Understanding The Counseling Process
Solutions For Parents Of Troubled Teens
Timmothy Washington
The teen years are notorious for being challenging. However, some teens seem to have a harder time of getting through these rough years. In these cases, parents often have to make some difficult choices as to how to handle their troubled teen. Is outside intervention needed? Or should the situation be handled privately at home?
If you have a troubled teen in your household, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
- Does your teen routinely disrupt the family dynamic?
- Do you sense that your teen poses a threat to himself or other members of the family?
- Is it possible your teen is exhibiting symptoms caused by drug or alcohol use?
- Could your teen's troubles be medically related?
Answering these questions honestly will help you to arrive at a solution for your teen and the rest of your family. Here are some possible solutions to consider based on your personal family situation.
Family Counseling
It's possible that your teen has pent up frustration, anger, or resentment over a family issue. This is a common occurrence with teens, as they often find it hard to express their feelings and thoughts in a calm, objective manner. Their feelings may present as acting out with angry outbursts or acts of defiance.
Family counseling, where the entire family undergoes counseling as a unit, may help to expose and resolve some underlying reasons for your teen's troubling behavior. This type of counseling recognizes that every member of the family may be playing a part in the problem and that every member can help solve it together.
Medical Workup
The human body has complex chemical reactions that can sometimes malfunction, causing eruptions of troubling behavior. Everything from mood swings to addiction can sometimes be caused by an underlying medical problem.
It's worth it to have your teenager undergo a full medical workup to determine if there is a chemical imbalance or other problem that may be causing the behavioral issues. Your family doctor can recommend specific tests and remedies.
There are certain boarding schools that are designed to help teens and their families with severe and disruptive behavioral problems. These therapeutic schools for teens work to keep the teen from harming the family unit while working with the teen in a supportive, nurturing environment.
If your teen is causing your family to break apart, consider placing your teenager in a special boarding school, either part-time or full-time. The school might be just the solution for your family's health and the health of your troubled teen.
As a parent of a troubled teen, it's important to realize you're not alone. Help is available through the solutions mentioned above.
Share
When I first started understanding my anxiety, I realized that I wasn't capable of taking care of the issue on my own. Instead of trying to quietly navigate my condition, I decided to start working towards understanding the counseling process. I focused on finding the right counselor, and then I worked hard in therapy day in and day out. This blog is all about understanding how counseling can help, because I know how much it helped me. You never know, by talking with the right person and tackling your issues head-on, you might be able to enjoy a more fulfilling life.