Teen & Adolescent Counselling - Christchurch
Being a teenager can be challenging. It is a time of becoming more independent, figuring out who you are, building or changing friendships, relationships, school pressures and expectations. For parents, it can be hard to know when to step in, when to step back, and how to balance safety with giving teenagers room to grow. Whether you’re a parent concerned about your teenager or a young person looking for support yourself, counselling can provide a space to understand what is happening, feel less alone, and work out what might help.
When Can Teen Counselling Help?
Sometimes you know exactly why you’re looking for counselling, either for yourself or for your teenager. At other times, you may simply have noticed that things have become harder, something has changed, or the usual ways of coping are no longer working. Counselling can be helpful when a difficulty keeps returning, feels hard to manage, or begins to affect everyday life. You don’t need a diagnosis, and things don’t have to reach crisis point before asking for support. We take time to understand what is happening from the young person’s point of view and what they would like to be different. Drawing on our knowledge and experience in evidence-based therapies, we can help them make sense of their difficulties, develop practical skills, and work towards meaningful change.
Common Challenges We Help With
Teenagers come to counselling for all sorts of reasons. We support young people experiencing a wide range of issues, such as anxiety and stress, depression, OCD, disordered eating, self-esteem, loneliness, trauma, nightmares, grief, difficulties managing emotions, ADHD-related challenges, as well as difficulties with friendships, family relationships and identity. Sometimes one concern stands out, while at other times several things feel tangled together or difficult to separate. Because different parts of life often affect one another, we focus on understanding the whole picture for each young person rather than treating them as a diagnosis or a list of symptoms.
Meet Your Teen Therapists
Finding a therapist who feels like the right fit matters. Both of our therapists are experienced in working with teenagers and draw on many of the same therapies. The choice may come down to age, personal preference and who feels like the better personal fit. If you are still unsure, we can help when you get in touch. Some young people also find it easier to relax and connect when an animal is part of the session. We have Milo (Ragdoll), Bailey (Labradoodle), and Ellie (Golden Retriever) available as animal-assisted therapy supports. You can ask about this option when arranging an appointment with either therapist.
Corrina Hooper - Adolescent Psychologist
Corrina is a Registered Child and Family Psychologist who works with people aged 6 to 25. You can view her profile here: Corrina Hooper
Dr Lee Hooper - Teen Psychotherapist
Lee is a Registered Psychotherapist who works with people aged 16 and over. You can view his profile here: Lee Hooper
Frequently Asked Questions
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Teenagers need a private space where they can speak openly, so we explain confidentiality and its limits clearly before therapy begins. For some families, a parent regularly joins part or all of the session because the young person, parent and therapist agree that this would be helpful. For others, parent involvement may be limited to initial or review sessions or separate support. We do not routinely tell parents what was discussed during private parts of a session. If serious safety concerns arise, we may need to share the information required to keep the young person safe.
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Some uncertainty about counselling is understandable. It can help to explain your concerns calmly, present counselling as support rather than punishment, and allow your teenager some choice about the therapist and what they would like help with. An initial appointment can give them an opportunity to see how counselling feels. Therapy is unlikely to be useful when a young person is being forced to attend and is unwilling to participate. In this situation, a parent consultation may be a more helpful starting point.
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There is no standard number of sessions. A focused concern may respond to a shorter period of counselling, while longstanding or overlapping difficulties may need more time. We agree on the initial focus of therapy and review progress regularly, so there are opportunities to discuss what is helping, what may need to change, and whether continued sessions would be useful.
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Psychologists and psychotherapists do not prescribe medication. If medication may be helpful, we can discuss talking with your GP or another medical professional. With consent, we can also work alongside the prescriber so that psychological therapy and medical care support the same goals.
Christchurch Teen Counselling & Therapy
Taking the first step can feel difficult, especially when you are unsure what kind of support would help. You do not need to have everything figured out before contacting us. Whether you are looking for support for yourself or your teenager, we would be happy to hear from you, answer your questions and help you work out what comes next.
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself as I am, then I change.
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