Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

CBT for teens

9 replies

sayatika · 12/01/2019 08:44

Has anyone used this for their teenager? If so was it worth it? I've found a counsellor who charges quite a lot ph so I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. CAHMS list is really long.

OP posts:
Squeegle · 12/01/2019 09:06

My DS has been doing it. I think it has been too irregular- once every 3 weeks or so. It was through Camhs. I think the big thing is about whether they get on with the counsellor and are open to it. I’m not sure my DS really got on with the lady doing it. He said they ran out of conversation! Conversely, I am doing it and it is helping me GrinGrin

Original poster
sayatika · 12/01/2019 09:18

That's interesting Squeegle. How long did you have to wait for CAMHS?
I've heard that CBT is not so great for young teens as they are not very good at opening up. My DD is nearly 15 and loves to talk! The therapist I've found charges a lot and says it's weekly. Just not sure I can justify the expense.

OP posts:
Squeegle · 12/01/2019 09:21

We had to wait a few months, he has adhd and had also been depressed and so the CBT was to help him reframe some of his anger. I think he really needs to talk to someone on a regular basis (he has now started smoking weed) to get some of this stuff out. But it may be that I have to pay for it privately, which won’t be easy.

Squeegle · 12/01/2019 09:22

My son is also nearly 15, he can talk a lot sometimes but only to the right people

TheFirstOHN · 12/01/2019 09:22

DS1 had it weekly via the NHS (he was 15). I think it did help.

corythatwas · 12/01/2019 13:06

CBT is mainly about applying techniques to change your own approach to things, so it doesn't require that much opening up. You're not talking about lying on a couch and divulging your innermost thoughts: the therapist will only need to know enough to understand where the problems lie.

Otoh it does require a lot of commitment and willingness to concentrate on the exercises, which is why it can be difficult with young people, who often want quick fixes. In that sense it's similar to physio: you have to trust your therapist and put the work in.

Dd had it and it really helped, but she was in too bad a way to manage it until she had first had medication. Longterm, though, it really has made a difference to how she copes with her anxiety/depression: it has taught her to recognise negative mind-patterns and deal with them.

Scifi101 · 12/01/2019 14:09

I don't know if this would help but I saw a cbt workbook in the works the other day.

Original poster
sayatika · 12/01/2019 17:30

corythatwas, I'm not a doctor but I'm wondering if my DD is going to require medication too. Is 14 a bit young for ADs?

DH said no way when I told him the price for the private CBT so I guess we are going to have to wait for camhs. Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
corythatwas · 13/01/2019 11:35

sayatika , dd was a similar age when first referred; what they said was, they wanted to try therapy first, because of the risk of side effects, and try to get her past her 15th birthday before they put her on meds

that was CAHMS too, they were very good, but dd was too ill to cope until she got the meds

still on them at 22, but doing really well & living independently

New posts on this thread. Refresh page