Teen Counseling Santa Rosa CA

By Catherine Butler


Teenage years are one of the most challenging times for teens and their parents. Teenagers will begin facing lots of pressure that they react to in various ways. They might need to be counseled so that they are able to cope with various problems and take the right approach to handling them. Parents must be on the lookout and know signs that their kids need help. In considering teen counseling Santa Rosa CA parents need to know what is involved.

There are many instances in which a teen would need to be counseled. When parents divorce or are separated, a teen may need to be talked to. This is because they struggle with the challenges it comes with and it may trigger emotions like anger, sadness, regret and even guilt. Bereavement is the other instance where advice will be needed. When a member of a family passes on and a teenager was close to them, it can be very traumatizing.

Bullying is very damaging because in some cases i even goes without being noticed. When a parent suspects that their child is undergoing bullying, they need to discuss it openly. If possible, they need to contact the school. When teens who have been bullied are counseled, their self-esteem will be re-built and they will develop a sense of resilience. Teens may also be stressed by school life that includes but not limited to academic life and the way they interact with fellow students.

Some struggles that teens face are perfectly normal since they are part of development. Some of these include dealing with peers, going through identity change and developing different interests. Parents are supposed to be patient when dealing with them at such times. Teens are expected to open up about what they are going through, which is only possible when they are handled with patience.

There are useful tips that helps when counseling teens. One of the main things one should note is that counselors need to listen and reflect. In many cases when one is approached by a teen, they at once feel they have words of wisdom that they need to impart. This can be counterproductive. You need to carefully listen to them as they tell you what the problem is. This is followed by reflection before coming up with what you think is the best way out.

A teenager should not be judged during counseling. Teens easily know when they are being looked down upon and judged. If they feel one is judging them, they will most likely keep quiet and fear sharing the issues again. They should be made to feel comfortable by being told what they are going through is perfectly normal.

Counselors should not over-identify. One of the mistakes people make is trying to match their experience as a way of gaining credibility. This will probably jeopardize the counseling. If you have a similar experience, they should not know the whole story. It just suffices to tell them you have had a similar experience.

Small talk matters. Counselors need to find little things to talk about with the adolescents. This includes knowing their interests, schedules and what is going on in their lives. Such talk helps them to ease up.




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