Is Your Teen Struggling, But You Don’t Know How To Help Anymore?
Have you noticed a change in your teen’s behavior? Are they falling behind in school or wrestling with questions of sexuality and identity? Do you wish you knew how to help them, but you’re not sure where to start?
Maybe your teen is acting unusually defiant, breaking household rules and hanging out with the wrong crowd. Every conversation with them turns into a fight—it seems like you can’t bring up anything without upsetting them. Or perhaps your teen is unusually withdrawn and isolated. They hardly leave the room and have stopped hanging out with friends as much. When you ask them what’s wrong, they never tell you.
It’s Hard To Know When To Help Your Teen And When To Let Them Be
One of the toughest things about parenting a teen is understanding boundaries and knowing when to step in or out of their life. As much as you want to help them, they probably crave independence and don’t want you involved in their business. You don’t want to be a helicopter parent, but your teen’s wellbeing means everything to you. You’re not going to let their mental health issues get worse.
This is why teen therapy is so vital. It’s a chance to take some of the pressure off your shoulders and share it with someone who has lots of experience working with teenagers. Here at Life Catalyst Therapy & Coaching, our goal is to empower your teen to face their challenges and equip you with the skills to help them in everyday life.
Social Media Has Created Many New Anxieties For Teens Nowadays
The teenage years are a turbulent time of life. Teens are trying to set themselves apart from their families and figure out their thoughts and views on the world. They want to be treated as mature and independent, but parents often feel like they haven’t earned that right yet. This can lead to conflict in the home and make parents feel like they’re walking on eggshells with their teen.
Today’s teens have it especially tough. Social media has exposed kids to all kinds of new anxieties and started a game of endless social comparisons. There’s always someone on the internet who looks more attractive, has more friends, and is better at sports.
Teens also have to grapple with the possibility of having their mistakes aired online. If they mess up in a sporting event, wear the wrong outfit to school, or say the wrong thing in a text message, their mishap could get screenshotted, videoed, and even put to music. This adds social pressures that previous generations did not have to face.
Most Teens Turn To Other Teens For Help Instead Of Adults
Since teens are trying to distinguish themselves from their parents, they often turn to their peers for support. But no matter how kind or well-intentioned your teen’s friends are, they’re in the same boat as your teen. They’re wrestling with all the same academic pressures and social media stressors.
It’s important for your teen to have an adult in their life who can offer guidance and support while still letting them be in control. As a therapist, I can help your teen increase their independence, improve their emotional intelligence, and be more prepared for adulthood.
Therapy Is A Chance For Teens To Relax And Be Themselves
Teens nowadays often worry that everything they say and do will be seen by everyone. Having a safe, warm, and confidential space is more important than it’s ever been. That’s what we aim to provide. Therapy is a chance for your teen to relax and share whatever they’re feeling without fear of anyone else knowing what they say.
Your teenager can expect to learn new ways to communicate with their friends, other adults, and most importantly, you. We will teach your teen skills for managing their anxiety and decreasing their depression. Along the way, we want to help you negotiate the in-between space of your changing relationship with your teen. You will learn to walk the middle path of parenting, not being a helicopter parent but not being too permissive either.
What To Expect In Sessions
The first session is generally held with you and your teen together and the rest of therapy is usually done with just your teen. Although what your teen shares with us is confidential, you can still expect to play an active role in their journey. From time to time we can bring you in for a session or touch base via phone. We want to keep you informed, involved, and updated.
Above all, we believe that the most important part of a teenager’s life is their relationship with their parents or caregivers. Our goal is to strengthen that relationship as much as possible. We’ll help you and your teen learn to communicate in a way that doesn’t cause arguments or defensive behaviors. When conversations stop turning into arguments, it’s easier for teens to be themselves and for the whole family to come together.
Tailoring Your Teen’s Treatment Plan
We draw from a wide variety of approaches in teen counseling, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness. CBT can help your teen understand the relationship between their thoughts, feelings, and actions. Specifically, it can help your teen avoid over-reacting to events and expecting the worst-case scenario in every situation.
ACT can help your teen take actions that bring them closer to the person they want to be. For instance, maybe they want to go to college but they’re not handing in homework on time. ACT can help them reevaluate their behaviors in light of their goals and values. Meanwhile, mindfulness uses calming strategies like breathwork, guided meditation, and biofeedback to help your teen stay grounded when they’re stressed.
In the end, our greatest hope is that therapy will help your teen change their outlook on life and empower you to be their number-one support. We want to bring closeness back into your relationship with your teen and help them gain the emotional intelligence to navigate this hectic time of life.
You May Have Some Questions About Teen Therapy…
How involved will I be in my teen’s treatment?
What your teen shares with us is kept confidential, but that doesn’t mean you’re not an integral part of therapy. We like to update parents and caregivers on what we’re working on, so we’ll check in with you from time to time. After all, we believe you have valuable insight into your teen’s life. We want to know how you think your teen is doing and what your concerns about counseling are.
What if my teen doesn’t have time for therapy?
We understand that your teen is busy, and that’s why we offer flexible scheduling. Life Catalyst Therapy offers both in-person and online sessions for teens and has appointments until about 8 PM on most days. What’s more, even if your teenager is extremely busy, self-care is essential to their wellbeing. Setting aside time to focus on their mental health can help them be readier for adulthood and the challenges it brings. People who start therapy young have a huge advantage in life.
Will my teen receive a diagnosis?
If you’re worried about a label or diagnosis following your child, you can choose to pay privately instead of through your health insurance. The good news is that the stigma surrounding mental health diagnoses is quickly waning, especially among young people. Most teens are pretty open about mental health issues nowadays and talk about them more than older generations did.
Give Your Teen The Chance To Thrive
You are doing the best you can to help your teen and you deserve to have the most compassionate support available. To connect with a teen counselor, you can call our office manager or book your first appointment through the online scheduling portal.
