Pre-Teen & Teen Counselling
Counselling for pre-teens and teenagers aged 10–17 in Bayside Melbourne. A supportive space for young people to feel understood, build confidence and navigate life’s challenges.
As children move into the pre-teen and teenage years, their growing capacity for reflection and abstract thinking allows therapy to include more conversation and exploration of thoughts, feelings and behaviours. At North Star, counselling is tailored to each young person’s developmental stage, needs, strengths and interests. Sessions are collaborative and practical, helping young people better understand themselves, build coping skills and work towards goals that matter to them. Therapy remains developmentally responsive and may incorporate creative activities, games, visual supports, movement and personal interests. The primary approaches used are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
A practical, evidence-based therapy that helps young people understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, behaviours and body responses.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) helps young people make sense of how the way they think, feel and respond can influence their experiences. By learning to recognise patterns that may be keeping difficulties going, young people can develop practical skills to manage challenges and respond in more helpful ways.
Sessions are collaborative and tailored to each young person’s age, needs and goals, with a focus on building skills they can use in everyday life.
CBT may support young people to:
- Understand the connection between thoughts, emotions, behaviours and physical responses
- Recognise and respond differently to unhelpful thinking patterns
- Develop emotional regulation and coping strategies
- Gradually face fears and reduce avoidance
- Build confidence and resilience
- Develop relaxation and mindfulness skills
- Strengthen problem-solving and social skills
CBT can be helpful for young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, OCD, phobias, perfectionism, low self-esteem, emotional regulation difficulties, avoidance and behavioural difficulties.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
A flexible, strengths-based therapy that helps young people navigate difficult thoughts and feelings while moving towards what matters to them.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps young people develop psychological flexibility — the ability to notice and make space for difficult thoughts and emotions without allowing them to determine what happens next.
Rather than focusing on getting rid of uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, ACT helps young people change their relationship with these experiences, recognise what is important to them and develop skills to take meaningful action even when things feel difficult.
At North Star, ACT is adapted for children and adolescents and draws on the ACT Kidflex model developed by Dr Tamar Black, using developmentally appropriate activities, metaphors and practical strategies.
ACT may support young people to:
- Understand and make space for difficult emotions
- Manage anxiety, stress and overwhelming thoughts
- Become less caught up in unhelpful thoughts
- Reduce avoidance and develop flexible coping
- Build confidence, resilience and self-understanding
- Identify personal strengths and values
- Develop greater flexibility in thinking and behaviour
- Take meaningful action towards the things that matter to them
ACT can be helpful for young people experiencing anxiety, stress, perfectionism, low self-esteem, emotional regulation difficulties, avoidance and difficulty coping with uncomfortable thoughts or feelings.
ACT can also be particularly well suited to neurodivergent young people. Its flexible, strengths-based approach can support greater self-understanding, self-acceptance and coping while respecting the young person’s individual way of thinking, feeling and experiencing the world.
Other ways we can support you
Supporting children. Strengthening families. Helping young people find their own North Star.
Book Now