Growing up too fast.
Marcus is a 16-year old boy – facing adult issues.
Although divorced, his mother and father are best friends, and Marcus enjoys a great relationship with both parents. A great student and athlete, Marcus began to change about three months ago when his 60-year-old father received a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer.
Slowly, Marcus started disengaging from family life.
Quality time dwindled, and Marcus was spending more time with friends – not the friends of his childhood, but a new group of friends involved in activities outside the norm for Marcus.
Losing connection.
His mother found evidence of marijuana – definitely out of character for her son. After a heart-to-heart with his parents, Marcus broke down and admitted as much – he wasn’t feeling like himself.
Panicked, Marcus’s mother reached out to Integral – she felt she was losing her son. And realizing his life was spiraling out of control, Marcus agreed to see us.
Learning and growing.
As we worked together, Marcus learned about his reactions to the events of his life in a way that enlightened his thinking and began changing the story he’d been telling himself about the difficult and unwanted changes he was facing in life.
He came to understand why marijuana, once taboo, seemed to make sense in light of what he was experiencing.
However, after discovering the power of felt safety and learning tools to facilitate and accelerate his growth, he stopped smoking marijuana, re-engaged meaningfully with his family, and gained invaluable scientific knowledge about the way his body and mind work – tools that will serve him for the rest of his life.
Talk about tough!
Adolescence is a notoriously difficult time of life. The body is changing, childhood is a thing of the past, school begins to matter.
And all this is happening while your young one is trying to establish an identity and find direction in life.
It’s overwhelming to process, but neither of you has to struggle through it alone.
Learn. Love. Grow. Become.
Whether you’re a parent searching for a therapist for your child or you’re a teenager looking for support, we’re here for YOU!
We offer consulting to parents and therapy for teenagers. We’re ready to help you move forward on this daunting but exciting journey.