Helping Today’s Teens
Regardless of where you look, we can all agree on one thing… today’s teens have it hard! The expectations that have been placed on them have soared in recent years. A focus on grades, activities, social media, college applications, and volunteer work have intensified over time, and when you add in a pandemic, school shootings, social media, and the ongoing need for peer approval, you have a recipe for a mental health crisis.
Research shows that our teens were struggling before the pandemic, with a whopping 40% increase over the previous 10 years in reports of feeling hopeless and having suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Research also shows an ongoing increase in these concerns since the pandemic occurred, with prolonged stress causing further dysregulation.
So how do we help the next generation? That’s the good news….there is help! And it can begin at home.
There are a few things parents can do to help their teen at home:
· Check In with Your Teen– With packed schedules and families being busier today than ever before, it can be difficult to find the time to check in with your teen. Especially if your teen does not want you to check in on them! But one of the most important relationships in your teen’s life is the parent-child relationship. Creating a safe space to talk through your teen’s experiences and concerns is an important place to start in helping your teen. As parents, we often want to ask a lot of questions and remind our kids of their priorities and obligations, but taking the time to let them share, without judgement, can often alleviate some of the stress that today’s teens face.
· Monitor social media – It can be tough to step in and start monitoring social media, especially if you haven’t had that as a rule before. But knowing what your teens are watching and reading, and what they’re putting out on social media can be a great way to understand their world. Try asking them to show you some of their accounts and open a dialogue about what pressures they may feel with social media use. Remember to keep a safe space for sharing!
· Spend Time with Your Teen - Schedules often consist of running from one activity to the next, and finding room to breathe can be tough. Sometimes setting aside an evening or afternoon of rest, where you and your teen can spend time doing a fun activity together can also help with finding a balance between work and fun, with a bonus of reconnecting with your teen.
But what do you do when you feel like you need additional support to help your teen?
Research shows that therapy is one of the most effective treatments for mental health concerns in teens. And there are several modalities of therapy that can be used to help! Here are just a few:
· DBT – Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that utilizes a strong educational component to teach management of intense emotions and to help learn how to better navigate social situations.
· EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy is a form therapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.
· Family Therapy – Family Therapy is a form of therapy that can help couples, children, or members of an extended family learn to communicate better and work through conflicts.
· Group Therapy - Group Therapy provides therapy to multiple clients at once by one or more therapists. It can be used to treat a variety of conditions including but not limited to anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and more.
· Parent Support – Parent Support services help provide consultation and support to parents wanting to learn more about recognizing and identifying their children’s needs and helps to identify a parent’s own worries about parenting.
The Haven Wellness Center is here to help you! With six trained therapists that specialize in a variety of treatment modalities, we can assist you and your family. We offer a competent and compassionate approach to therapy and want our clients to feel connected, safe, and empowered. Reach out today!
Until we see you,
Susan and The Haven Team
https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health/mental-health-adolescents
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/01/trends-improving-youth-mental-health
