Building Understanding Between Parents and Teenagers About Counseling

By Stacy Bryant

As children bloom into their teenage years, the family dynamic shifts. Doors often close as quickly as emotions change, and finding the right words becomes like walking through a maze blindfolded. Mental health, a pivotally important aspect, grows into a subject marred with hesitant whispers and, sometimes, misguided beliefs. It’s time we bridge this gap, laying down planks of understanding, empathy, and education between parents and teenagers, especially about counseling.

Listen Openly and Intently

When creating a trusting relationship with your teen, the importance of listening—listening—cannot be overstated.

• Create a Safe Space: Dedicate time for uninterrupted conversations where your teen can speak openly. This means putting away distractions and focusing solely on what they say.

• Acknowledge Their Feelings: Teens often struggle with complex emotions. Rather than trivializing or dismissing their feelings, provide a space where their emotions are taken seriously. This is more reassuring than any advice we might rush to give.

• Reactive vs. Proactive Listening: There is a subtle difference between silent waiting-to-speak and genuine absorption of your teen’s words. The latter is a skill developed with patience and practice but has potent effects in building a solid communicative relationship.

By listening, we send a message to our teens: “Your thoughts are valuable, and so are you.”

Educate with Compassion and Clarity

Information is your ally in dismantling the fog of misconceptions that often clouds the counseling topic.

• Debunk Myths Together: Sit down for an open discussion about common untruths surrounding therapy. Show your teen research and firsthand accounts that illustrate counseling’s purpose as a tool for everyone, not just when in crisis.

• Provide Detailed Context: Clarify what counseling entails—the types available, the methods used, and the expectations surrounding the therapeutic environment. Explain confidentiality and the personal nature of the counselor-client relationship.

• Keep a Two-way Street of Learning: Remember, you are on this educational journey together. Inviting your teen to bring their findings and questions to the discussion table empowers them and enriches your perspective.

In educating on counseling, you are equipping yourself and your teen with the language and understanding needed to tackle mental health issues confidently.

Normalize Conversation Around Mental Health

Building a new normal that includes mental health discussion is essential for well-rooted awareness and acceptance.

• Continual Cultural Shift: Foster an atmosphere where speaking about mental health is as ordinary and unremarkable as discussing physical aches and achievements.

• Lead by Example: Model this normalization by openly discussing any mental health challenges you face or have faced in the past. This can demystify seeking help and encourage your teen to be open.

• Tie to Current Events: Incorporate discussions on mental well-being into current events or media your teen is interested in to show that this is a universal aspect of human health and life.

To normalize does not mean to minimize; it means to accept discussions around mental health as a part of everyday conversations, devoid of shame and full of support.

Collaborate with Open Hearts and Minds

Getting your teen involved in decision-making empowers them and ensures the counseling journey is genuinely beneficial.

• Choices in Counseling: Discourse should be open regarding selecting a therapist and the different counseling modalities. Teens should feel their thoughts and concerns are integral to this choice.

• Respect Autonomy: Recognize that as your teen grows, so does their need to make decisions about their life. Honoring their desire for independence within this process can build their confidence and make them more receptive to counseling.

• Maintain Ongoing Engagement: The initial conversation about starting counseling is just the beginning. Consistent check-ins regarding how they feel about sessions, the therapist, and the methods used are vital to ongoing collaboration.

In collaborating on mental health care, you underscore an important message: your teen is not a passive recipient of care but a central participant in their emotional and psychological well-being.

Final Thoughts

The teenage years don’t have to be fraught with unspoken tension or missed connections. Approaching the topic of counseling should feel like a manageable climb but rather an opportunity to strengthen the bonds within a family. With each small step of understanding, openness, and mutual respect, parents and teens together can lay the groundwork for open conversations that support both immediate and long-term mental health journeys. 

Let’s continue to lay down these bridges so that with every step taken, the gap narrows and understanding grows. It’s a path to be walked hand in hand, with conversations that weave together the tapestry of a strong, communicative, and supportive family unit.

Author Bio

I’m Stacy J. Bryant, a passionate mental health content writer, blending my talents at Ability Plus Mental Health Clinic and SpringHive. My mission is to demystify mental health, providing insights on ADHD, medication management, and more at Ability Plus.

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