7 Signs Your Teen Needs Professional Counseling

As parents of teens, sometimes it is hard to determine what could be a sign of a serious problem and what is a normal part of growing up. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a nationwide survey of students in grades 9 – 12 found that 16% of students reported considering suicide,… Continue reading 7 Signs Your Teen Needs Professional Counseling

3 Questions About Self-Injury You Should Be Able to Answer as the Parent of a Teen

March was Self-Injury Awareness Month, which is a time reserved each year to increase awareness of teenage self-injury, and help teens who suffer from this harmful compulsion to feel supported enough to seek help. While March is a month dedicated to awareness and support for those practicing self-injury, this is a condition that can impact… Continue reading 3 Questions About Self-Injury You Should Be Able to Answer as the Parent of a Teen

Teen Cutting: Everything You Should Know as the Parent of a Teenager

As your teen is developing and begins to experience more complex emotions within themselves, they will look for support, understanding, and outlets in the immediate world around them. This world typically includes family, friends, and social media as main influences that shape your teen and aid in their decision making as they grow toward adulthood.… Continue reading Teen Cutting: Everything You Should Know as the Parent of a Teenager

The ABCs of Children’s Mental Health

May is Children’s Mental Health Month which is a great time to talk about where parents can find more information about the mental health conditions their adolescents may be struggling with. While there is no substitute for the expertise and information provided by a qualified mental health practitioner, this version of the ABCs can help… Continue reading The ABCs of Children’s Mental Health

How to Tell if Your Teenager Needs Therapy

One of the hardest things for any parent to admit is that their child has a problem that they are not equipped to help them solve.  After years of checking for monsters, bandaging boo-boos, and helping with homework, it can be difficult, overwhelming, and even scary to acknowledge that your child has a mental health… Continue reading How to Tell if Your Teenager Needs Therapy

How Can I Help My Self-harming Teenager?

There is no question that parents often struggle to understand their teenagers but when it comes to things like cutting and self-harm, many parents are simply at a loss.  Although teenagers of every generation have struggled to deal with the onslaught of emotional, physical, and mental changes that are a part of the teen years,… Continue reading How Can I Help My Self-harming Teenager?

When it Comes to Information, More is Not Always Better – Part 2

In part 2 of this series, information on additional mental health conditions is covered.  Read Part 1 of the series here. Bipolar Disorder Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens: A Parent’s Guide from the National Institute of Mental Health – Provides a great overview specific geared towards parents Children and Teens with Bipolar Disorder from WebMD.com –… Continue reading When it Comes to Information, More is Not Always Better – Part 2

How is DBT Different and How Does it Help?

DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy and it is a therapeutic approach for treating certain conditions that commonly impact teenagers.  Although it was originally created as a way to help those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, it is also proving effective at helping teens who are participating in self-harming activities and those who have acknowledged… Continue reading How is DBT Different and How Does it Help?

What is DBT and How Can it Help My Teenager?

As parents, there is nothing more frightening than watching our children suffer and struggle, and feeling powerless to help them.   When teens are injuring themselves and struggling with suicidal thoughts and tendencies, that powerlessness can feel overwhelming.  Too often, parents disregard the signs and ignore what is right in front of them because they don’t… Continue reading What is DBT and How Can it Help My Teenager?

Self Harm, No Longer Just a Teenage Problem

For most parents, the thought of their teenager intentionally harming themselves can seem inconceivable.   We work hard every day to protect them from the worst of the world and often only see the dangers that are hiding “out there.”  Unfortunately, these two things together can make it very hard to see that one of the… Continue reading Self Harm, No Longer Just a Teenage Problem