Adolescent Counseling

Teens, Adolescents, and The Parent-Child Conflict

Adolescence can be one of the most challenging experiences faced by both teens and their parents. During this time, adolescents are learning to navigate through the enormous physical and emotional changes that are taking place while striving to grow into self-reliable, independent adults.

Heal

Grow

Thrive

As parents, we learn to nurture and protect our children as they grow from infants into children by placing rules and boundaries on them. We do this as a way of keeping them safe and close to our sides. As the adolescent years approach, our children begin to push away and develop a sense of independence through peer relationships and participating in risky behaviors. During this time, parents can begin to feel a sense of panic and fear, as their former way of parenting is now not working as it once was. It is an emotional and trying time for all.

However annoying, many changes in adolescent behavior can be normal such as an increase in arguing, moody behavior, and becoming somewhat rebellious. It is when these behaviors increase to a point outside of a parent’s control that concerns may develop. Some concerns to be on the lookout for include depression, peer-relationship problems, emotional and behavioral problems, low self-esteem, anxiety, self injury, and increased bouts of anger and irritability.

Parenting should be a rewarding experience. If you are feeling overwhelmed and out of control, please do not hesitate to call and schedule an appointment today.

“The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride a bike. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realization that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.”
– Sloan Wilson