Ari Margolis

Children and adolescents from dysfunctional families/High risk teens:

All teenagers must grapple with issues involved with the beginnings of adult identity formation. Pressure from peers, insecurities about competency, body image and attractiveness to others, pressures to experiment with drugs, alcohol and sex are all part of a teens daily struggle. High risk teens present a propensity of having a more difficult time dealing with these challenges than their “normal” peers.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family significantly impacts, and often complicates, teen development. Typically, children from such homes suffer from abuse and neglect, be it physical or emotional. Whether overtly or, as is often the case, covertly, this abuse and neglect bring an added degree of complexity and confusion as these children move towards adulthood and struggle to form an identity.

Counseling teens requires an open line of communication, trust and patience. Using my unique ability to establish rapport with teenagers, I am able to establish a relationship with them in which they are able to sense genuine commitment to their cause. This in turn leads to trust and openness on their part which lays the foundation an effective therapeutic process.

The issues addressed are largely but not limited to:

• Behavioral Difficulties
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Trauma
• Grief and Loss
• Relationship Issues
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Relationships
• Trust
• Abandonment
• Parent Hungry
• Emotionally Hungry
• Low frustration tolerance
• Self esteem

The overall goal of therapy:

• Helping the client address issues related to abuse and neglect,
• Serving as a model for appropriate adult child relationships,
• Working to improve fam