Is It Time to Consider Adolescent Counseling for Your Child?

Adolescence is a turbulent time for nearly all young people. It is a time when they not only experience changes to their physical bodies, but also a time when they are trying to make their own place in the world. It can be tough to figure out where that place is and how to get there without too much trauma. Adolescent counseling can help.

Perhaps you’re wondering if it’s time to consider adolescent counseling for your child. There is no way to answer that question in a blog post. However, we can give you some helpful information that might make the decision clearer to you. Just understand that, even if you do decide adolescent counseling is appropriate, your child may resist.

Dysfunction in the Home

At the heart of many adolescent struggles is the stress that comes with the transition from childhood to adulthood. When a home is dysfunctional, normal stresses are magnified. What might seem like a minor issue to adults can become overwhelming to children. So ask yourself this: is your home dysfunctional to any degree?

If you answered affirmatively, perhaps some of the stress your child is going through is a result of that dysfunction. An adolescent counselor should be able to help your child work through the stress in an emotionally safe environment.

Fear and Anxiety Management

Stress is only the start for adolescent struggles. So many also wrestle with fear and anxiety. They realize they are growing up; that the adult world waits for them. It makes them afraid; it makes them anxious. That says nothing of the fear and anxiety of performing well in school, keeping up with their friends, etc. Does your child seem overwhelmed by anxiety and fear? If so, it might be time for adolescent counseling.

Adolescent Counseling for Signs of Depression

It is normal for adolescents to occasionally show signs of depression. As long as the behavior is temporary and generally inconsistent, there isn’t much to worry about. You may want to seek out adolescent counsel if bouts of depression are consistent and frequent. The thing about depression is that it can be mild or severe. The most severe cases rarely resolve on their own.

Please know that professional counselors do not expect you to make a diagnosis of depression on your own. Even if you are only mildly concerned, a single counseling session could clear things up. Simply put, you don’t have to wait until your child is in the throes of depression to seek adolescent counseling. Even otherwise healthy people benefit from it.

Helping Adolescents Manage Their Worlds

Adolescent counseling is a somewhat unique form of counseling in that we’re dealing with minds that are temporarily trapped between generations. The adolescent is no longer a young child— But they are not yet an adult, either. That makes for a very troubling world. Our job, as adolescent counselors, is to help young people manage their confusion and troubles in navigating this world so they can gradually make sense of it all.

Some counselors have likened it to breaking life down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. If you don’t like that illustration, another good way to visualize adolescent counseling is through the old proverb about eating an elephant one bite at a time. Counselors help adolescents take on life in small steps. We try to help them see that the world isn’t as big and scary as it seems.

Is it time for you to consider adolescent counseling for your child? We cannot answer that question for you. However, we are here to provide qualified counseling services should you decide they are necessary.