Young Person's Services
Adolescence can be an extremely turbulent time for a young person and their parents. It can be helpful for a young person to have a confidential space in which he or she is able to talk about their worries and concerns, for example peer and parent relationships, self-identity or exam stress. A young person may want to talk to somone that is not a friend, parent or a teacher. In this situation seeing an unbiased clinical psychologist like Dr Milburn can be helpful and effective.
​
The young person might be:
-
Feeling unhappy, worried or frightened for reasons they cannot explain
-
Having difficulty at school or at home
-
Be unable to channel his or her energy and creativity into ways that develop their potential
-
Having difficulty making friends or getting along with others in school or in their family
-
Might be acting aggresively to others and wondering why and how to cope with this behaviour
-
Having problems with their identity and self-image
-
Having problems with anxiety
-
Feeling depressed or suicidal and needing someone to talk to
These behaviours and feelings can interfere with a young person's sense of well-being and their capacity for their own emotional, social and intellectual development.
What will happen at the appointment?
If the young person is under 18, the initial assessment appointment can be attended just by him or her, but their parent/s will need to be present in the building (i.e. they can wait in the waiting room). If the young person wants their parents to attend with them that is fine too. The parents are welcome to contact Dr Milburn before the initial assessment to discuss who might attend this first appointment.
The purpose of this initial assessment is to reach an understanding of the difficulties the young person is experiencing and to develop a plan to resolve these. Sometimes it is possible to reach this point at the end of the initial assessment appointment but often one or two further assessment appointments may be required. A decision may be made to attend psychotherapy.
​
What happens in psychotherapy?
​
Psychotherapy is not the same as giving advice or telling a person what to do. Instead, Dr Milburn will help the young person to understand the issues that are worrying them, so that he or she can decide for themselves how best to deal with them. In the sessions, which are normally weekly, the young person can talk about whatever he or she needs to without being judged, and in the knowledge that what they say will remain confidential. Individual sessions will usually last fifty minutes and take place in a comfortable and private setting. How many times the young person needs to come will depend on what is helpful for them.
