Tag Archive for: Teen Counseling

7 Back to School Tips for Parents Post-Pandemic

Every child faces challenges when returning back to school. But back-to-school-time can be even more challenging for students who struggle with mental health or learning disabilities. School routines and expectations are very different from those of summer break.  As the world begins to open up after COVID-19, many kids are finding themselves back in the classroom for the first time in a while. We have all felt the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. And children are no exception. It’s helpful to remember that while children are often quite resilient, they are not immune to the stresses of environmental change. As we prepare for back to school activities, you may be wondering how to help your child deal with school during COVID-19.

 

Seven back to school tips for parents.

seven back to school tips for parentsMental Health problems often come back with the start of school.

Summer provides a welcome respite from the hustle and expectations of the school year. The jump back into a hyper-regimented schedule is a lot to handle for anyone, but it is especially challenging for kids. Children with special needs will need extra attention to make sure they are prepared to navigate the expectations of the new school year. This will look different for each child, but often this means that a parent will need to help set up organization, study habits, school support team. In addition to setting them up for success at the beginning, keep a closer eye on them throughout the first month or so to see how they are adjusting. As the year goes on, try to touch base with them on how they are doing emotionally.

Get to know your child’s teachers.

Depending on your child’s age and maturity level, you will want to forge a connection with your child’s teachers. Teachers get to know a child’s family through the child’s eyes. They get to know how a child behaves without the parents present.  You can begin by asking questions like: How is my child doing? Do you have any concerns about their social or academic skills? Do you think they need my help with anything?

If your child is older, you will want to encourage proper communication with teachers. This includes reaching out to the teachers via email and in-office hours. It’s important that your child begin building a relationship with their teacher before trouble hits. An easy way to do this is to set up a schedule where your child regularly attends tutorial hours with individual teachers. By regularly rotating through these intimate settings your child will learn the importance of relationships in academic success.

Set up a homework routine from the beginning

You can help your child adjust to the structure of a new school year by making changes to the structure and expectations at home. A dedicated after-school routine that includes time for homework is crucial. Involve your child in the planning, but once the routine is set, do not let them deviate from the plan. You will be reinforcing the importance of this routine, and everyone will benefit from the dedicated time for home studies.

Reinforce good sleep habits.

Getting plenty of rest and sleep is important not only for good grades and staying awake but also for preventing depression and other mental health issues. Establishing a reasonable bedtime routine for your child will let them know that sleep is important. This can be even more important as they get older and have additional commitments outside of school. Setting up the habit early can lead to higher rates of success as they age.

Serve healthy food and encourage healthy eating.

Food choices affect mood, ability to concentrate, and energy levels. It is important that you provide healthy balanced options for your child. Having healthy fruits and vegetables available for after-school snacks will help your child stay alert and focused as they begin their after-school activities. Learn more about your child’s nutritional needs, so you can be setting them up for success. Not only is this going to impact them today with their learning abilities, but these habits come into play later in life as well.

Don’t jump to conclusions.

Every child matures and learns at their own pace. If your child isn’t quite ready for the rigor and expectations in the classroom that is okay. Talk with teachers and administrators to understand what their goals and intentions are for students. They can give you tips and tricks to support your child as they grow into the expectations of the school year. By initiating these conversations with school staff, you will be in a good position for further intervention should your child need additional support beyond what you are able to give.

Don’t overcommit.

With so many good opportunities for extracurriculars, many families find themselves exhausted running from one activity to the next. Keep in mind the cumulative effect that each activity will have on your child. Even if your child can logistically attend all the practices and meetings, it may not be wise to spread their energies and attention across many different activities.

At the Well House Group, we see many kids who are stressed, anxious and exhausted from all their activities. Rigorous extracurriculars on top of a rigorous academic schedule is not a recipe for mental health. To know if you have overextended your obligations, you only need to look to your child for clues. Are they exhausted, anxious, or struggling to manage their responsibilities? If so, this can be a sign that they have overcommitted themselves. As a parent, it is your job to model a balanced lifestyle that includes ample time for rest and fun in addition to academic and extracurricular activities.

While these are helpful tips for all parents at the start of the year, there are some instances where these tips are not enough. If your child shows signs of extreme anxiety and has unusual difficulties in school, you should discuss your concerns with your child’s teacher as well as a mental health professional. Each of these individuals can advise on whether a child’s problems are normal and age-appropriate or require further evaluation.

How we can help you get Back to School

Our counseling services are for more than just when your child may be anxious or depressed. We have the tools here at The Well House to help with future planning, academic coaching, or to help you with what to do next as a parent. The support necessary for a whole family is important to us here. This year in particular is going to be hard for us and our kids as we navigate a world that looks completely different than it may have before. Kids are doing school online, they may not be able to play the way they used to, and new rules are abundant. School post-pandemic doesn’t have to be scary, though.

