The adolescent years are often marked as a time of trial and tribulation. Adolescence is meant to be a time to discover and grow. However, adolescents often struggle through this process and need a professional to help them walk from childhood to young adulthood. There can be a variety of reasons an adolescent, or his parents, may feel counseling is appropriate for him. Counseling is a safe place for your adolescent to explore his thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about himself, family, and the world in which he lives.
It is encouraged for the adolescent’s parent to be a part of the therapeutic process as much as possible. Adolescence can be a hard time for parents as their child is beginning to gain independence and explore his beliefs. Counseling can help your child to appropriately handle the freedom needed to develop and walk through this stage of life in a positive, healthy manner. Counseling can also help you as, a parent, learn how to assist and walk with your child through this process rather than fighting this natural stage in life. Some common reasons to seek counseling for your child are listed below:
- Sudden change in behavior (acting out or withdrawing)
- Sudden change in attitude (angry, sad, fearful, disrespectful, disobedient, etc)
- Change in appetite (loss or increase)
- No longer enjoying the same activities
- Change in grades or behavior at school
- Sudden change in peers or problems with peer groups
- Inability to maintain personal hygiene
- Sleep disturbances or nightmares
- Loss of a loved one (relative, friend, or pet)
- Conflict within the family (parents or siblings)
- No longer respecting parental authority
- Enduring or witnessing a traumatic event