Have You Noticed Changes In Your Teen That Have Been Concerning You?
Has your teenage child suddenly become distant and distracted? Do her friend groups change so often that you have a hard time keeping up? Perhaps it is a constant fight to get your teen off their phone and to do homework or chores? Maybe there has been a sudden drop in grades and interest in school work. Have your conversations with him turned into mostly arguments and nagging? Does that child that you used to be so close to now feel so far away?
If you are reading this page, you are likely wondering where things went wrong with your teen. You may have lost the ability to communicate with them and feel banished from their lives. Perhaps you worry about him using drugs or alcohol and have concerns with the friends he is hanging out with. Do you find yourself thinking “is my child depressed”? Does she have ADHD? You have tried everything you think of to reach your teen and feel frustrated and stuck. Mostly you just want to know that she is okay and for her to talk to you again.
Teenage Years Can Be Very Challenging.
It is common in the teenage years for kids to test the boundaries with their parents. Adolescence is a time of self-exploration and rapid development. It is natural and age-appropriate for a teen to seek his independence from his parents, which can look a lot like emotional detachment. Indeed it is difficult to tell if a teen’s behavior is normal or if there is something else going on, especially if they refuse to talk to you about anything. Even in the most functional households, adolescent moodiness and puberty are sure to create a great amount of friction.
Teenage years are now filled with difficulties that you may not have had to deal with. Think back to the challenges you may have experienced in adolescence. Now add social media and the inability to get away from peer pressure. Bullying used to occur only at school. Now it can follow your teen home and go throughout the night on social media.
Have you noticed that the social media sites that teens use change so rapidly that you have trouble keeping up? Did you know that the average adolescent spends nine hours in front of a screen every day and that screen time and depression are highly correlated? Combine this with the normal challenges in adolescence of dating, fitting in, peer pressure, drugs and alcohol, sex, homework and grades, and getting into college, among many others. Is it no wonder that the National Institute of Health estimates that nearly 50% of adolescents will experience a mental health disorder over the course of the teen years!
A skilled teen therapist can help.
Working with a trained teen counselor can help you understand your teen and learn to speak her language. Let me help you stay informed and keep up with the new and ever-changing trends and social media sites that your teenager is on. We understand the unique challenges facing teens today and can relate to your child in a way that you may not be able to. We have extensive experience working with adolescents who experience challenges with the
following:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Failure to launch
- ADHD
- Drugs and Alcohol
- Behavioral Problems/getting into trouble
- Bullying
- Social Media Use
- Getting in College
- Negative Peer Group
- Sex
I can work with your child individually in order to get an accurate picture of the problem and help them discover better tools for coping. I can work with you, the parent, on improving communication and parenting skills in order to form a stronger relationship. We can also work together as a family, breaking down communication barriers and serving as a facilitator for new and healthier ways to relate. Our sessions with teens and families are compassionate, non-judgmental and solution- focused. Your teen does want you in her life, even if she does not act like it. By working with us, we can help you rediscover your connection with that beautiful child that you know is still there.
You or your child may have some concerns, for example:
Will the stigma of therapy hurt my child?
On the contrary, we have discovered that teens these days care way less than older generations about the stigma of therapy. In fact, more teenagers than ever are actively seeking out therapy on their own.
We also offer online therapy which can make therapy more accessible and less uncomfortable for someone reluctant to try it.
If you are ready to experience what therapy can do for you, contact me today for a free 10 minute phone consultation to learn more.