refusing to participate in activities they previously enjoyed. Your therapist may recommend sessions that include a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Adolescent defiance can be one of the most frustrating and upsetting experiences for parents. Defiance is an exaggerated expression of the normal move to independence that we desire to see as our youth grow up. For many parents, the natural desire to try to fix what is wrong results in angry outbursts from their defiant son or daughter that can escalate in yelling and words we wish we could take back.

If your teen is acting out aggressively and showing violent behavior or if their defiance is getting them into trouble, it may be time to seek help. Idaho Youth Ranch therapists use proven models that can help your son or daughter learn the behaviors, coping skills and patterns that can change your relationship with your teenager.

Symptoms of depression among teens are becoming very common. In a 2022 survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and CNN, "More than 8 out of 10 parents said they’re at least somewhat worried about depression, anxiety, alcohol and drug use negatively affecting the life of US teens, while roughly three-quarters said they were worried about self-harm."
If your son or daughter is showing symptoms of depression, teen counseling can provide the healing and hope they need to move forward. Idaho Youth Ranch therapists are experienced and use a variety of tools to support your teen as they process their issues. If you suspect your teenager is suffering from symptoms of depression, please reach out today to find out how therapy sessions from an Idaho Youth Ranch counselor can help.

Adverse Childhood Experiences or childhood trauma left untreated can lead to a lifetime of mental health and physical health problems. The impacts of childhood trauma are far-reaching, from isolation from friends and changes in behavior to substance abuse, eating disorders, and dropping out of school. Fortunately, therapists experienced in youth trauma can provide mental health treatment for those traumatic experiences. Idaho Youth Ranch therapists have extensive experience providing therapy to youth who have experienced trauma.

Perhaps there never was a nursery rhyme more wrong than "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words shall never hurt me." Bullying today takes many forms, from physical abuse to words that do truly hurt. When peers inflict hateful words on a young person they often stick and not only impact self-esteem, but lead to anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Unfortunately for today's youth there are no safe places from bullies. Online bullying from social media and text messaging follows our kids home, into their rooms, and burrows itself deep in their minds. Meeting with a trained therapist can make a difference for your child. Having a safe environment to process through the feelings, the words and the pain with an experienced therapist can provide youth the help they need to begin to heal.

Self-harm or self-injury takes many forms and in teens it often shows up in cutting with a sharp instrument. Young people are very good at keeping it a secret by cutting where it won't show or by covering wounds or scars with clothing, bracelets, bands or other accessories. While it is often kept secret, it isn't uncommon. Adolescents have the highest rate of self-harm with about 17% admitting self-injury at least once in their lives.

Idaho Youth Ranch therapists are trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy or D.B.T. which studies indicate offers the best treatment for self-harming behaviors. An August 2022 New York Times article by Matta Richtel reported, "In a 2018 study in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, Dr. Berk and her colleagues found that D.B.T. led to sharper drops in suicide attempts and self-harm among adolescents than a more generalized therapy did. A 2014 study by researchers in Norway found a similar effect, noting that the therapy also has a relatively low dropout rate, and concluded that “it is indeed possible for adolescents to be engaged, retained, and treated” using D.B.T. The therapy is also identified as a key evidence-based treatment by the American Academy of Pediatrics."

Tragically, suicide among young people is the second leading cause of death for young adults 15-24. The majority of those who attempt suicide or experience suicidal ideation have significant mental health disorders. Suicide is often an impulsive expression of feelings of pain, stress, and loss. If your adolescent is actively suicidal please call 911 or the suicide hotline immediately.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in a suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Call or text 988 for help now or visit 988lifeline.org

If you are concerned that your child may be at risk, please call and schedule an appointment with an Idaho Youth Ranch therapist for an evaluation.

What methods of treatment are used?

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Eye-movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy

Where is Teen Counseling & Therapy available?

Coeur d'Alene Counseling & Therapy Center

Boise Counseling & Therapy Center

Statewide through video-based TeleMental Health

Idaho Youth Ranch therapists are trained in providing video-based TeleMental Health services. We can provide both video-only sessions or provide a combination of video sessions and in-person meetings with a counselor, which are both covered by insurance.

What does it cost to access care at Idaho Youth Ranch?

Idaho Youth Ranch accepts payment from many major insurance providers in Idaho and also accepts Medicaid for payment for coverage of mental health conditions. If you do not qualify for Medicaid and do not have insurance coverage, we offer a sliding payment scale for our services, so we can work with your budget to get your child the help they need. Let's chat today to find out if we are currently able to accept your health insurance.

Our goal is to provide access to the service that your child needs, regardless of ability to pay. If you have questions, we would be happy to discuss your situation on the phone to get you the information on insurance. If you don't have insurance and want to learn more about our sliding scale or Medicaid payments please complete the get help form or give us a call, and we would be happy to chat.

How do I set up a teen counseling appointment or consultation?

If you know a child who needs help whose age is between 9 and 24, fill out the get help form, or you can call 208-947-0863 (Treasure Valley) or 208-667-3340 (North Idaho) to speak with a member of our team and schedule appointments. We have the flexibility and resources to get help in the way (or the right combination of ways) that works for you because every situation is different, and so is every kid.

Language interpretation services, including American Sign Language, are available through LanguageLine.