Family First’s adolescent therapy programs are designed to help teens reconnect with themselves and build brighter futures. We encourage them to be curious and deeply explore their emotions so they can make lasting changes in their lives. Our safe, compassionate environment and team of experts make this healing exploration more comfortable. 

There is a better way forward for your teen. If they are struggling with anger, substance use, isolation, or other issues, we can help. Call 888.904.5947 to discover how the therapy programs at Family First Adolescent Services in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, can help. 

Our Approach to Adolescent Mental Health Therapy 

We strive to promote healing and make a lasting impact on your teen’s life. Our team knows that in order to help them change their negative behaviors, we need to guide them in addressing the issues he’s struggling with below the surface. 

Our approach and intensity are similar to those used for adults but are tailored specifically to the unique challenges faced in adolescence. 

• Communication – We consistently communicate with families, teachers, and healthcare professionals to develop tailored care plans and provide status updates. 
• Teen-specific – Intensive youth therapy builds a baseline of trust, empathy, and accountability while connecting on physical, academic, creative, and social levels. 
• Trauma-informed – This method of sustainable healing helps teens understand emotions and emotional context, set emotional boundaries, and create healthy connections to find fulfillment. 
• Specialized clinical staff – With more than 120 years of combined clinical experience and a curiosity for new methods, our team is highly skilled. Teens connect with an expert primary therapist five times in their first seven days of treatment. 
• Psychiatric care – Teens meet with a psychiatric provider at least once per week for medication management and to address any underlying mental health issues. We never prescribe or modify prescriptions without parental understanding and approval. 
• Family support – A young person’s best chance for healing is when the entire family builds deeper connections with themselves and others. We provide specialized support, tools, counseling, and referrals to help families build healthier home environments. 
• Continuing care – The steps toward a healthier future don’t end when treatment does. We look far beyond our clients’ time with us to help create a roadmap toward sustainable healing with our ongoing support for a year or more. 

The Family First adolescent therapy program also utilizes a range of leading-edge clinical methods to connect with adolescents.

Family First Teen Therapy Programs 

By using a range of therapy methods, we are able to develop individualized care plans for each teen we help. Some of the methods we use include: 

NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM) 

NARM is a developmentally oriented, neuroscientifically informed trauma therapy model. Sessions focus on: 

• Attachment 
• Relational trauma 
• Developmental trauma 

The practice integrates cognitive and emotional processes with sensory and instinctual processes within relationships to promote a greater capacity for self-regulation, self-compassion, and social engagement. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) 

DBT is a mindfulness-based cognitive-behavioral therapy that supports: 

• Mindfulness skills 
• Distress tolerance 
• Emotional regulation 
• Interpersonal effectiveness 

Through DBT skill-building and practice, teens can learn how to approach life with a greater capacity for self-acceptance and personal transformation. 

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 

CBT is a talk therapy that helps adolescents learn how to identify and change destructive or negative thought patterns that influence behaviors and emotions. The focus is to identify core beliefs that drive distortions in the way teens think. Then, they can use intentional focus and practice to healthily shift their reactions and behaviors. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) 

EMDR was originally designed to alleviate distress associated with traumatic memories. Therapists use a specific protocol and direction of eye movements to help clients process memories and develop insights that promote natural healing. EMDR can also address other issues, such as anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. 

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) 

IPNB is a multidisciplinary approach to understanding how relationships shape identity. It assumes that the mind is a relational process that regulates information and energy flow, which requires constant rewiring. All relationships, particularly the closest ones, change the brain. Strengthening relationships and relationship-building skills is especially important during adolescence. 

Motivational Interviewing (MI) 

MI is a collaborative, person-centered form of psychotherapy (talk therapy) that aims to help individuals explore and resolve ambivalence about change. It recognizes that change is not always easy, and it is normal for people to have mixed feelings or uncertainty about making changes in their lives. Therapists are non-judgmental and encourage teens to explore their own motivations and values, ultimately empowering them to make changes in their lives. 

Expressive Arts Therapy 

Teens don’t need a natural artistic ability to use or benefit from expressive arts therapy. They only need a willingness to participate and a curiosity about the available mediums, like: 

• Writing 
• Drama 
• Movement 
• Painting 
• Music 

Art therapy may unlock subconscious beliefs, processes, and patterns that would be challenging to reach through traditional therapeutic approaches. 

