Approaching Therapy
When is the right time to seek therapy?
As I mentioned in the “About Me” section, I am a firm believer that everyone would benefit from therapy. No matter the reason, having a safe space to explore, process, and cope with life’s experiences and the emotions that are tied to them is helpful in creating a healthy and balance life. However, there are some cues that can help you determine if you would benefit from therapy services. Considering the severity of an issue is a good place to start. If a problem has become persistent or overwhelming, or you notice a disruption to your daily life, it may be time to reach out to a therapist for support. Some examples of issues:
Constantly feeling sad, hopeless, worried, fearful, anxious, or angry
Having difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Feeling restless; unable to settle down or focus
Talking about death or expressing suicidal thoughts
Talking about harming yourself or others
Engaging in self-harm behaviors (cutting, hitting, etc.)
Earning poor grades in school or experiencing a sudden drop in performance
Abandoning activities/hobbies you once enjoyed
Change in sleeping/eating habits
Withdrawing from family and friends
How to talk to your adolescent about therapy
Talking to adolescents about therapy can be nerve-wrecking at times, especially if we (the adults) did not grow up attending therapy or even talking about feelings in our households. If this is you, it’s going to be okay!
Choose a moment where it’s just you two. Sometimes walking and talking can be helpful in having these types of discussions. Approach it openly, safely, and honestly. Most importantly, normalize therapy for them. So many people (kids and adults) attend therapy. Now more than ever! Maybe even share how therapy would have been helpful for you earlier on (or even now) and having that honest conversation. Let them know it is not a form of punishment, nor should it make them feel like something is “wrong” with them. We are all humans navigating life and big emotions. Having someone to talk to about it gives us that extra support that we need. Some adolescents may be relieved to know they are going to get individual help and may even be excited! Others may express hesitation-and that is okay. It’s important to listen to their feelings about therapy and provide empathy. Be mindful of doing so in a positive and hopeful tone. (Again, we don’t want to minimize their hesitations or their anxiety about attending therapy). We want to validate their feelings of being nervous or scared. The goal is to normalize the process.
Finally, let your adolescent know what to expect during therapy. Allowing them to feel more prepared may alleviate any nervousness around attending. It’s a good idea to ask them what they would like to get out of therapy and what their goals are. This gives them ownership and power over the process.