Teen Counseling | Serenity Wellness & Counseling | Cypress

Are You Worried About Your Teen, But You Don’t Know How Concerned To Be?

Is your teen dealing with anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem? Are they struggling to make friends and keep up in school? Do you worry about the choices they’re making, but you don’t want to be a helicopter parent and stick your head in their business?

Maybe your teen is overly concerned with what others think of them and constantly comparing themself to everyone else. Perhaps your teen is having an identity crisis and wrestling with questions of gender and sexuality. Because of how stressed they are, they may be falling behind in school and isolating more. Maybe they barely leave their room and spend unhealthy amounts of time on social media. You may ask yourself: How concerned should I be? Is this a passing phase, or a deeper problem?

As A Parent Of A Teen, You May Feel Like You’re Always Doing Too Much Or Too Little

It’s hard to know how to parent a struggling teen. While you want to respect their boundaries and let them have their own life, you love them too much to stand by idly. As a result, you may feel stuck in an endless push-and-pull of doing too much or too little. You’re afraid of being invasive, but you’re equally afraid of being neglectful.

If you want to take some pressure off your shoulders, we encourage you to connect with us. Here at Serenity, Wellness & Counseling, our goal is to teach your teen new ways to manage their stressors and help you deepen your relationship with them in ways you never imagined. We will do this by using evidence-based therapies and giving them skills that they can use outside of sessions.

Many Teens Feel Torn Between Being Independent And Relying On Their Parents

Teens themselves are often stuck in a push-and-pull of dependence and independence. While they like to imagine that they don’t need their parents, the truth is more complicated than that. Many of them still rely on their parents for a sense of comfort. As a result, they often try to get their parents’ attention in indirect ways. They may show signs of struggling without making it too obvious, dropping little hints here and there.

Naturally, this behavior leads to communication problems. You may feel like it’s a chore to pull answers out of your teen. While they probably wish you understood their pain, they probably feel more comfortable sharing it with their friends. It’s like you’ve taken a backseat and their peers have taken your place.

Teens Nowadays Are Under Abnormal Amounts Of Stress And Anxiety

There’s no sugarcoating it—today’s teens have it tough. They’re under unprecedented amounts of stress. Social media has created pressures that yesterday’s teens never had to face—pressure to have the most followers, the fanciest vacations, and the best-looking selfies.

Additionally, many teens are in enrolled in a lot of advanced classes and have to deal with unrealistic academic standards. Many of them end up sacrificing their mental health for the sake of advanced schooling.  

Your teen deserves a break from all the stress—and so do you. Therapy is a chance for your teen to unplug from the outside world and have a place where they can freely be themselves.

Counseling Is A Safe Space For Your Teen To Feel Seen, Heard, And Understood

Let’s face it: as much as you love your teen and want the best for them, there are certain things they just may not feel comfortable sharing with you. When you try to help them out, maybe they take it the wrong way. Therapy is a chance for your teen to vent freely and share the things that they wouldn’t share with anyone else.

At Serenity, Wellness & Counseling, we provide your teen with a safe place to feel seen, heard, and understood. They will learn to build self-awareness, communicate effectively, and regulate stress. In the meantime, we want to help you support your teen. We’ll give you communication skills that you can use when you have trouble understanding them. We’ll also help you learn about their triggers, cues, and boundaries.

What To Expect In Sessions

Although most sessions will be held with your teen and their therapist alone, you can expect to play an active role in your teen’s journey. From time to time we can touch base via phone or even via a parenting session.

At the same time, everything your teen shares in counseling is confidential. If there is something we think you should know, we will discuss it with your teen and they will learn to express their concerns with you. After all, therapy is a team effort. We want your teen to trust their therapist but learn to advocate for themselves as well.

Above all, we believe that counseling for teens should be fun. They don’t have to just sit in a chair and talk about their feelings. We use a lot of art-based therapy interventions—your teen is welcome to draw, paint, journal, and do whatever helps them express themselves in sessions.

Tailoring Your Teen’s Treatment Plan

What we work on varies from teen to teen, but one of the most important things for any teen is helping them reflect on their life and get to know themselves better. We’ll help your teenager identify what their stressors are, when they need a break, and where they should establish boundaries. Some of the main approaches we use are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). CBT focuses on the connection between thoughts, feelings and actions, while DBT looks at skills your teen can use to manage stress and improve relationships.

Additionally, we’re big on self-compassion. We often like to ask: what are some things you tell yourself that you’d never tell a struggling friend? In this way, we’ll help your teen reflect on the messages they’ve internalized and develop more empowering self-beliefs.

Ultimately, we are confident that counseling can help your teen become more independent, learn new coping skills, and advocate for themselves in a healthy way. Most importantly, we believe that we can help you form a closer connection with your teen.

You May Have Some Concerns About Teen Counseling…

What if my teen is worried about confidentiality?

Everything your teen shares with us is kept in the therapy room. The only reason we’d ever break protocol is if there was a safety concern, and even then, we will still talk to your teen about what we can share. This is their time and we want them to feel as comfortable as possible.

What if my teen doesn’t want to go to counseling?

There is no pressure for your teen to commit to therapy. They’re in charge of their life and they get to call the shots. They are free to test the waters, come for a session or two, and then make their decision. Most of the teens we see feel hesitant at first and then end up loving it here. After all, this is the one place where they can say whatever they want. They can have fun here. They don’t have to worry about being judged or told what to do.

How will this help my relationship with my teen?

We will help your teen work on ways to communicate their needs to you. We’ll help you learn to recognize when they feel stressed and when they need a break. The goal is for both of you to arrive at a deeper understanding of each other’s feelings. This way, communication can be less confrontational and neither of you will feel like you’re walking on eggshells with each other.

Your Teen Deserves A Break

If you’re at a loss for how to help your teen, we encourage you to take heart. Counseling is a chance for them to unwind, de-stress, and improve their confidence. To connect with a teen counselor, you can call 281-944-SWCC for a free 15-minute phone consultation. You can also click on the button below to fill out the intake questionnaire.