Seeking therapist/consult for NT teen with no friends

[Anonymous]

I have posted on other threads about my teenage HS-age student with no friends. Does anyone know of any consultant/therapist, etc. in the area who we can both talk to? We have done all the obvious and nothing has helped. So I am now looking to engage a professional. I have talked to some therapists/services who help children on the spectrum but their social skills groups were not the right fit.

[Anonymous]

Does your teen want help?

[Anonymous]

The best person to start with is the school counselor or therapist. She can help your daughter and also has the best references that are related to this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your teen want help?

This is key. Does your teen want help? If not, it is going to be very hard to find a therapist willing to take on the challenge.

Also, in order to make suggestions it would be very helpful to know the following:

Has there ever been a neurpsych evaluation? Were diagnosis eliminated or did they say r/o. Rule out actually does NOT mean it was ruled out. It means they have NOT ruled it out and the teen may have this issue. So r/o ASD means, the teen does not currently meet criteria, but the clinician wants to make note this is something to consider and may want to revisit it.

Does your teen have an IEP or 504? Any learning disabilities or mental health issues? You say your teen is neurotypical which I assume means there is no diagnosis of ASD or ADHD?

Is this new or has this been throughout life? If it's new, any triggering events? A major social issue at school/stress/illness/trouble at school/bullying/accident/injury.

[Anonymous]

I have no suggestions about a therapist but I’d make sure social anxiety is looked into as a cause. Sorry you are dealing with this!

[Anonymous]

My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

[Anonymous]

What wrong with not having friends

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your teen want help?

This is key. Does your teen want help? If not, it is going to be very hard to find a therapist willing to take on the challenge.

Also, in order to make suggestions it would be very helpful to know the following:

Has there ever been a neurpsych evaluation? Were diagnosis eliminated or did they say r/o. Rule out actually does NOT mean it was ruled out. It means they have NOT ruled it out and the teen may have this issue. So r/o ASD means, the teen does not currently meet criteria, but the clinician wants to make note this is something to consider and may want to revisit it.

Does your teen have an IEP or 504? Any learning disabilities or mental health issues? You say your teen is neurotypical which I assume means there is no diagnosis of ASD or ADHD?

Is this new or has this been throughout life? If it's new, any triggering events? A major social issue at school/stress/illness/trouble at school/bullying/accident/injury.

My kid with ASD is quite socially driven - I think many/most are. The difference is that they are less socially successful. Some kids on the spectrum (with normal IQ) are less socially motivated but generally they will be pretty satisfied with their own interests and you cannot really miss it.

I would guess for OP’s kid something like depression or anxiety is more likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

I guess you don’t know how meds work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

so because antibiotics cleared up your strep throat, you never needed them in the first place?

[Anonymous]

https://starobincounseling.com/
They have a PEERS program

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

I guess you don’t know how meds work.

You’re part of the problem with the culture of overmedicating children with psychographic drugs. Plenty of studies have been done to prove that this is a problem and you cannot deny that. Too many, like yourself, are quick to want to drug children to control behaviors that would be best for them to receive psychological intervention and treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

I guess you don’t know how meds work.

You’re part of the problem with the culture of overmedicating children with psychographic drugs. Plenty of studies have been done to prove that this is a problem and you cannot deny that. Too many, like yourself, are quick to want to drug children to control behaviors that would be best for them to receive psychological intervention and treatment.

*psychotropic drugs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid had anxiety and social anxiety. Once we treated that with meds, the social and school issues faded away. He’s now in college and off meds and has a group of friends. My advice. Don’t be afraid of meds. Use them as a short term tool. Sure, therapy helps but sometimes you need meds to help therapy achieve goals.

So, your son did not need the meds.

so because antibiotics cleared up your strep throat, you never needed them in the first place?

Not the same thing. Keep reaching in your struggle.