Announcement! We are currently preparing for our fall groups for your child or adolescent. Please contact Dr. Charity Kurz, LPC-Intern @ charity@lifebydesignwellness.com for more information. Groups will begin in September.
Being a parent is one of the most rewarding, amazing, life-changing experiences we may ever encounter. However, being a parent also often results in some of the most anxiety-filled days and sleepless nights we ever thought possible. I hope that’s not the case for you, but if you are struggling because your child is struggling, we hope you’ll consider allowing us to come alongside you or your child to find resolution. We offer services for children and adolescents, as well as Parent Coaching for great parents who just want to add some tools to their parenting toolbox specific to their child and family dynamics.
Randel has spent much of his 25 years in the helping professions working with teenagers, in environments ranging from the church to CPS, from residential treatment/childcare to the counseling office to the mental health hospital. The emotional, relational, and behavioral challenges teens experience in today’s society amaze me, concern me, and motivate me to help each teen I work with to not only survive the storms of adolescence but thrive in their journey towards healthy adulthood.
Charity has spent her career working with children as a teacher, school counselor, and now a professional counselor. She has extensive experience assisting children with academic, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Plus, she loves to utilize play therapy with her clients! Who doesn’t like to play?
Even as kids reach adolescence, they need more than ever for us to watch over them. Adolescence is not about letting go. It’s about hanging on during a very bumpy ride. – Ron Taffel
Child and Teen concerns that can be addressed in counseling:
- academic challenges
-
self-esteem
-
suicidal ideations
-
self-harm
-
depression
-
anxiety
-
family conflict
-
bullying
-
anger
Teen Cutting/Self-Injury
I just found out my teen is cutting or engaging in another form of self-injury. What do I do? First, and this is difficult, but try not to panic. Cutting/self-injury is on the rise among teenagers. For most teens, it’s a form of managing emotional discomfort, whether it be anxiety, depression, grief, or feelings of low self-worth. It’s an observable external behavior that indicates a much deeper internal problem. When treating teens for cutting, my goal is not to get the teen to stop cutting, but to address the underlying motivations for cutting and to help the teen develop healthier coping behaviors to replace the self-injuring behavior. It’s likely your child doesn’t want to cut but feels the need to cut. If the felt need to self-injure is addressed, the behavior will often diminish and eventually stop. It’s important that this is a process that takes time, not an event or the result of an ultimatum.
Don’t
-
React with anger.
-
Go into denial about the problem.
-
Assume this is a “phase” your teen will outgrow.
-
Say “What did I do wrong as a mother (father) for you to do this to yourself.”
-
Ask “Why are you doing this to yourself?”
-
Try to hide sharp objects. It’s an ineffective deterrent. If your child wants to self-injure, she’ll find a way.
Do
-
Admit you and your child need help.
-
Take the problem very seriously. This is not just attention-seeking behavior.
-
Be completely supportive.
-
Immediately seek treatment for your child.
You can find additional information on helping your adolescent at Teen Help
Signs That May Be Associated with Depression in Children and Adolescents
-
Frequent vague, non-specific physical complaints such as headaches, muscle aches, stomachaches or tiredness
-
Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
-
Talk of or efforts to run away from home
-
Outbursts of shouting, complaining, unexplained irritability, or crying
-
Being bored
-
Lack of interest in playing with friends
-
Alcohol or substance abuse
-
Social isolation, poor communication
-
Fear of death
-
Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
-
Increased irritability, anger, or hostility
-
Reckless behavior
-
Difficulty with relationships
More information on teen depression can be found at About Teen Depression.
If you’re a child or teenager feeling suicidal, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or call 911 or a trusted adult right now. You are worth it!
