It’s only natural that parents want to do anything and everything possible to help assure the success of their child in whatever manner they can. There comes a time that doing the best thing for your teen may mean getting professional help from a counselor.
Remember the story about the mother and her son? Following their disagreement, Anne sought the advice of a friend from her church.
I don’t have any idea what I should do about him anymore.” Anne sobs. “He refuses to communicate with me. He practically never comes out of his room, and I found out today from his principal that he has been skipping his classes.”
Her friend patted her shoulder and replied, “I’m so sorry, Anne. Have you ever considered teen counseling? When my mother passed away, my entire family found it difficult to deal with. We were all having such a hard time with the grief, we went to a Christian counselor a year ago and it really helped us all.”
Anne wiped a tear from her eye, “I have given it some thought. That might be a great idea.”
Anne is not alone in her struggles even though that is certainly how she feels. At Santa Monica Christian, our Christ-centered counseling for teens focuses on a two-pronged approach that includes dealing with the symptoms of brokenness while striving for spiritual solutions. As Christians, our belief is that we are not of the world but since we are in the world, there will be struggles and there will be temptations that we face.
The teenage years are tough. More temptations are faced than ever. The battle rages within as teens attempt to deal with such things as negative emotions and thoughts, interacting with peers and parents, and other difficult things. The counselors at our center are well trained to guide teens through the turbulence and to help them understand all the complex things that are going on in their lives. They assist them in learning to thrive in a complicated world so they can live a fulfilled, happy and godly life.
With Christian counseling in Santa Monica, your teenager can gain:
- Enlightening in regards to their behaviors, and guidance toward positive change.
- Skills for problem skills.
- Tools for controlling and managing negative thoughts.
- Better and healthier social skills.
- Tools for rebuilding relationships and for healing past hurts.
- An environment that is safe for exploring their inner feelings, desires, and thoughts.
- Understanding in regards to their mental and physical development process.
- Assistance for teens who are Christian, facing peer pressure.
- Communication skills that will help them speak their concerns constructively.
The highlights above are just a handful of the benefits of teen Christian counseling. At Santa Monica Christian Counseling, we relish helping youth gain skills and overcome obstacles which will assist them in living happier, healthier lives in the present and in the future as well.
Negative Behaviors Teen Counseling Can Resolve
Adolescence is, no doubt, a very challenging time in a young person’s life. Having a teen is stressful for parents too. It is only normal to experience a strain in the parent-child relationship as your teenager begins to seek independence and find his identity. You may be feeling overwhelmed and like you are losing control. Such feelings can make you feel sad and helpless.
Now, back to our story about Anne and her son, John:
Anne made the decision to enroll her son in teen-focused Christian counseling. Needless to say, John was not on board with the idea. In fact, he was very upset with his mother.
“The last thing I need is to be analyzed. Those people don’t even know me. You can just forget it if you think for one minute that I am going to spill my guts to some shrink.”
During the initial session. John remained reluctant and uncooperative. His counselor was not surprised though. Running into opposition when dealing with adolescent clients is quite common. The counselor let John know that he was the one who was totally controlling the situation.
I will never make you do anything. I just ask that you be yourself with me and I’ll do the same. I will be myself with you. If you just help me be able to do the job I have before me, I will, in turn, help you get through this as quickly as possible.
Slowly John did drop his guard and as he did, the counselor was able to create an environment that was composed of mutually shared respect, safety, and trust. Side-by-side, they discovered that John’s actions were the result of the very deep pain he felt that was stemming from his parents’ recent divorce and his in-school conflicts. Through teen counseling, John was able to overcome his issue with anger, do better in school, rebuild family relationships, develop new friendships, and excel in school.
Anne was thankful to her friend for helping and for her advice. “Getting John into counseling was one of the most positive things I have ever done as a parent. He is happy and now we are even able to talk.”
Do you have concerns about your teen’s attitude or behavior? Our Christ-centered counselors are available to help.
Issues Commonly Addressed Christian Counseling For Teens
Depression and Anxiety
Depression and anxiety are very common problems which affect around one-eighth of all children under the age of 18. During this phase of their lives, children go through a lot of difficult times in practically every area of their young lives. Parents who mean well pressure their teens to succeed and school is loaded with its own academic and social challenges.
When you add in other potential issues like health problems, emerging mental and emotional health concerns, divorce, a death, or family transitions, it’s easy for them to feel overwhelmed. Learning to deal with negative emotions and stress takes practice. It takes time too. That’s where a counselor really shines. They can help your teenager work through the muddy waters to explore new ways to express the way they think and they feel in a clearer and more appropriate way and teach them how to process the emotions they are feeling in healthy ways.
Learning Disabilities and ADHD
If your child suffers from a learning disability or issues like ADHD or dyslexia, you know how helpless you can feel. Such conditions can affect your teen academically and socially too. As a parent, it is normal to feel overwhelmed and stressed out over the situation. Apathy, strong emotional outbursts, obstinacy and other behavioral issues are often involved but your counselor can help them find constructive ways to deal with stress, promote positive self-esteem, and find hope for the future. This added support helps create confidence in your teen and instills the love of God in their lives too.
