Is your teen experiencing anxiety or depression? Are they being bullied or have you noticed changes in their eating, school, or social habits? Are they saying things about suicide or have you notice cutting or self-harm? Counseling for teens is sometimes a last ditch effort after trying everything that you, as their parent(s), know to do. Sometimes, there is so much tension between you and your teen that you know you they need someone else to talk to because they aren’t talking to you. Or maybe your teen has asked for counseling and you’re doing your homework because you want them to have a safe counseling experience with someone you can trust. Giving your teen the gift of therapy at their age can be preventative of future mental illness or can literally save their life. Joshua Tree has several teen counseling options. 

“Health risks in adolescence are undergoing a major shift. Three decades ago, the biggest health threats to teenagers were binge drinking, drunken driving, teenage pregnancy, cigarettes and illicit drugs. Today, they are anxiety, depression, suicide, self-harm and other serious mental health disorders. From 2001 to 2019, the suicide rate for American youngsters from ages 10 to 19 jumped 40 percent, and emergency room visits for self-harm rose 88 percent. Managing a mental health crisis can be challenging for teenagers and their parents. It is often unchartered territory that needs to be navigated with the utmost sensitivity” (Richtel, 2022) >> Read the full article: How to Help Your Teen Struggling with Mental Illness 

Teens can’t or don’t always tell you what’s wrong with their words. They often lack the insight, words to describe their experience, or courage to speak up about it. Since we can’t rely on them to use words to describe what’s wrong, you have to look to their behaviors to better understand.