Are You Concerned About Changes In Your Teen’s Behavior?
Have they been withdrawing from friends and family more than usual?
Are they struggling to manage their new freedoms and responsibilities in a healthy way?
Do you want to connect your teenager with deeper mental health support?
Maybe you’ve noticed changes in your teen’s diet, sleep patterns, and school performance. Perhaps their grades are slipping and they’re hanging out with the wrong crowd. They might be struggling to manage newfound freedoms and experimenting with drug use and other risky behaviors. Or perhaps your teenager seems overly quiet and withdrawn lately—they rarely leave their room or tell anyone what’s going on, even their close friends. As a result, you might ask yourself: Should I be concerned? Is this a passing phase, or does my teenager need professional help?
As The Parent, Helping Your Teen Can Sometimes Feel Like Rocket Science
Parenting a teenager is not easy, especially when they’re struggling with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. Perhaps you’ve tried to help your teen again and again, but the more involved you get, the more they withdraw. Now that they’re older and more independent, supporting them is not as simple as it was when they were young. This could lead to parenting frustration and make you worried that you’re not doing a job.
At The Abundant Life Institute, we recognize that you’re doing the best you can and we want to honor that. Our therapists specialize in helping teens find relief from their mental health troubles and equipping parents with the skills to support them in everyday life.
The Teenage Years Are Filled With Confusion And Uncertainty
Although many of us look back on our youth with nostalgia, the truth is that the teenage years are not all sunshine and rainbows. If most of us are honest with ourselves, we’ll admit that our adolescence was fraught with confusion, insecurity, peer pressure, and various hormonal challenges.
Teens need to be able to grow into who they are—and that means giving them the freedom to make mistakes. This is a stage of profound learning and development, and mistakes are part of the process. For parents, the important thing is remembering what it was like to be in high school. None of us got everything right when we were young, and that’s why it’s essential for us to show compassion and understanding to teenagers as they go through the growing pains of adolescence.
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In The Social Media Age, Teenagers Have It Harder Than Ever Before
On top of peer pressure and unrealistic academic expectations, teens in today’s world have to reckon with all the stressors of social media. Unlike previous generations, teens now can see when their friends get invited to parties and social gatherings without them. There is also increasing pressure on teens to have lots of likes and followers, which can take a toll on their self-worth.
What’s more, although today’s kids are more digitally connected than we were as kids, many of them are also lonelier. Digital communication has come to replace so many avenues of face-to-face interaction. As a result, teens nowadays often struggle to build healthy real-life relationships.
Working with a counselor can provide teens with a model for healthy and supportive relationships. It can serve as a springboard for connection, growth, and healing, giving teens the confidence and wisdom to find their people and build relationships that lift them up.
Counseling Can Help Your Teen Find Their Authentic Voice
The teenage years are a process of intense self-exploration, and therapy is a chance to navigate that self-exploration with the help of a compassionate professional. At The Abundant Life Institute, our therapists have lots of experience providing counseling for teens, so we know how to get in their shoes and relate to them on a personal level. We help teens who are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, relationship challenges, and many other issues. Our mission is to help them develop more effective coping skills, improve their relationships, and live more connected and authentic lives.
In the beginning, we will explore the timeline of your teen’s mental health history and focus on building a strong and supportive therapeutic connection. We’ll help your teenager identify what they’re feeling and use that knowledge to assist them in finding their authentic voice. Once they do so, they can more effectively advocate with parents, teachers, and other community members. Along the way, we’ll equip you with parenting skills to help them with their challenges in day-to-day life.
Tailoring Our Approach To Teen Counseling
Our practice draws from a wide range of strategies and approaches to help teens improve their mental health, better their relationships, and live more connected lives. The main approach that informs our work is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is all about exploring the connection between thoughts, emotions, and actions. CBT can help your teenager reframe negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “No one understands me” and form healthier beliefs about themselves. This, in turn, can help them boost their mood and improve their behavior.
A lot of the CBT work we do with teens centers around practical skill-building. Our counselors give teens journaling exercises to help them unload their internal frustrations, breathing techniques to increase their mental clarity, and assertive communication skills to help them express themselves in a way that’s clear, direct, and respectful.
Ultimately, the goal is to give your teen the skills to thrive both now and into adulthood, setting them up for long-term success. Sometimes, all teens really need is an outsider who can help them see their situation in a new light and empower them to try new things. At The Abundant Life Institute, our goal is to fulfill that role in your teenager’s life, walking with them through difficult seasons and reminding them of what they’re truly capable of.
You May Have Some Questions About Counseling For Teens…
What if my teen doesn’t have time for counseling?
While we recognize that your teen is busy, the truth is that it’s always worth taking time out of their day to focus on their mental health. Self-care is important. When teenagers make time for it, it’s easier for them to manage their schoolwork, extracurriculars, and everything else on their plate. For those who have trouble finding time for therapy, we recommend telehealth, as it enables teens to engage in sessions from the comfort of their homes.
What if my teen doesn’t want to go to therapy?
Therapy is best when the client wants to engage and there is a solid therapeutic alliance. We often encourage teens to read each therapist’s bio and select someone who aligns with them. Although many teens may feel reluctant about counseling at first, most of them come to enjoy their time here once they realize that we are on their side and want to help them live their best lives.
What if therapy costs too much?
This is an investment in your teenager and their future, so the long-term gains outweigh the short-term costs. Therapy can benefit them for the rest of their lives, giving them the self-awareness and emotional intelligence to handle whatever stress life throws their way. For what it’s worth, our practice accepts most insurance plans and we also have intern therapists available for $50 a session.
Your Teenager Deserves To Have Someone Walk With Them Through Life’s Difficult Seasons
The teenage years are a stressful and confusing time of life, but the right approach to therapy can help adolescents manage anxiety, depression, and any other challenges. To get started, we invite you to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation. Call (770) 246-2822 or visit our website contact page.
