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Teenage Troubles
John Lindsey
I'm worried about my teenager...
The teen years can be one of the most challenging stages for a parent's relationship with his or her child.
Social pressures, interests outside of the family unit, and rapid personal and sexual development often lead to an emotional gap between the parent and teen. As parents struggle to protect their teen from the potential dangers of outside influences, teens push back in an effort to claim their independence. During this transitional stage, teens may express their frustrations in a wide range of ways; some teens become withdrawn and sullen while others become aggressive and outspoken. Because of the large variation in these reactions, parents sometimes find themselves struggling to determine if their teen is just 'being a teenager' or if there truly is a larger underlying problem that needs to be addressed. Adolescent and family counselors can help you sort this all out.
The teen stage often involves similar characteristics to earlier stages in the child's development, such as defiance or heightened emotional responses. However, this stage can become exponentially more difficult as the teen learns to cope in maladaptive ways, by lying, keeping secrets from parents, or hiding certain activities or troublesome relationships. One of the primary benefits of teen counseling is the therapeutic relationship that develops, wherein teens can talk about thoughts, behaviors and struggles they aren’t comfortable discussing with a parent. Furthermore, counselors can aid parents in understanding the common behaviors of the teen years, as well as risk factors and their indicators. If you feel that your teen is not being honest with you, or you are concerned that he or she is troubled, try reviewing the following list of indications that your teen might benefit from professional counseling services:
You repeatedly catch your teen in lies
Your teen experiences outburst of emotions which are disproportional to the situation
Your teen blows through an entire allowance without anything to show for it
You caught your teen stealing money from you or a family member
Your teen's grades have decreased remarkably
Your teen is hanging out with new friends and displaying unusual behaviors
Your teen is experiencing a loss of appetite or sleep habits
Your family has recently experienced the loss of a loved one or pet
Your teen has a history of physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
School officials have contacted you to discuss counseling options
If your teen is experiencing one or more of these behaviors, please click here to view all Feel Good Austin counselors who specialize in teen therapy.
