How Do I Know If My Child Needs Teen Counseling?

Just as it is with child therapy, teen counseling is specifically directed towards a particular age group. The reason why therapy or counseling is directed towards certain age groups is because with each age group, especially in the first 20 years of a person's life, each person is expected to go through a set of developmental stages that can affect a person's behavior and mind state.

The following issues typically arise for adolescents and teens:

• Personality and identity growth.
• Independence or distance from parents or guardians.
• Puberty or physical and emotional changes.
• Building of new and intense relationships.
• Awareness and understanding of problems such as parents fighting or getting divorced.

These changes have a serious effect on an adolescent or teen as they transition into adulthood. Some may wonder if teen counseling is worth considering for their teen. The truth is that every teen can benefit from counseling, as it can help them go through perhaps one of the first anxious moments of their life as well as help them control such anxious feelings later on.

Topics Discussed in Teen Counseling

First, therapists can identify, assess, and treat learning disabilities, behavioral concerns, anxiety disorders, and autism. Abuse and neglect can also be noted through these sessions or brief observations, as well as eating disorders and addictions. However, there is always some form of therapy session available for those who have other issues.

There is no problem too complex or too simple to be expressed and discussed during teen counseling. This is because it is understood that, to a teen, everything is monumental or serious, since it very well be their first experience with the matter and they are unsure on how to resolve it themselves.

It was listed in "Child and Adolescent Issues", that some topics that a teen is encouraged to discuss can include parental divorce, death of a loved one, physical or sexual abuse, poverty, domestic violence, bullying, and unrealistic responsibilities or expectations.

Teen Counseling Options

Your counseling options depend on your child's situation or circumstances. For example, there are various types of art therapies that can allow your teen to express and treat their issues indirectly through some kind of creative task, such as painting or drawing.

For more traumatic issues, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) has been proven to be highly effective.

However, talk therapies are more common and helpful treatments for teenagers overall. These types of therapies can be found anywhere, but for your convenience, your teen can also speak with a certified therapist online through BetterHelp.