Identity Work

Everyone holds various identities. These can range from age to race/ethnicity to sexual orientation and gender identity. Sometimes these identities fit and your teen can just roll right along with them. Other identities don't fit, or they are related to some kind of distress or difficulty. Stigma related to one or many of your teen's identities can be traumatic and pervasive, which be directly related to other mental health issues and concerns. There are other times when it can be difficult to feel comfortable in any identity, which can be painful and confusing. It might feel like there are layers and layers of masks hiding the real person underneath, but your teen doesn't know how to get the masks off.

Relate Family Therapy and Counseling has therapists who can help your teen remove the masks and be who they are on the inside. They can help your teen address the stigma, the difficulties, and the pain that can come with identity work. Your teen is accepted, validated, and respected here, and our therapists are here to walk alongside them on this collaborative, and sometimes emotional, journey to get you to your wonderful and authentic self.