Specialized Teen Counseling |
The poet Robert Bly has a quote about working with young people: "If you want to mentor youth you must be more outrageous than youth." I think this quote speaks to the need for adults to be curious about young people if we want young people to be curious about us. To be "outrageous" may mean many things. In a culture where youth is glorified but seldom listened to, where the pressures on young people are unprecedented, and where the over stimulation of kids is ubiquitous, I have received gratitude from the most hardened of young people who have experienced my sustained, respectful, and caring curiosity about them. It can not be over stated: Young people not only need mentors and role models, they want them. In my work with adolescents I emphasize two fundamental practices: 1) Playful curiosity about the young person before me and 2) The conscious modeling of behavior at all levels of interaction with teens toward its incorporation by the young person. If actions ever speak louder than words it is with youth. My training and experience show me that young people are constantly monitoring their environment for cues toward behavior, for safety, and for knowledge. My method joins with this style of learning and acknowledges the unique traits of each individual. This page and site are still in development. For more on my background work and training with adolescent clients please go to my Adults And Parents page and my Biography page. For an open letter to young people thinking about counseling please go to my Teens page. |