Teens
They talk to everyone but you – the parent
It can feel like a miracle to get your teen to speak with you at all. And talking about feelings? That ship sailed long ago.
How can you help them when something’s not right?
When it looks like they haven’t been sleeping.
Or their grades are slipping – or plummeting.
When they’re hanging out with the wrong crowd – and the more you try to squash it the more they pull away.
When they’re not acting like themselves, but they just won’t let you in.
Depression, anxiety, and mental illness typically first rear their ugly heads in a person’s teens and early twenties.
Where is the line between normal teen angst and something more serious?
Between normal fights and arguments with their boy or girl friend and the budding of an abusive relationship. Between a normal amount of zoning out and disengagement and depression. Between normal stressing over school or sports and an anxiety disorder. Between odd new behaviors and substance abuse.
I can determine whether they’re ‘just being a teenager’ or if something is wrong.
Even if they’re just having a hard time being a teenager, I can help you and your teen learn ways to manage and cope with the overwhelming pressures coming at them from all directions.
And if it’s something more serious, I can work with you and your teen to treat their issue.
Getting treatment early can save your teen from years of struggle.
I teach everyday coping skills, the importance of routine self-care, and how to handle it when the going gets tough.
How I help your teen
I tend to do art therapy, activities, or play games with teenagers. They definitely don’t want to sit in a chair talking to a grown up about their feelings. But they let those pesky worries, concerns, and frustrations seep out when they’re busy with something else.
I take special care to build a strong relationship and go at their pace.
It also doesn’t happen all at once.
Part of it is just that I’m not you. I know – how unfair is that? You bring them into this world, clothe, feed, and love them to bits, and then they say, “You just don’t understand!” and huff off.
You’re the parent; you make rules. Unfortunately, it’s a developmental milestone to pull away from your parents and to challenge authority.
I’m not going to ground them or scold them – though I express my concern if they tell me things that warrant it. Though it may not seem like it at times, they can be worried about disappointing you.
It’s lower stakes for them to talk to me about some stuff.
If something is truly harmful – like drug abuse, suicidal thoughts, or dangerous activities – I’ll work with them to share it with you and figure out how to address it as a family.
If it’s typical teen shenanigans, I have a policy of keeping the confidentiality of the teen and working with them to improve their behaviors either with you or on their own, however they feel more comfortable.
I do this because they’re teens. They are in the process of learning how to be an adult and part of that is trying out different roles and behaviors, and problem-solving on their own.
We can make a teen’s life better.
It’s hard to be a teen. It’s just a difficult stage. Together, your teen, you, and I can help make the teen years more enjoyable.