CBT Activities for Teens and Young Adults with Compassionate Counseling St. Louis Therapists
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most researched, evidence-based approaches for kids and teens to help manage anxiety, anger, and overwhelming emotions.
Our team of expert therapists at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis use CBT to help kids, teens and college students, both in-person and online, take a step back to figure out what's going on in their brain, what emotions are coming up, and what behaviors those are leading to, and then figuring out a helpful change.
Last week we connected you with our team of anxiety therapists to learn more about some of their favorite ways in use CBT with kids.
Today we asked them to come back and share more about how they integrate CBT techniques into their sessions with teens and young adults.
Image Credit: Unsplash Gaelle Marcel @gaellemarcel
Kelsey Dunn, MSW, LCSW
Kelsey Dunn, MSW, LCSW
Owner & Teen Anxiety Expert
After writing a whole CBT book for teens with anxiety-driven anger it's hard to pick just one favorite activity. But I do think that starting with the anger iceberg is one of my favorite ways to help teens explore what's going on underneath the surface.
Using the worksheet, we can explore how our big reactions look on the outside, and dive into what’s really happening underneath the surface. We can say, "Maybe think about the last time you had a big reaction to something, even a reaction that got you in trouble. What were you doing on the outside that other people could observe? And what was really going on for you on the inside? And the internal stuff, underneath the surface of the water, could both be what you’re experiencing in the moment (anxiety, sadness, stress), and past, historical things you’ve had to go through (trauma, grief and loss, parents with anger management issues, etc.)"
Molly Shaffer, MA, LPC
Molly Shaffer, MA, LPC
Child & Teen Therapist, Trauma Specialist and Parent Coach
One that I really enjoy is a "Fact vs Opinion" worksheet and activity. After we have explored what has been going on we take a deeper dive into what could be leading to the increased anxiousness/anger or reactions. With this activity we talk about the difference between facts/opinions and process why it is important to separate facts and opinions (when treated as facts, harmful opinions like "I am stupid", "I am ugly", "I am not a good person" can contribute to increased feelings of anxiety and depression).
We explore how small facts can lead to broad, unhelpful opinions (ex: “My friend and I got into a fight” (fact) leads to the opinion “I am a terrible person, no one likes me”). This activity is helpful in teaching clients to challenge their irrational beliefs/cognitive distortions leading to more positive self-talk and increased self-esteem.
Samantha Ferrara, MSW, LCSW
Samantha Ferrara, MSW, LCSW
Teen & Child Therapist, RO-DBT Level 1, Parent Coach
Something that I focus on a lot with teens is the B in CBT, the Behaviors. Sometimes we hear that CBT focuses a lot on just the thought process, and I think it is really important to do behavior work along with thought work. Doing behavior actions helps us reframe thoughts or even proving them wrong.
Working on the behavior can include working on a fear hierarchy or exposure work. If we are working on social anxiety or a specific phobia or fear, we will plan action around them specifically. For example if the worry is about how I look, then I will plan to challenge my behavior by choosing not to check my nose or stomach in the mirror.
Rachel Simons, MSW, LMSW
Rachel Simons, MSW, LMSW
Child & Teen Therapist, Play Therapist in Training and Parent Coach
With teens, I typically dive deeper into psychoeducation regarding cognitive distortions and unhelpful thinking patterns. Once we have a solid understanding of these concepts, I enjoy finding video clips from relatable TV shows and movies where a character demonstrates unhelpful thinking patterns.
We then work together to brainstorm how the character could reframe those thoughts into more balanced ones and how this shift could positively affect their mood and behavior. This activity not only helps teens practice reframing their thoughts, but also normalizes the fact that everyone experiences unhelpful thinking patterns.
Want to learn more about working Compassionate Counseling St. Louis?
Interested in working with one of our St. Louis anxiety therapists? Want to learn more about how CBT can help your St. Louis teen or college student? You can schedule your free 15 minute consultation call with Compassionate Counseling St. Louis today!
Curious to learn more about anxiety and anxiety-driven anger? Wondering if CBT at Compassionate Counseling St. Louis could be a good fit for you or your child? Reach out to us at hello@compassionatecounselingstl.com. As child anxiety experts, we love working with kids, teens, college students and parents to help manage their anxiety, stress, and anger. Compassionate Counseling St. Louis is located in Clayton, MO and works with families by offering both in-person counseling and online therapy throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Ladue, University City, Town and Country, Webster Groves, Creve Couer, Kirkwood, Richmond Heights, and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy Missouri -wide to teens and college students. You can set up your first free consult on this website, on our consultation page.