We are here to provide you with the support that your family needs, whatever that may be. Reach out to us and schedule a discussion to find out how we can help you and your children. Let’s get back to school without feeling like losing your mind. Let’s make this school year a great one.

Teen Counseling | A Judgment-Free Zone

Teen counseling can sometimes be a difficult topic to bring up within a family. Parents can feel hurt if they feel blindsided, and teens can feel pushed to do something that is uncomfortable and out of their norm. No matter which side you fall on, it is important that if you are seeing the signs that your teen should be in counseling, you get them the help that they need. Teens, don’t be afraid to make the first move here, too. Reaching out a hand for help can be terrifying, but it is worth it in the end.

Why do so many teens’ emotions feel larger than life?

The teenage years are choke-full of changes: physically, mentally, and socially. All those changes lead to a ton of new stress that never existed as a child. Some find it relatively easy to navigate through this. Other teens have a harder time adjusting. It is the stigma to label the teen years as some of the hardest as a parent. However, think about how exhausting it is as a child to be growing into an adult. Especially in the United States, teens are pushed to grow up quickly. Responsibility without preparation can be a hard thing to handle.

Emotionally, there is a lot going on with your teen. One might attribute some of their poorer choices or outbursts to be associated with a lack of intellectual development. However, abstract reasoning, memory, and the formal capacity for planning are already developed by the time a person is about 15 or 16. The prefrontal cortex which regulates reasoning and impulse control is not fully developed in teens. The reason that they often feel out of control and make some poor decisions is actually attributed to their emotional state. When asked questions about different scenarios, they often say the same thing as adults. Their emotional state coupled with social pressures is actually what is driving that ‘out of control behavior that is so stereotypical to teenagers. Their ebb and flow of hormones are also driving that crazy train, so lookout.

Teen hormones play a big role in their emotions

Due to the variability of those hormones, their emotional state can feel hard to manage both internally and as a caregiver. There may not be a real way that they can easily grasp that can explain certain behaviors. This is where talking with a counselor can really help sort through an especially confusing time. Teen counseling allows them an outlet outside of their friends and family to feel heard enough to dig deeper into those emotions to help process them in a healthy manner. Online counseling for teens in Texas is also a great place to dive into anxiety and depression-related symptoms to help catch those disenfranchised people before they fall deeper into those negative emotions.

Counselors in Southlake, Texas are not there to judge you

As a teenager, it can sometimes feel like you are under this gigantic magnifying glass for all of the world to judge. Teen counseling in Southlake, TX is not a place for that kind of judgment. Instead, it is about introspection and acting as a guide to help you through arguably one of the toughest times people face. You are stuck right in between adulthood and childhood. Although in some ways you feel like an adult, you are not quite there yet. This can be extremely frustrating if you do not feel heard or seen because of that.

Counselors in Southlake are specialized to help you work through whatever it is that is bothering you. Big or small, we are trained to get to the root of each issue and address it in the manner that best suits you. We are there to work with you. Let teen counseling be a safe place to destress and get back some control over your own life – even when it feels like it is out of your control. This is something that even adults have to face when we are supposed to be ‘adulting’. If you can learn some techniques to better manage your own life, you are going to be that much more prepared for when real adult life does come around.

School can be a major source of stress

Teens walking outside near flowers and green trees. If your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, or stress, then it may be time to begin teen counseling in southlake, tx. We also provide online counseling for teens in Texas, if online therapy for teens fits better. Call now!Whether you are in middle school or high school, there is a huge amount of pressure to perform in a way that sets the path for the rest of your life. If you are stressed out to the point of severe anxiety though, how are you supposed to be able to perform well? Kind of a catch-22, if you think about it. Maybe it’s not that you can’t do well in school, but rather outside factors like anxiety or stress are getting in the way.

The transition from middle school to high school can be a difficult one. You are finding a new place within your group of peers, discovering who you are, and trying to manage harder and harder academics all at the same time. Having a counselor to talk with can make that transition that much easier. It may feel sometimes like you are alone in your experiences. You are not. We are here to help you in any way we can whether that be coping skills, stress management, or working through anxiety.

Teens are dealing with a lot academically

It now seems to be a societal expectation that most kids go to college too. This may not even be the path for every person, but how are you supposed to find out if you are so stressed out? Talking with a counselor can help you sort through some of those tough decisions at the end of high school and set you up for success at the beginning. Our academic coaching in Southlake, TX may be a great resource for you as you are navigating school and feeling overwhelmed. We can help you work through decisions on higher education, manage your time effectively, and reach your academic goals.

Teen counseling in Southlake, TX is a foundation for a good life

Counseling is something that will always be helpful for people. Like we mentioned earlier, these are the skills that are going to prepare you for the rest of your life. Whether you are learning through online therapy in Texas or in an office with the guidance of a counselor, these skills are valuable. it doesn’t make it less valuable. Counseling may be the easier way to learn these skills though. Let us help you take all of the guessing games out of what it can mean to grow up. We may not have all of the answers, but we are here to help you create a better life.

