teen girl smiling talking with therapist, Mental Health Therapy Modalities

Since every teen in our care is unique, we strive to provide them with a variety of therapy options in order to find the perfect blend of modalities that work for them. With a personalized treatment plan for each client, our adolescents see major improvements and become active participants in their own healing journey. Our treatment plans can vary widely from person to person and may include both science-backed, evidence-based mental health therapy modalities as well as experiential treatments. 

Our Evidence-Based Treatments

Our experienced team is trained to work with you and your teen using different evidence-based practices. We have team members that specialize in each clinical therapy modality listed below to ensure that your child has direct access to the care they need. These mental health therapy modalities are time-tested and trusted when treating behavioral and mental health disorders.

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to help teens develop healthy coping skills.
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – In DBT, clients learn how to manage strong emotions and develop mindfulness.
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – This therapeutic approach uses physical responses to work through traumatic memories.
  • Family Systems – In this form of psychotherapy, a therapist will guide your family in resolving conflict and rebuilding relationships.
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – Through ACT, your teen will learn how to handle unpleasant feelings and situations through mindfulness strategies.
  • Matrix Model – A program for teens with substance abuse issues, this focuses on individual therapy, early recovery, relapse prevention, family education, social support, and testing.
  • Motivational Enhancement Therapy – This type of therapy helps individuals develop the motivation they need to change their lives.
  • Harm-Reduction – These strategies help keep individuals who are struggling with substance abuse safe as they begin their journey to recovery.
  • 12-Step Programming – An approach that uses structured group sessions to promote long-term sobriety through accountability and support.

While in our residential treatment programs, clients learn to deal with stress and other triggers in a healthy way through these mental health therapy modalities.

Experiential Treatments in Our Therapy Programs

In addition to the clinically tested therapies we provide, our team also incorporates experiential mental health therapy modalities to aid in emotional expression, symptom-relief and management, and building healthy life practices. Your child may be asked to choose from among our many experiential teen therapy options including:

  • Art Therapy – Teens work on self expression and processing difficult emotions through their chosen art medium.
  • Equine Therapy – Bonding with animals helps improve assertiveness, problem-solving skills, emotional awareness, stress tolerance, impulse control, and empathy.
  • Gardening – Getting connected to the earth provides teens with a chance to learn new skills, socialize with peers, and gain a sense of independence.
  • Hiking – Spending time in nature while exercising helps teens create healthy habits while enhancing their creativity, improving their mood, and positively affecting concentration.
  • Meditation – Teens have a chance to practice mindfulness, reduce stress, and identify and deal with internal struggles in a calm environment.
  • Music Therapy – This includes poetry therapy and drama therapy to provide an additional creative outlet that allows teens to express themselves.
  • Yoga Therapy – Restorative yoga can benefit both the body and mind promoting mindfulness, physical health, and good habits for the future.
  • Somatic Experiencing – This therapeutic modality uses the body’s responses to help clients work through past trauma and negative feelings.
  • Surf Therapy – Our California location allows us to offer surf therapy to improve cognitive concentration, enhance self-efficacy, and even alleviate insomnia.

Even though your child may be in recovery, we still want to provide them fun and creative outlets. These experiences are reminders of how their life can be meaningful while simultaneously offering them a unique path to therapy.

Effective Mental Health Therapy Modalities at Ascend

By combining these teen therapy options to customize a treatment plan for your teen, Ascend Healthcare is confident that we can help them. Reach out to our admissions team to learn more about how we develop a treatment plan for each resident and what you can expect from our program.

Call Ascend Healthcare today at 310.388.3713 to learn more about teen therapy options in California.