Counseling for Teens
Adolescence can bring new experiences, learning, disappointment, and growth
Young people experience many stressors from areas such as family, academics, and peers. Family stressors may include:
- Parental divorce
- Strained sibling relationships
- Losses
- Moves to a new school or city
- Illness in the family
Academic and extracurricular demands increase during adolescence. Thus, causing more stress on our developing teens. Teenagers begin to put more value on peer relationships and can feel pressure around romantic relationships and friendships. Young people begin to become more aware of the world around them and trauma in the news. Some teenagers may also experience traumatic events. This may include things such as the death of a loved one, illness, an accident, abuse, or sexual assault. These challenges may lead to anxiety and depression.
During these years, teenagers experience many life transitions as well
Teenagers may be exploring their identity, values, and beliefs. They may experience bullying or poor self-esteem. Their bodies experience constant change on both a physical and emotional level. Teenagers’ brains are continually developing, but not yet ready to make adult decisions.
The adults in their lives may notice changes in their behavior or mood. They may appear withdrawn, angry, sad, anxious, or depressed, or report other concerns such as stomach aches, difficulty sleeping, changes in eating, or lack of motivation. Their grades may start to drop, or they may begin to act out in ways that they had not before. Children and teens can benefit greatly from working alongside a trained therapist to navigate these changes and challenges. As therapists, we focus on developing a trusting relationship with our young people. Growth and healing blossom best within this relationship. We do this by trusting, listening, and honoring their journey.
Removing the stigma around counseling for teens in Michigan
It is important that our teenagers know we don’t go to counseling because there is something “wrong” with us. Instead, we go to counseling to learn about ourselves and our experiences. Some of these transitions or struggles may not seem significant to the adults in their lives. But, these challenges that they are experiencing can weigh heavily on their developing bodies and brains. Our young people can greatly benefit from working with an unbiased therapist for teens in Grand Rapids, MI. Counseling for teens can help them learn to identify these struggles, process their emotions, and learn how to cope with the feelings and challenges their lives bring. Teens can learn:
- Communication skills
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
- Managing negative thinking patterns
- How to develop healthy relationships
- How to gain a better understanding of what is happening in their bodies when they experience anxiety, depression, and stress
These skills can be learned through activities, games, and talk therapy.
Positive coping skills will transfer into all stages throughout the rest of their lives.
The more we can support our young people to process their feelings and learn positive coping skills, the more resilient they will be as they become adults and go on to have relationships of their own. When our teenagers experience struggles, it is a chance to teach them at a young age how to process their thoughts and feelings and learn to cope with them. We are building resilient adults, and counseling for teens can help.
Begin Counseling for Teens in Michigan
- Meet with a caring therapist
- Start finding the right treatment for your anxiety symptoms!