Social and Behavioral Problems at School
Many factors can result in your child having problems at school. It can be difficult for parents to understand why their teen is rebelling, not doing their schoolwork, acting out, or having conflict with their peers or teachers. Being frustrated with your child only leads to more conflict which can easily limit the influence you have to help them deal with the situation constructively.
The counselors for teens at Santa Monica Christian Counseling are Christ-focused so although they are highly skilled, they are not leaning only on their own understanding but are depending upon the Lord to guide them as they help your child form friendships that are healthy and work out other issues that are interfering at school.
Many times, problems that take place in school are rooted in other, larger issues that must be addressed for total healing to occur. Like an onion, as the layers unfold to give a glimpse into the deep issues, those underlying problems can be worked through so your teen can find new and better ways of dealing with present situations that are difficult and take strides toward a bright future.
Suicidal Actions and Thoughts
Suicide is third on the list of reasons for children and teen deaths between the ages of 10-19. During the teenage years, a number of new pressures, responsibilities,and concerns are on the horizon. They can easily feel overwhelmed and fearful. When a teen is unable to deal with the negative emotions he is feeling, he can be tempted to end it all, especially when more challenges are heaped on like depression, family problems or mental health issues.
The Christian counselors in Santa Monica are experts at helping potentially suicidal teens. They help them to open up and explore underlying issues, work through emotions, learn new ways of coping and address such problems as severe depression. If there is a reason for alarm when it comes to your child’s safety, you will be notified. We don’t take risks when it comes to making sure he is safe. Our goal is to make sure he gets through the troubling issues and thrives during the teen years and beyond.
Violent Behavior
Is your teen acting out in anger to such a degree you are concerned for his safety and the safety of those around him? If so, don’t wait. Act now. Serious complications and consequences can occur now and in the future, so be sure the problem gets addressed with the assistance of a Christian counselor like those at our Santa Monica office.
Anger is often an outward symptom of deeper issues such as shame, depression, or can even be a cry for help. Teens have a difficult time distinguishing between anger and pain and may express themselves based on what gets attention rather than using a more effective and constructive expression. Having a counselor work alongside him to identify root problems and work through the anger and emotions is optimal.
Sudden Weight Gain or Loss
Any sudden change in your child’s weight warrants taking a deeper look. It very well may be a sign that there are issues of concern lurking beneath the surface which require the attention and care of a professional. Depression, anxiety, health problems, or eating disorders can be the reason for the weight change so it is imperative to seek help.
It is wise to take your child to a doctor for an examination to rule out any medical problem that might be at the root. If there isn’t a medical problem, a Christian counselor is able to help find the psychological issue that may be causing the change. Early identification and management of weight gain or loss can lead to workable solutions being discovered before serious implications arise.
Extreme Personality or Mood Changes
Teenagers generally experience a certain amount of personality, mood and emotional changes. Their hormones are raging and changing and just the normal teen stress factors can aggravate the situation. But when the changes in mood get notably more severe or frequent, or changes in their personality start to be alarming, it is time to seek out a professional counselor for help.
A Christ-focused counselor who specializes in teens can help identify the root causes of the changes if it is due to circumstances, the environment he is in, or even a psychological issue. Psychological mood disorders often surface during the teen years. Intervening early and seeking treatment immediately will increase the chances that your teen can overcome the problematic negative emotions and move forward in the healing process.
Risky or Illegal Behavior
Seeing your child make poor decisions that lead to trouble is quite difficult for parents to do. Finding out your teen is involved in dangerous or illegal activities can make any parent feel completely overwhelmed. If your child is spiraling out of control and is in trouble or is headed that way, your counselor can help guide them in the right direction.
We offer encouragement in order for your teen to form trust in the therapeutic relationship with one of our devoted counselors. We strive to make sure he knows he is accepted unconditionally and that he is free to speak his mind and voice his opinions and thoughts. Ultimately, new and healthy alternatives can be introduced and underlying issues can be worked through.
Sexual Behavior Concerns
Suspecting that your teen is possibly involved in sexual activity can be devastating. It is frightening, especially considering all of the evil that is prevalent in the world in which we live. Our children are exposed to sex through the media, online and by just hanging out with their friends at school. There is immense pressure for them to act out, sexually. Many become confused about sex or their own sexuality during the teen years.
The counselors at Santa Monica Christian Counseling are well trained and equipped to handle all sexual subjects of concern so they will help your teen learn how to stick to his own values and not fall victim to peer pressure. Sexual self-identity and self-esteem are among the many areas that are addressed in counseling. They also help bridge the communication gap between you and your child where talking about things of a sexual nature are concerned. Christian values are the basis of every session.
Spiritual Concerns
It’s common for people to struggle with the subject of faith sometime during their life. Even teenagers who have been brought up in a Christ-centered home have periods when they doubt their faith and question everything concerning their beliefs. Our society only adds to the problem, making it difficult to openly express faith. It is very possible your child might be going through a struggle, being ridiculed or being pressured by people who are trying to disprove Christianity.
While God can actually use these trying times for His good, it is helpful to have support during the storm. Counselors are standing by, ready to help your teenager walk through the tough times and are able to help them to see all the good things that God has waiting for them.