Somatic Therapy 

Rooted in the mind-body connection, somatic therapy is based on the premise that healing can occur when a person is given the right environment and interpersonal support. Body-oriented techniques of somatic therapy include: 

• Somatic mindfulness 
• Grounding 
• Visualization 
• Physical exercise 

Somatic therapy is an effective approach to achieving increased regulation and resolving deeply rooted emotional difficulties. 

Mindfulness in Motion 

Mindfulness and meditation therapy help teens focus on the awareness of their thoughts, feelings, and impulses in the moment. Pairing mindfulness with exercise therapy allows teens to tune into themselves and connect their minds, bodies, and emotions in a safe environment. It can help adolescents gain self-awareness, use critical thinking skills, and regulate their emotions to respond to situations healthily. 

Equine Therapy 

Equine-assisted therapy brings horses into the talk therapy process. Teens interact with horses by grooming, feeding, and leading them under the supervision of a mental health professional. Equine therapy helps teens develop emotional regulation skills, self-confidence, and responsibility. 

Experiential Therapy 

Utilizing the natural elements afforded by the beautiful environment in South Florida, clients engage in therapeutic groups and activities that include: 

• Paddleboarding 
• Wakeboarding 
• Surfing 
• Kayaking 
• Equine therapy 
• Deep-sea fishing 
• CrossFit 

These experiential therapy activities are geared toward enhancing mindfulness skills, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and overall physical health. They are especially effective when paired with wellness therapy programming. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 

ACT helps teens learn how to be present, open up, and do what matters by connecting to a valued life direction. By learning that adverse events, thoughts, and feelings are normal processes of the human mind, teens can accept them without struggle. This process allows clients to prioritize creating a meaningful life over avoiding discomfort. 

Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) 

MET is a counseling approach designed to help individuals resolve ambivalence about engaging in treatment and stopping destructive behaviors. The goal of this therapy is to help teens recognize the discrepancy between their current behavior and their personal values, goals, or self-image. MET helps teens identify motivations for change and develop a plan for reaching their goals. 

Relapse Prevention Therapy 

Substance and process addiction relapse prevention therapy is an approach to helping adolescents stay sober or stop engaging in negative behaviors. Clients learn how to identify high-risk situations and develop healthy coping mechanisms to prevent relapse. 

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) 

REBT is a psychotherapy that helps individuals identify self-defeating beliefs and replace them with healthier, more productive thoughts. By challenging irrational beliefs, teens can gain insight into the underlying causes of their behaviors and emotions. REBT also focuses on developing problem-solving skills and techniques for managing stress.  

Teens at Family First engage in individual therapy with their care team, group therapy with other adolescents their age, and family therapy to build better relationships.  

Individual, Group, and Family Therapy Programs for Teens 

As part of the Family First therapy programs, we offer individual, group, and family therapy sessions to help teens achieve their treatment goals. 

• Individual therapy – Teens coming to Family First receive five individual therapy programs within their first seven days of treatment in addition to their assessments. This 5-in-7 approach is an immersive approach unique to our center. Individual sessions are collaborative, helping teens attain their personal goals through the guidance of an expert clinical therapist. 
• Group therapy – Small groups allow clients to connect with their peers with honesty and vulnerability inside a safe, controlled space. We guide clinical focus weeks that provide immersive opportunities to explore a specific topic through talk and experiential therapy methods. 
• Family therapy – Weekly family systems therapy sessions create space for identifying and addressing patterns and dynamics within the family. Personalized sessions include processing, reflecting, behavior recognition, and close interpersonal focus. 
• Parent focus groups – Our focus groups meet twice a week and are geared toward parents and guardians to provide education on their role in the healing process. These interactive groups bring parents together to engage in didactic and experiential exercises to explore topics like parenting, mental health, trauma, substance use, boundaries, and more. 

Teens at Family First remain supported by their individual care team and the rest of our staff so they can always feel safe. They meet with therapists, nurses, and psychiatric staff regularly to understand their path forward. Parents receive regular communication during their teen’s stay to update them on their progress. 

Find Help in Family First’s Adolescent Therapy Programs in Florida 

Every teen can heal and create a healthy, fulfilling life. Our adolescent therapy programs empower teens to make lasting changes in their lives by providing them with the tools, support, and guidance they need. We offer therapy at two levels of care: our boys-only residential program and our co-ed partial hospitalization program (PHP). Call 888.904.5947 or contact us online to find out which program is right for your teen.