Especially today, especially in a world where there remains so much uncertainty. Teens are among the forever-impacted generations affected by the pandemic, and we’re still learning about the social and mental health deficits experienced by this generation.
Just like the rest of us, teens have not been sheltered from the relentless life changes thrust upon us in the past few years. They’ve questioned the future just as much as we have, and teens have been forced to pay the cost in uncertainty, stress, and incredible, life-altering loss.
It’s hard to know how this will affect them in the future. What we do know, is that teens are struggling right now.
These teenage years are an essential time for self-discovery, identity formation, and social development. Even pre-pandemic, with raging hormones, spiraling emotions, strained family relationships, and school pressures…is there a way to make it through this stage unscathed?Most teenagers experience inner conflict, frustration, and doubt as they attempt to cope with peer relationships, school demands, difficult decisions, and complicated family dynamics.
Often they feel like they are alone or that no one understands them, intensifying the challenges they face and their sense of overwhelming stress, which we might eventually call depression or anxiety.
During this age, adolescents may isolate themselves from their loved ones, making it challenging for families to connect or communicate their support.
Since this does involve minors, counseling for teens does need to include parental guardians and possibly additional family members. The level of involvement can be decided case by case as the teens are assessed for mental health concerns, and as we build a treatment plan.
When the whole family is involved, this allows us to understand the family dynamics much quicker and serves to help create a healthy environment outside of the therapy office where true change takes place.
Your participation in the process and willingness to connect them with the help that they need will speak volumes to your teen. It will help them know that you take their concerns seriously and are willing to be a part of the solution.
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