Counseling can help you learn emotional regulation, social skills, and self-esteem, improved communication, the ability to address self-defeating behaviors and habits, stress management, problem-solving skills, and increased confidence in your decision-making. As a teenager, you are in the process of learning how to build, maintain, and regulate friendships in your life, online counseling for teens can help you with your relationships whether they are romantic or not.

So, while we are here for those cases of depression, anxiety, stress, trauma, and other teenage disorders; counseling is also there for the teens that would like to learn how to be better adults.

Let’s talk about suicide and self-harm in teenagers

Teen boy standing outside near brick building leaning against railing. The teenage years can be hard, for both parents and teens. Consider teen counseling in southlake, tx and parent coaching today for further guidance. Begin teen counseling near me "southlake, TX 76092"Self-harm is something that makes a lot of people wonder why. Why are they doing this? How could it possibly make them feel better? What am I missing in my teen to make them do this? All of these questions and more are ones that often only your teen can answer for themselves, that is if they even know it themselves. Self-harm is a major sign that they are not able to cope with whatever is going on in their life. That can range from loss to self-hatred to severe anxiety.

Having a counselor step in may be necessary

Seeking out the help of a counselor is critically important if you are seeing signs of self-harm or elevated levels of stress in your child. We work with your child to help them understand why they are doing this and to find healthier ways to manage their emotions. If you are a teen that is self-harming and you don’t understand why you may not be able to stop. Please reach out to us. Online counseling for teens is a judgment-free zone, and we are here to help you feel better. Your friends are not equipped to help you in this area of crisis, but your counselor can help.

Warning signs your teen may be struggling with suicidal thoughts:

Teenage suicide numbers continue to rise each year. The factors that play into these numbers are different for every person, but there are usually warning signs there for parents and other close friends to see before it happens. Sometimes, they will attempt suicide after an acute crisis occurs or there is a particular conflict between them and family or friends.

  1. Noticeable changes in eating or sleeping habits
  2. Unexplained or unusually severe, violent, or rebellious behavior
  3. Withdrawal from family or friends
  4. Sexual promiscuity, truancy, and vandalism
  5. Drastic personality change
  6. Agitation, restlessness, distress, or panicky behavior
  7. Talking or writing about committing suicide, even jokingly
  8. Giving away prized possessions
  9. Doing worse in school

If you are seeing any of these symptoms, there are things you can do to help them out. First, offer to be a person that will just listen to what is bothering them. Sometimes teenagers feel like there is no one to listen to them without the fear of being judged. When you offer them a place to feel supported with compassion, they can begin to open up about their feelings. Talk with them about the concerning behavior, but refrain from offering advice or trying to solve the problem for them.

Talking About Suicide Can be Uncomfortable, but it is Important

It’s also important to talk about suicide with the term ‘suicide’. When we talk about suicide using other terms, we may make it seem trivial when in fact it is very serious. When we talk about teen suicide and self-harm, it can be very uncomfortable. Even if it makes you uncomfortable to discuss, it’s no less important than sexual education with your children. If this is a topic that you are struggling with, then parent coaching with The Well House can be helpful alongside teen counseling. This can also help make your teen feel heard and understood. As well as provide you parent support during these difficult times. Parenting is a difficult task full of imperfection. Therefore, it is hard to know when we are doing the right thing for our child.

If the situation is not emergent, please seek out professional help. A teen that is attempting or talking about suicide is in need of immediate professional help. When your child is in direct harm’s way, do not feel afraid to also seek help at an emergency center. (Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255) These people are trained to help in all kinds of emergent situations.

What do we offer here at The Well House in Southlake?

Here at our office in Southlake, TX, we cater to teen counseling with our specialized team of counselors. Reagan Vermillion is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate who specializes in the family dynamic. Reagan and Jennifer are a great team to tackle all of the issues that come your way in life. Whether you are a parent looking for guidance and resources for your entire family. Or, you are a teen looking for a safe place to feel heard, our practice is the place for you.

Other services The Well House Offers:

Alongside our teen counseling, we also offer academic counseling, parent coaching, and therapy for moms, EMDR therapy, EMDR for peak performance, postpartum support, marriage counseling, and couples therapy, young adult therapy. Alongside our regular office, we also offer online therapy in Texas. If coming to the office is something that is holding you back from getting the help that you need, do not let that stop you. Our HIPAA-approved connection means that you and everything that you share is safe within each session.

Let us be the hand you need to hold to get to the other side. Life can be hard, but it can feel easier. Especially with the right resources and support. In the meantime, life doesn’t have to feel out of your control. Schedule an appointment by call, text, or email with us today to feel like yourself again.