Building a Therapeutic Alliance With Adolescent Boys

In this video program, Dr. Andrew P. Smiler works with an adolescent boy who displays characteristics of attention deficit disorder who has been facing difficulty in school due to disruptive behavioral tendencies. During the session, Dr. Smiler asks a series of questions designed to increase the client's comfort talking about his world, including the motives that drive his behavior. In the introduction to the video, Dr. Smiler discusses how important it is for therapists treating young male clients to adopt an approach that emphasizes decision-making alongside self-reflection, and to recognize the influence of power — and lack of power — on teen boys' functioning.

Dr. Smiler also addresses the importance of risk-taking and therapeutic work based in clients' anger.