Teen Therapy in Calgary

Adolescence can be a confusing and emotionally intense time for both teens and parents. You might notice your teen withdrawing, lashing out, or seeming overwhelmed by pressure to keep up, fit in, or figure out who they are. You may have tried to help but feel unsure what to say or do, especially when your teen doesn’t seem to want to talk.

If you’re here, it’s likely because you care deeply about your child and want to understand how to support them. Reaching out for help is an act of love, and it can make a real difference.

Through teen therapy, Redesigning Mental Health helps young people build emotional regulation skills, strengthen self-awareness, and develop healthy ways to navigate the ups and downs of adolescence. At the same time, we can support parents in understanding their teen’s inner world and the developmental challenges that come with this stage of life.

How Therapy Can Help

Therapy gives teens a place where they don’t have to perform or hide how they feel. It’s a space that belongs entirely to them, and one where they can be honest, explore their experiences, and learn that they are not alone.

Our approach focuses on helping teens:

Build emotional awareness and self-regulation skills

Develop tangible tools for managing stress, anxiety, and overwhelm

Strengthen communication and problem-solving abilities

Build confidence and a sense of self-worth

Navigate friendships, family relationships, and identity development

Normalize the adolescence experience

For parents, therapy often brings clarity and relief. You’ll gain insight into your teen’s challenges and learn ways to support them without escalating conflict or unintentionally shutting them down. You’ll also experience support and validation, because raising a teenager is not an easy or simple task. It often brings up some of your own challenges and pain from your adolescence.

Our Approach to Teen Therapy

We combine DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) skills training, mindfulness, and creative, strengths-based strategies to make therapy relevant and engaging for each teen we work with.

We know that traditional “talk therapy” doesn’t always connect with young people, especially when they already feel misunderstood and judged. Instead, sessions are flexible, individualized and the pace is often slower than adult therapy. Sessions might include music, art, metaphor, story telling, or hands on skill-building activities that match each teen’s personality and learning style.

At the core of our work is the belief that every teen deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued. This means it is imperative that a solid and trusting relationship is built between the teen and their therapist.  We don't approach therapy from a place of judgment or authority. We listen deeply, validate each teen’s experience, and help them understand what’s happening inside their minds and bodies.

For teens who are highly sensitive or neurodivergent, this approach can be particularly powerful. Many have spent years feeling “too much” or “not enough.” We help them reframe these traits as strengths. The same sensitivity and creativity that can cause distress are also the qualities that enable empathy, intuition, and originality.

A Collaborative and Compassionate Process

We also understand that parents play a crucial role in their teen’s growth. Our approach involves inviting parents into the process, not to monitor or control therapy, but to help them understand what their teen needs and how they can support at this developmental stage.

We help parents learn how to:

• Communicate in ways that foster connection and trust

• Be curious and less judgemental about their teen

• Recognize when their teen’s reactions are part of normal development

• Support emotional regulation at home

• Encourage independence while still providing structure and safety
  
  

This collaborative style means that the progress and skill development in therapy doesn’t stay contained to the session; it begins to ripple outward into family life. Parents often say they feel more patient, better equipped, and more hopeful after participating in the process.