According to one recent report, 93% of parents believe their teen receives all the social and emotional support they need to thrive. However, only 60% of adolescents agree.
Those who feel they lack this critical care are more likely to experience issues with their mental and physical health, sleep, and overall quality of life.
Therapy can be a great way to help teens process their feelings, learn coping skills, and find healthy outlets for reflection and self-expression. Yet, many parents hold preconceived notions or misconceptions about therapy that could hold their child back from getting the help they need. Let’s take a look at some of the common missteps they make, and how you can get it right.
Associating Therapy With a Negative Image
Concerned that others might label your teen as a “problem child” because they go to therapy? Worried about what other parents might think? Therapy has always been about motivating and empowering individuals to work through challenges and discover their best selves, and it’s time to eradicate that outdated stigma.
In today’s society, mental health has never been a more prominent or important topic. New discussions around therapy stress that it’s a positive tool for growth and emotional resilience, rather than a signal of weakness.
Framing it in this light rather than focusing on the opinions of others can help your teen understand the benefits that therapy provides. It can also quell any concerns about judgment or criticism they might have, opening the door for them to take this step with confidence.
Worrying Their Teen Won’t Speak
Parents often hesitate to send their teen to therapy because they seem quiet and withdrawn when they’re at home. They wonder if they’ll open up at all, especially to a stranger.
This is where choosing the right therapist comes in. Skilled, experienced experts know how to gently encourage your child to share. They’ll use proven strategies to establish a connection, build rapport, and validate their experiences in an understanding, nonjudgmental way. They may even use alternative outlets like art or music to prompt conversation and expression.
Thinking Their Teen Is Self-Sufficient
The teenage years can be quite the juxtaposition. Your once-little baby is growing up and becoming much more independent. They might not need you to tie their shoes anymore, but they do need you to help them navigate the pressures and challenges they face daily.
From peer relationships and social pressures to academic stress and body image issues, myriad concerns affect this age group. While your role as a parent is paramount, collaborating with a trusted therapist can help you optimize these important years together.
Even if your teen claims they have everything under control, consider the extent of the burdens they carry. Leaving issues untreated can exacerbate existing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. It can also affect your teen’s performance at school and their relationships with friends and family members.
While it’s exciting to see them become more autonomous, don’t assume they can carry everything on their own. Therapy can give your teen the tools they need to manage stress, develop self-confidence, and work through problems, both now and when they get older.
Believing It’s Just for Serious Issues
Think your teen doesn’t need therapy because they don’t have a mental health diagnosis or aren’t exhibiting serious symptoms? Unrealistic portrayals in the media have led many parents to believe that therapy is only viable if a teen has hit “rock bottom” and has nowhere else to turn.
The reality is that therapy is appropriate at any stage of your teen’s development. It can also be a great preventative tool to keep their mental health and self-image strong as they go through each season. Plus, the growing number of online therapy platforms makes it easy to add this step into your teen’s already-busy routine.
In therapy, your teen will learn how to manage stress, work through relationship issues, and pursue personal growth as they develop. No matter how big or small their challenges might be, the right therapist will serve as a valuable support to help them succeed.
Chalking It Up to Teenage Drama
“She’s just being dramatic.” “He needs to toughen up.” Do these sound like phrases you’ve said to others or yourself? It’s easy to dismiss your teen’s cries for help as part of the inner turmoil that kids this age will inevitably face. As a parent, you may remember your own teenage years filled with acne, gossip, and feelings of isolation and think, If I got through it, they will, too.
Yet, it’s important to remember that modern teenagers are dealing with issues that many older adults didn’t face during their own adolescence. From their always-on digital lives and social media connectivity to political polarization and an unstable job market, their concerns may not mirror yours at that age. It isn’t easy being a teen today, and keeping those lines of communication and connection open is more important than ever before.
A therapist can help your teen make sense of the world around them, offering a listening ear and supportive practices to reduce their stress and help them find peace within themselves.
Therapy Benefits Teens and Families
Parents naturally want the best for their children, but you may not always know what the next best step looks like. As you seek ways to build your teen’s confidence and support their mental health, therapy can be an ideal addition to your toolkit.
Your teen’s treatment plan can incorporate individual, peer-based, and family therapy sessions as needed. These sessions create an opportunity for them to work through their emotions privately or in a safe, supportive group of people who care for them.
Holding on to these common misconceptions about therapy could mean standing in the way of your teen’s best and brightest future. If you’ve been thinking about learning more about local or online therapy, take the time to research your options. This small step could make a major difference in your child’s most formative years, helping them grow confidently into the adults they were meant to be.
Also read:
How to Help My Treatment Resistant Teen
When Is It Time to Find A Therapeutic Boarding School
Image credit: Freepik
