12 Points Psychology
Therapy for Teens
Supporting You & Your Teen Through
the Roller Coaster of Adolescence
Adolescence is a time of incredible change and growth. With the right support, it can also be a time of self-discovery, resilience, and confidence-building. We’re here to help your teen navigate it—on their terms.
Did You Know?
The adolescent brain undergoes more change in a single year than at any time since early childhood. The combination of rapid brain development, shifting hormones, and increasing independence means that being a teenager is a uniquely intense experience—and it’s no surprise that sometimes, extra support is needed.
Adolescence comes with huge shifts in identity, friendships, responsibilities, and emotions. And yet, many teens (and parents!) feel like they’re expected to figure everything out on their own. Therapy provides a space where they can process, explore, and make sense of what’s happening—without judgement or pressure.
At 12 Points Psychology, we offer a safe, respectful, and validating space for young people to gain insight, develop skills, and work through challenges in a way that actually makes sense to them.
Common Concerns We Can Help With
Teenagers are navigating an extraordinary number of changes, decisions, and social pressures—often all at once. Therapy can help if they’re:
✔ Feeling overwhelmed by stress, expectations, or academic pressures.
✔ Struggling with anxiety, depression, or intense mood swings.
✔ Having difficulty navigating friendships, relationships, or social situations.
✔ Managing big life transitions, such as family changes, identity exploration, or future planning.
✔ Struggling with self-esteem, body image, or feelings of self-doubt.
✔ Understanding a newly identified neurotype, such as ADHD or autism, and figuring out what that means for them.
✔ Looking for a space to explore their gender or sexual identity in a way that feels safe and affirming.
Teens don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Sometimes, it’s simply about having a neutral, trusted person to talk to—someone who isn’t a parent, teacher, or friend, who can offer support without pressure, judgement, or an agenda.
The Unique Challenge of Working with Adolescents
Therapy with teenagers works best when they are at least open to the idea of coming. Unlike with younger children, where parents play a key role in initiating therapy, adolescents often need to feel a sense of ownership over the process.
If your teen is resistant to therapy, that’s completely normal. In these cases, forcing them to attend sessions is unlikely to be productive. Instead, we encourage parents to book a session for themselves first, so we can work together to:
Explore what’s happening for your teen and how to best support them.
Understand what’s driving resistance and how to approach it without creating conflict.
Develop strategies to support communication and connection at home.
When teens feel respected and in control of the process, they are much more likely to engage and actually benefit from therapy.
What to Expect When You Contact Us
If you think therapy might be helpful for your teen, the first step is to get in touch. You can either complete our Online Intake Form or give us a call—whatever works best for you.
One of our highly trained admin team (who have a deep understanding of our clinicians and therapy options) will reach out via phone or email to:
Discuss your concerns and gain insight into what’s been happening.
Explore what kind of support might be most beneficial based on your child’s needs and personality.
Outline the different therapy approaches we offer and help you decide on the best path forward.
If therapy seems like a good fit, we’ll book an initial session with one of our clinicians. Some teens benefit from short-term support, while others prefer a longer-term approach. There is no right or wrong way—every young person’s journey is different.
Our Approach – Practical, Affirming, and Non-Judgemental
Adolescents don’t want to feel like they’re being "fixed” – which is good – because that’s not what we’re about! Our therapists work collaboratively with young people to create a space that feels safe, non-judgemental, and genuinely helpful.
Our approach is:
✔ Neuroaffirming & Trauma-Informed – We work with, not against, how their brain is wired.
✔ Flexible & Individualised – Some teens prefer structured skill-building; others need open-ended discussions. We adapt to their needs.
✔ Practical & Useful – No lectures, just real conversations and tools that make sense in their everyday life.
✔ Confidential & Respectful – Therapy is their space. While we work with parents where appropriate, we also respect our teen client’s privacy and autonomy.
