Single-session therapy is a brief, focused approach that addresses your specific concerns or issues within one session. It is intentionally designed to give impactful, practical support in one session rather than needing a longer-term commitment. It gives you the support you need, helping you work out your next step with an issue. A single therapy session can feel slightly different if you're used to ongoing counselling sessions; it takes a collaborative approach, where you work with your counsellor to find practical strategies to help you manage your situation. You'll gain clarity over the issue or problem, helping you get moving again when you're feeling stuck.
How Single Session Therapy Helps Parents of Tweens and Teens
By providing timely, practical support, single-session therapy works really well for parents of tweens and teens when you are facing an immediate challenge like a sudden change in their behaviour that you're concerned about, a specific and pressing issue at school or more conflict than usual between you.
What to expect in your single session
As with any counselling, this time is focused on you and what you need. Before beginning, your therapist will encourage you to work out the session's focus and think about and identify your desired outcome for the session. When you're in the session, you focus on gaining your perspective by listening carefully to your concerns and ensuring you're understood. One of the key differences you might notice in your session is the focus on a particular goal or aim of the session. You and your counsellor work together to find practical strategies and a plan of action focused on helping you clarify your options and next steps.
Single-session therapy is particularly effective in helping you navigate a specific conflict, handle immediate school concerns, or manage an unexpected change. This makes it a great fit for when you're looking for quick, practical strategies you can put in place without a longer commitment to counselling. Perhaps you've found out your teen is vaping, the school have contacted you regarding their attendance, or they've had a spectacular falling out with a friend, and you're not quite sure how best to handle the situation or to support them through it. Other examples might be managing stress during exam season or handling a sudden drop in motivation.
Examples of Practical Strategies
- Ways to communicate with your teen, particularly when navigating difficult conversations.
- Conflict management and how to de-escalate conflict, whether between you and your teen or conflict they are experiencing elsewhere.
- Understanding adolescent emotions and behaviour helps you respond effectively and build a stronger relationship.
- Practical tools for managing your teen's screen time or navigating friendship challenges.
Most importantly, it will give you specific ways to look after yourself and balance your needs with your teen's. You'll find ways to manage your overwhelm and keep your cool (as much as possible when dealing with teens!). Because working out strategies for your teen is easier when you feel your emotional well-being is supported.
While a single session provides brief and targeted support, it also gives you the tools to handle the challenges that will invariably arise when parenting adolescent children. You can build on this experience to start feeling more confident and resilient in managing the ups and downs of parenting teens.
While single-session therapy is designed to be a standalone intervention, it is not the end of the support. After your session, there's the option of a brief follow-up to see how you're doing and if further support would be helpful. You can be reassured that you are not alone and that ongoing help is available, providing a safety net.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, conflicted or unsure about a specific issue that's come to light around parenting your adolescent child, a single session could be just what you need to gain clarity and confidence. There's no need to wait until you're feeling stuck; you can book a single session whenever you need clarity and support.
Ready to tackle parenting challenges with clarity and confidence? Book your single-session therapy today.