Growing up isn’t always an easy thing to do. In fact, a person’s teenage years can be some of the most trying, confusing, and overwhelming times in their entire life. So what happens if you are a parent of a teenager and you want to try to be there for them, offer them all the help they need, and the support? Some parents turn to a child therapist in order to help their teen cope better with things. But what kind of issues and problems can a child therapist help with? Here’s a look at some of the most common ones.
Depression, Worry, Sadness, and Stress
These are easily the most common feelings that spark a visit to the therapist. These are feelings that can be felt any time in life, not just during the teenage years. What this means is that getting the professional help that will give them the skills they need to cope with these feelings and work through them, will also help them later in life whenever they have these same feelings.
Learning Disability or ADHD
Should your teen have a learning disability or ADHD it can make it hard to go about daily activities and thrive in school. Therapy can again give them the skills they need to do their very best.
Eating Disorders
Whether your teen is starving themselves or over-eating, both are an issue that need to be addressed immediately. Eating disorders can cause extremely serious health issues with lasting effects.
Having a Hard Time with Peer Pressure
Unfortunately, peer pressure is a very real issue that faces the majority of teens at one point or another. For some, it’s easy to resist, while others have a much harder time.
Dealing with a Chronic Illness
If your teen has been diagnosed with a chronic illness there is the physical effect of the illness they must contend with, and also an emotional aspect. Therapy can help with the emotional part of it.
Additional Issues
It doesn’t end there, as there are many other issues as well such as:
- A death in the family
- The arrival of a new sibling
- Divorce between parents
- Substance abuse
- Self-mutilation (burning or cutting oneself)
- A dangerous habit that needs to be cured
- Dealing with a traumatic effect
- A lack of self-confidence
Every Teen Responds to Therapy in Their Own Way
It’s important to point out that each teen is different and unique, which also means they will react to therapy in their own way. Some will be quite happy to open up and talk, while others will be shyer and reserved and not as open to therapy in general. This is why it’s so important to take time and find the right therapist to work with your teen. They need to feel comfortable talking to the therapist, trust in them, feel safe with them, and believe that the therapist is just there to help.
As a top child therapist in MN, Elizabeth Wagner has founded the ELEOS Psychology Center which is known for its adolescent and child therapy. There is an understanding of how to communicate with kids and teenagers allowing them to feel safe and comfortable. This is exactly what you want to look for.
So rather than allow your teen to try to wade through the many issues and problems in their life, why not offer them some assistance through therapy.
