Your Guide to Therapy Intensives
Wondering if a therapy intensive is right for your teen? These focused, immersive sessions are designed to address challenges like anxiety, low self-esteem, or stress in a concentrated time frame. From a personalized workbook to evidence-based techniques like EMDR and DBT, therapy intensives provide teens with the tools they need to heal and grow. Learn what to expect, how to prepare, and how therapy intensives can help your teen thrive.
Helping Teens Embrace Self-Acceptance
If you’re the parent of an anxious teen, you might notice they’re constantly feeling like they’re not good enough. Despite their best efforts, they often get stuck in a cycle of perfectionism, self-doubt, and negative self-talk. It’s a painful pattern to watch, but there is hope. Therapy can help your teen see their true worth and learn to embrace self-acceptance.
beat the post holiday blues
The holidays are over, and the post-holiday blues are setting in. For those struggling with social anxiety, low self-esteem, or people-pleasing, this time of year can feel especially heavy. Learn to recognize the signs of post-holiday depression, discover practical self-care strategies, and see how therapy can help you or your teen navigate seasonal challenges. Don’t let the winter blues linger—find out how to start feeling better today.
Why Choose a Therapy Intensive Over Weekly Sessions?
Is your teen struggling with anxiety, low self-esteem, or overwhelming stress? Therapy intensives offer a faster path to meaningful progress by providing focused, in-depth sessions tailored to your teen’s unique needs. Discover how these transformative sessions can address challenges like anxiety, self-esteem, or relationship struggles, helping your teen thrive. Learn more about this powerful approach and how it can accelerate their healing journey.
How to Set Realistic New Year Goals for 2025
Struggling to stick to New Year’s resolutions? Setting realistic goals tailored to your needs can boost confidence, reduce anxiety, and help break free from people-pleasing patterns. Learn practical strategies for creating achievable goals in 2025 and discover how therapy can provide accountability and support for lasting change.
What Are Therapy Intensives, and Are They Right for You?
Feeling like weekly therapy isn’t enough? Therapy intensives offer a focused, fast-paced approach to address challenges like anxiety, grief, or burnout. These extended sessions dive deep into your concerns, helping you achieve meaningful progress in less time. Perfect for those needing immediate relief or looking to break through barriers. | NJ, VT, FL
new year, New me? vision board edition
Learn why creating vision boards is a powerful tool help teens with their anxiety and depression. Go into this new year with a fresh perspective, identify new dreams, and practice mindfulness while building self-esteem. | Written by a therapist based out of NJ, FL, & VT.
i’m a Lyra Health provider
Did you know that Lyra Health offers free therapy for their employees and their families? Kristen Hanisch is a contracted Lyra Provider within the state of New Jersey, specializing in children & teens with anxiety and low self-esteem. Learn more about this service and see if your job offers this awesome benefit!
A Customized Approach: Intensives Tailored to You
LET’S BE REAL: LIFE CAN GET PRETTY OVERWHELMING, AND FINDING TIME TO FOCUS ON YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CAN FEEL IMPOSSIBLE. THAT’S WHY THERAPY INTENSIVES EXIST—THEY’RE LIKE THE FAST TRACK TO EMOTIONAL CLARITY AND GROWTH.
developing a “safe space”
Discover the 'Safe Place' technique—a simple yet powerful tool from EMDR therapy that helps create a sense of calm and security anytime, anywhere. Learn how to guide your child or teen to visualize a space that promotes relaxation, mindfulness, and emotional grounding. Perfect for managing big emotions at home, school, or on the go!
Boosting Teen Self-Esteem Through Healthy Friendship Boundaries
Teaching teens to set healthy friendship boundaries can boost their self-esteem and confidence. Learn how to help your teen say 'no,' recognize unhealthy relationships, and build strong, positive connections.
Helping Your Child Handle Friendship Drama
Does your child come home from school anxious or upset after an argument with a friend? Learn how to help your child when friendship drama hits | Therapy for anxious teens in NJ, VT, & FL.
Benefits of extended therapy sessions
Discover how 90-minute EMDR sessions provide faster relief for teens facing anxiety and school stress. Learn how intensive sessions allow for deeper processing, build resilience, and help teens tackle challenges with confidence.
Anxiety or Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
Is it anxiety or oppositional behavior that’s driving your child’s reactions? Many parents find it challenging to tell the difference, especially when similar behaviors—like avoiding tasks, pushing back against rules, or having emotional outbursts—show up in both. While anxiety is often driven by worry or fear, oppositional behaviors come from a need for control or a reaction to limits being set. Understanding this distinction can make a big difference in how you respond and support your child.
Building Confidence in Anxious Children
Children with anxiety often avoid trying new things because they’re afraid of failure or embarrassment, which can limit their growth and self-confidence. As a parent, it can be tough to watch them struggle with these fears, but by offering support and encouragement, you can help them take small steps outside their comfort zone. In this post, we’ll explore why children avoid new experiences and provide practical tips for helping your child build confidence and overcome anxiety.
The Science Behind EMDR
Explore how EMDR therapy helps children in New Jersey and Vermont overcome anxiety, trauma, and emotional distress. At Hanisch Counseling Services, our EMDR sessions are designed to reprocess troubling memories, reduce anxiety, and improve mental health. With EMDR, your child can build lasting resilience, better emotional regulation, and healthier coping skills. Contact us today to learn more or schedule a consultation for effective EMDR therapy for children.
Overwhelming Need for Approval
Is your teen constantly seeking approval from others? Learn how this need for validation can impact their self-esteem and lead to anxiety. At Hanisch Counseling Services in New Jersey and Vermont, we help teens break the cycle of external validation and build lasting confidence through expert therapy approaches like CBT and EMDR. Discover practical ways to support your teen’s mental health and self-worth.
Helping Your Teen Let Go of Perfectionism in School
Perfectionism can overwhelm teens, especially when it comes to schoolwork. Constantly striving for flawless results can lead to stress, anxiety, and even avoidance of tasks. Therapy helps teens reframe their thinking, focusing on progress instead of perfection. Through tools like EMDR and practical strategies, teens can learn to manage school-related pressure and embrace their efforts, not just the outcome. If your teen is struggling with perfectionism, therapy offers a supportive space to help them thrive academically and emotionally.
5 ways to help your anxious teen at home
Dealing with anxiety and low self-esteem as a teenager can feel overwhelming and isolating. Providing structured, actionable steps at home can help teens gain the skills they need to cope with anxiety and improve their self-esteem.
What to Expect During Your Child’s First Therapy Session
Set your mind at ease with Hanisch Counseling Services. Our latest blog post, 'What to Expect During Your Child’s First Therapy Session,' guides New Jersey parents through the first steps of therapy, addressing common concerns and outlining what both children and their parents can expect. Learn how we create a supportive and understanding environment to help your child thrive.