Being a teen is tough.

 

If you google "teen mental health" or "therapy for teens" you'll probably find a list of reasons teens go to therapy.  Such lists typically say...

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• Stress

• Anxiety

• Trauma

• Depression

• Legal Problems

• Eating Disorders

• Grief/Bereavement

• Behaviour Problems

• Self-Esteem Concerns

• Substance Abuse Issues

• School & Social-Related Issues

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While these are very common reasons for anyone of any age to seek therapy, there's something unique that comes along with being a teen and a  parent of a teen (or tween really).  They aren't big children, but they aren't small adults either. Not only are they struggling with the common stressors unique to this age group, but they're facing these issues in a way that no earlier generation ever had.

 

Why?

 

The world that has been created through technology and social media has changed so many things and added a boatload of pressure. . 

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Remember when passing notes, and photographs (that took days, sometimes weeks to develop) was the only "proof" or "evidence" that something happened? Gone are the days of privacy. 

 

Now, imagine facing the "typical" teenage challenges

such as struggling with independence, sexuality,

academic pressures, peer pressure, and self-esteem

on a stage,

for the world to see

and judge.

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And we haven't even mentioned how hormones and brain development impact mood and behaviour.  Sometimes raising a teenager, or being one, can feel like a ticking time-bomb, or my favourite analogy... like a shaken pop bottle waiting to explode.  And sometimes teenagers just need someone to talk to without judgement, pressure, or fear. And sometimes you, as the parent have that same need.