Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based form of therapy for children and teens who may struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, negativity, depression, or disordered eating patterns. 

A typical course of CBT lasts between 6-20 sessions. CBT teaches children and teens to learn how their thoughts, feelings and behaviors are interconnected, and how they affect one another. 

CBT works by teaching children/teens to identify their automatic negative thoughts and replace them with more helpful, realistic ones. Your adolescent may be assigned “homework” to do outside of their therapy sessions, which may involve practicing many of the skills they are working on during therapy. CBT tends to be highly structured, which can be helpful for children/teens who want to be able to clearly understand goals and expectations.