Breaking Through to Teens: Psychotherapy for the New Adolescence

Author(s): Ron Taffel

Children & Adolescents | School Guidance

This book presents groundbreaking strategies for psychotherapy with today's teens, for whom high-risk behavior, lack of adult guidance, and intense anxiety and stress increasingly come with the territory. Ron Taffel addresses the key challenge of building a therapeutic relationship that is strong enough to promote "real" behavioral and emotional change. He demonstrates effective ways to give advice that teens will listen to, get them to tell the truth about their lives, help parents reestablish their authority, and extend the reach of therapy by such nontraditional means as inviting teens to bring friends into sessions.


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"Every page bears witness to Dr. Taffel's empathy and warmth and his understanding of adolescents and their families. This book is a wonderful resource for both beginning and experienced therapists." - Robert Brooks, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts, USA "Dr. Taffel returns from the front lines of working with kids and parents, with scary yet hopeful stories of what he sees today. His account is bold, honest, and clear. What we used to call 'at-risk' behavior is now normal teen behavior.!For clinicians who feel in over their heads with today's teens and families (and who doesn't?), thanks to this book, help is on the way." - Mary Pipher, author of Reviving Ophelia "From the numerous, specific case examples and therapy dialogues, to precise questions to consider and ask, this book fills a hunger that therapists--like the parents and adolescents they treat - have for guidance without equivocation." - Martha B. Straus, Department of Clinical Psychology, Antioch New England Graduate School, USA "In this shrink-savvy generation, kids are expert at manipulating their parents and their therapists. Dr. Taffel offers many specific, helpful suggestions for getting teens into therapy and for getting them to stop their self-destructive behaviors." - Michael Thompson, coauthor of Raising Cain "Leaving this text is like leaving a good professional workshop or conference. You are inspired, reminded of old concepts, enlightened by old concepts in new frames, and interested in learning more about new concepts just introduced." - Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal

Ron Taffel, PhD, Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy, New York, USA

Introduction. Context: The New Adolescence and a New Treatment Paradigm. First Meeting: Getting Teens to Talk. Foundation: What's Necessary to Build a Helping Relationship with Teens. The Core: Healing the Divided Self of 21st-Century Teens. Direction: Advice as Essential to Helping Teens Change Behavior and Attitudes. The Gray Zone: The Truth About Lying to Therapists and Other Child Professionals. Treatment Unbound: Creating "Flexible Confidentiality." The Parent Trap: Childrearing Advice as Essential to Helping Parents Change Behavior. Stuck: How to Conduct a "Focused Family Session." The Village: Bringing Friends into Treatment. The Real in Relational: Challenging Ourselves to Stay Three-dimensional with Teens.

General Fields

  • : 9781606239445
  • : Guilford Publications
  • : Guilford Publications
  • : July 2010
  • : United States
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : Ron Taffel
  • : Paperback
  • : 616.89140083
  • : 292