Essentials Of 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 a number of cases in which counseling comes in handy. One instance is when parents get separated or divorced. This will call for advice because a teen will struggle with the challenges that comes with it. It might evoke such emotions as sadness, confusion, anger and guilt. When teens are bereaved, they will need to be counseled and more so when they lose a close member of the family that they hold dearly. Such experiences may traumatize them.

Bullying can be a source of trauma to teens and is especially serious because it might go unnoticed. If parents suspect their teen kids are getting bullied, they will need to talk to them about it and if possible, contact their school. Through counseling, teens will be able to regain self-esteem. Teenagers can also be stressed in school because of exams and general academic life. Most of them are worried about the consequences of not doing well.

Some struggles faced by teenagers are normal since they are part and parcel of their growth. They might be going through identity change, dealing with their peers or developing interests. A parent is supposed to be very patient when dealing with them at such moments. Patience is one of the best ways to make them open up and talk freely.

There are some useful tips when teenagers are being counseled. Listening and reflection are key. In some cases, there are people that when are approached by teens will immediately feel they need to offer advice about one thing or the other. Ideally, a teen should be given time to talk about their issues as you carefully give them a listening ear. This is the best way to understand what the issues are and come up with effective advice.

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.

A counselor is not supposed to over-identify. Most counselors might make the mistake of trying to match the experiences of the teen with their own with the hope that it will make them more comfortable. This is not the case. If you have similar experiences, it would be enough to just inform them of the same without giving too much unnecessary details.

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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