Adolescents

Being a teenager in today’s world is hard.  Kids can be mean, many families are broken, and so often your child feels like no one in the world can possibly understand what they’re going through.  Bullying and peer pressure are happening in often invisible ways, and even the smallest childhood trauma can lead to problematic behaviors and low self-esteem.  When hormones kick in and your adolescent is struggling to discover who they are, where they fit in, and how to navigate relationships, feelings of powerlessness may lead to anger, and feelings of hopelessness may become magnified.

In spite of the pictures you may see on Facebook, no parent does parenting perfectly well all of the time — especially when you have an oppositional teenager and nothing you do seems to get through to them.  As a parent, you want to be there for them, to prepare them for life and protect them from the harsh world.  But the reality is they won’t always talk to you, because they feel afraid or embarrassed or hurt or angry.  Or because they do not yet have the words to express themselves.

If I can begin to build a relationship of trust and respect with your teen, that deep pain inside can become unlocked and gradually find its way out into the light.  For many kids, the relief experienced when they find an outlet for their inner turmoil can be powerful and transformative, and often proves to be a major turning point in their development.  Learning to identify their feelings and express themselves in a healthy way is a skill they will carry with them for life, and one that will serve them well in the face of any challenge.