A common concern I have heard is that parents of young adults often feel left in the dark for their loved one’s treatment. That seems a waste of valuable resources, as parents are critical figures of support and observation.

It is my view that if parents are funding their dependent young adult’s treatment, then they are stakeholders, and invested into successful treatment outcomes. As such, they have a right to let their goals of treatment be known, to have a voice in the process, and to get occasional updates on concerns and progress. Therefore, in my work with young adults, the initial evaluation is the same as for adolescents unless the parent waives that right. I find it helpful to get a parent’s perspective on their loved one’s problems, and also to elicit from them a detailed family and developmental history. This helps me to be an effective clinician.

I value and respect confidentiality. And I do want a young adult taking ownership of his/her treatment. The expectation is that after the initial evaluation he/she and I will work almost exclusively together, and almost all of the work we do together will remain private. However, I want the young adult’s consent to keep avenues of communication with his/her parents open for them to stay apprised of how treatment is progressing. If a parent is willing to be excluded from that process, then this is acceptable to me. However, when a parent wishes to be involved and a young person denies them, I find this often to be a significant barrier to successful treatment.

If anyone considering treatment has questions or concerns about these philosophies, please reach out to ask them.