We draw from a range of evidence-based approaches (fancy way of saying our approaches are based in research and experience – not what we saw on Supernanny or Dr Phil!) that are adapted for adolescents, including:
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Animal-Assisted Therapy & Other Play-based or Attachment-Based Approaches
Because adolescents still need to be kids sometimes! These approaches facilitate trust and communication in a very unthreatening and comforting way.
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Exploring thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in a way that makes sense.
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Schema Therapy
Understanding deeper patterns that shape emotions and reactions.
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Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
Processing traumatic events (including long-term disruptions to attachment relationships or experiences of abuse).
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Mindfulness & Emotion Regulation Strategies
Learning practical ways to manage stress and overwhelm.
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Identity & Strengths-Based Support
Helping teens understand themselves and build confidence in whatever direction they are trying to go.
Supporting Parents of Teenagers
Parenting a teenager is an entirely different experience from parenting a younger child, and many parents find themselves wondering: What happened to my easy-going kid? Why won’t they talk to me anymore? Am I handling this the right way? Why do I suddenly sound so much like my own mother/father?!
We understand that raising a teenager comes with new challenges, changing dynamics, and the need to renegotiate boundaries and communication. That’s why we also support parents by:
✔ Providing guidance on how to maintain connection while respecting their growing independence.
✔ Helping you navigate difficult conversations (without it turning into an argument).
✔ Shifting the focus from problem-solving to relationship-building—so it’s not just about “fixing” challenges but about fostering a strong, open dynamic.
✔ Giving you an outside perspective—because sometimes, when you’re right in the middle of things, it’s hard to see the bigger picture.
If your teen isn’t ready for therapy, booking a parent session can be a great first step. It allows us to work together to explore how best to support them—without forcing something they’re not ready for.
A Special Note: Managing Risk & Confidentiality When Working with Adolescents
When working with teenagers, it’s essential to strike a balance between confidentiality and safety. Adolescents need to know they have a private space where they can express themselves openly without fear of everything being shared with parents. At the same time, there are clear ethical and legal responsibilities for psychologists when it comes to risk and disclosure.
At 12 Points Psychology, we follow the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and AHPRA guidelines regarding confidentiality and disclosure when working with young people. This means:
✔ Confidentiality is respected – What your teen shares in therapy is private and will not automatically be disclosed to parents or caregivers.
✔ Safety comes first – If your teen discloses, or we form a reasonable belief that there is a serious and immediate risk of harm to themselves or others, we are legally and ethically required to take action.
✔ Collaboration is key – While confidentiality is important, we work with adolescents to help them decide what, if anything, they’d like to share with their family—and we encourage open (but pressure-free) conversations where possible.
✔ Parents will be involved when appropriate – If concerns arise that don’t meet the threshold for mandatory disclosure, we support young people to communicate these in a way that feels safe and manageable.
If you’d like to better understand how risk is managed in therapy with adolescents, we’ve written a blog post covering confidentiality, disclosure, and when parents will be informed. You can read it here:
Managing Risk When Working with Teens & Families – This process can sometimes feel complex, but we are always happy to answer any questions you have about how confidentiality works and what it means for your family.
Important Information About Our Services
At 12 Points Psychology, our focus is on providing therapeutic support rather than assessments or legal reports. This means:
✔ We do not provide court reports or formal assessments.
✔ We do not see individuals who are mandated to attend therapy.
✔ If you require paperwork, such as an SEA (Special Consideration) application or supporting documentation for other services, we typically require a minimum of three sessions before we have enough information to complete the form.
Any paperwork that needs to be completed outside of session incurs an additional fee, as this work takes time outside of our regular therapeutic sessions. If you have specific documentation needs, feel free to discuss them with us—we’re happy to clarify what we can provide and any associated costs.
We appreciate your understanding and are here to support you in the ways that best align with our therapeutic services.
Get in Touch
If you’re wondering whether therapy might be helpful for your teen, we’re happy to talk through any questions you have.