How Teen Counseling Near Me Can Help Teenagers Navigate Challenges
Academic stress, social pressures, and mental health issues are some of the issues that teenagers struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Recognizing the challenges that your teenager faces and taking steps to address them can significantly improve their well-being.
Therapy can identify areas of stress, depression, or anxiety by empowering teens to talk about their feelings and help them understand how to cope with what’s causing them distress. If you’ve ever asked yourself, ‘How can I find teen counseling near me?’, the answer may be as simple as having your teen pick up a phone or tablet and joining an online therapy session. Online therapy patients can access this service from the comfort of their own room or any other preferred location.
The Advantages Of Online Counseling For Teens
Choosing online therapy for your teen, over the traditional in-person method, has its advantages. With online therapy, your teen won’t have to go far to get the assistance they need. Your teen won’t have to sit in waiting rooms or have therapy sessions in unfamiliar locations. They can express themselves in a safe and comfortable environment of their choosing, making therapy sessions all the more effective.
Scheduling online therapy is simple and is flexible enough to be adjusted around school, sports, and after-school activities. Your teen can schedule sessions at convenient times and, if needed, take advantage of same-day appointment scheduling after an emotionally grueling day.
You and your teen can choose a therapist from a list of hand-picked providers. Online mental health providers will have the qualifications and experiences necessary to handle the issues that teenagers face. Just as with any in-person professional, they will also be licensed by a state board.
Areas Of Focus In Counseling
It’s common for teens to suffer from mental angst. They may feel stress, anxiety, or depression because, in some instances, they may feel like they have no control over how they want to look, feel, or act. Social media, peers, and even some parents can put pressure on teenagers to conform to certain cultural norms. Teens can experience such influence in many different aspects of their lives, including:
- How they should look or dress.
- Who their friends should be.
- Whether they should be dating or not.
- Who they should be dating?
- What kind of grades they should be getting?
- What kind of activities should they be participating in?
The stress, anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues teens might experience trying to follow all of these imposed guidelines, as well as the accompanying feelings of inadequacy when they inevitably fall short, can stem from a variety of root causes, such as a fear of being socially ostracized or a fear of disappointing parents.
Therapeutic techniques can help teenagers resolve anxious feelings. One of the best methodologies for treating anxiety is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This type of therapy will help your teen:
- Recognize feelings of anxiety.
- Lessen their need to control outcomes or avoid experiencing anxiety.
- Participate in beloved activities even when anxiety is present.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can help teenagers examine their confused or distorted patterns of thought and helps them identify harmful ones. CBT helps teenagers replace destructive thoughts that can influence negative behavior with thoughts that will result in more useful feelings and behaviors. This form of therapy is effective for treating depression and anxiety.
Learning and building coping skills, such as decreasing negative self-talk, learning to feel good about accomplishing something short of perfection, or breaking large tasks into smaller, more achievable steps, can tremendously improve your teenager’s mental health and well-being.
Find Qualified Teen Counseling Near Me
When seeking therapy for a teenager’s emotional or mental health needs, it is important to find a therapist who specializes in adolescent therapy, as their skill set will differ from those who primarily treat adults online. Experience and expertise in working with adolescents is crucial for effective treatment. Online therapists specializing in teenage therapy can help your teen with self-esteem, bullying, coping skills, anxiety, depression, and anger issues.
Online therapists should have the same credentials and licensing requirements as traditional therapists. Therapists usually have a degree and must complete many supervised hours to become licensed to practice as a professional health counselor or mental health counselor. Look for designations like LPC or LMHC when choosing a licensed counselor for your teen.
It’s also essential to find a qualified therapist your teen will be able to relate to and feel comfortable opening up to. It may take some time to find a therapist that’s compatible with your teen. You may need to switch therapists or try a couple of different therapists to find one your teen is comfortable with.
Online Therapy Can Improve Your Teen’s Well-Being and Future Outlook
At times, your teenager may need more than just talking to their friends to address their feelings of angst. Teens often can’t put into words or understand what they’re experiencing and why. Online therapy can pinpoint the relevant issues and help teens navigate their academic, social, and mental health challenges. They can learn coping skills to overcome challenges like anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem.
An online adolescent therapist can identify issues and teach coping skills through therapeutic techniques that your teen can use now and for the rest of their life. And because your teen’s therapist is accessible online, it can be conveniently scheduled around your busy teen’s academic and extracuricullar schedules. Get your teen started on the path to wellness by scheduling an online teen therapy session.
