How to Know If Your Teen Needs Counseling: Signs to Watch For in Franklin, TN
Teen Counseling
What is teen counseling? Why would you think about your teen getting counseling? Would your teen even want to go to counseling? I hear these questions, along with plenty of others, when I first get calls from parents, or even when friends of mine around Franklin ask me about counseling for their teens and young adult children. (For the purposes of this blog, I’ll be using the words counselor/counseling and therapist/therapy interchangeably.)
What is Teen Counseling?
Teen counseling can look different, depending on where and what therapist you look to. It typically involves a level of collaboration with parents and of course teenagers. Confidentiality is maintained, to varying degrees depending upon age, issues, and what a teen feels comfortable being shared at times. Your goals, and your teen’s goals, are addressed in therapy. It’s less on a therapist to determine what you should be working toward, and much more up to you.
There is no one way or “right way” to do therapy, with any age. So it’s not a bad idea to ask a counselor how they do therapy, how much they like to incorporate parents, what theories or types of counseling they typically use most, and any other questions you may have about how they work – including how often they suggest for teen counseling and whether they do counseling mostly in an office in Franklin, online, or both.
Why Seek Teen Counseling?
Teen life is tough. I think most of us would agree that it brings unique challenges. The same is true for most geographical areas. Different towns and regions can bring their own unique benefits and challenges, and Franklin is no different. I won’t get into all the specifics of Franklin and Williamson County right now, but I do want to specify some reasons that a parent may be looking for teen counseling in Franklin (or most other places).
There are some common reasons teens come to counseling that you can probably guess: depression, anxiety, social issues, etc. But those are just words that don’t mean a lot if you don’t know exactly what to look for. Let’s start with the “how bad does it need to be?” question before we actually get into some specific signs. There are a couple of “how bad” elements to take note of that I’ll list below.
How bad does it need to be for me to seek counseling for my teen?
- Your teen’s ability to function at their usual level educationally and socially is negatively affected.
- This means a reduction in grades, more difficulty keeping the same grades, or having their social relationships suffer (or maybe they’ve always struggled with these things)
- Your teen asks to go to counseling.
- Things seem “off” to you, and you’re not exactly sure what’s going on.
- You feel like counseling may just be beneficial – things don’t always have to be a disaster for counseling to be beneficial. Sometimes folks just come in for a little growth or to prepare for a challenge that’s coming up.
What are the signs that I should seek teen counseling?
- Difficulty sleeping, or sleeping too much
- Changes in appetite (eating more or less than usual, seeing weight loss or gain)
- Avoiding or losing interest in activities that used to be fun
- Decreasing social activities
- Isolating more
- Being touchy or irritable
- Sudden change in attitude toward people or activities
- Seeming to feel like small challenges are huge obstacles
- Trouble concentrating or paying attention
- Crying or tearing up unexpectedly
Parental Concerns About Teen Counseling
It’s very common for parents to have concerns about counseling. Up until the time it starts, and even during the process, it’s normal – and even healthy – to have questions and concerns. After all, you care about your teen and want to make sure therapy is going to be a positive, helpful experience for them.
Common Parental Concerns
- Will my teen decide they don’t like me any more?
- Will counseling damage our relationship?
- Can counseling hurt my teen’s relationships?
- Will counseling cause my teen to start thinking about negative things?
- Does teen counseling guide teens in a certain direction?
- What if my teen has ideas different from mine? Do you support that?
Teen counseling should always be focusing on what’s best for your teen and family. Any time you feel that this may not be happening, any teen counselor should be happy to discuss with you and address your concerns.
Teen Concerns About Counseling
Teens’ concerns tend to differ a bit from those of parents, as you can probably imagine. A common concern – maybe the most common concern – I hear from teens is whether they’ll have to talk about difficult things that can bring up a great deal of emotion (we usually do from time to time, but we usually get a good level of trust and rapport before this happens – especially for reluctant teens). I also frequently get the question about what I have to tell parents. It depends on age and what’s going on, but I really try to maintain confidentiality as much as possible so that we can build the trust needed for therapy. I’m always very open with teens about when I need and want to talk to parents. Teens sometimes have the idea that I’m in a disciplinary or authoritative role, which I am not.
How to Get Started with Teen Counseling in Franklin
We offer several different services at our counseling office in Franklin, TN: Counseling for Teens, Counseling for Young Women, Walk + Talk Therapy, and Group Therapy for Teen Girls. Cody and June provide online therapy, as well as therapy in-office, to Tennessee residents. We are LGBTQ+ affirming and a safe place for all. Contact our office to learn more!
If you’re interested in having your teen or yourself participate in therapy, you can reach out directly to June and me. You can reach us at 931-626-3278 or [email protected] (I answer my own phone and emails, so you won’t have to talk to a receptionist and all that). We provide therapy in our office at 3326 Aspen Grove Dr, Suite 504, Franklin, TN 37067 – conveniently located in Cool Springs near Franklin and Brentwood. We also provide online therapy. To start in Tennessee, follow these simple steps:
- Contact Cody and June to schedule a free 15-minute consultation for you or your teen.
- Meet with Cody and June for an initial counseling for teens session.
- Begin therapy, online or in person
