Teenage mental health statistics show anxiety is rising quickly in this age group. There are variances across genders as to what age they are at higher risk, and also differences between emotional disorders and behavioural disorders. I want to do my bit to help reverse these statistics.
Read MoreYes and no! The chemistry behind anxiety is the same regardless of age, therefore the work I do, the techniques I use are common to all. The difference is more to do with teenage response. And it’s a bit like marmite; they will either love it or hate it! As teens don’t have the same emotional maturity as adults, they can take a different approach to the work we do – some of them will be very open to it and embrace it whole heartedly. Others will just label it ‘weird’ (often simply because it something they have not experienced before) and retreat back to their comfort zone.
The first session I have with teens is designed to help them identify whether this is a ‘love it or hate it’ scenario so that everyone knows where they stand and the best path forward (which may be another form of therapy) can be taken.
The chemical changes going on in teenage bodies is a contributing factor. Both genders can experience anxieties around their changing physical shape and heightened awareness of their sexuality.
The biggest impact of adolescence however is the movement from dependence on parents to being an independent adult. They will be continually faced with things that take them out of their comfort zone, which can result in anxiety.
Parents can help with this and there is more support provided on a closed facebook group called TeenStress101.
Laura . Salisbury
Anxiety is heightened by the unknown and this can make the first session scary. This short video will help you to get a feel for what will happen once you knock on the door, what the environment we work in looks like, and start to get a feel for me! It takes away some of those unknowns and helps you to decide if this first step is one you are ready to now take.
It starts with a conversation – and that can be tricky with an adult they don’t know. That’s why in the first session, I do most of the talking so that they get to know me, how I work, and how what I do works. From there, they can make the decision if they want to take the next steps.
And if they want a parent in that first session with them, that is fine by me too!
