EFFECTIVE TEEN PARENTING

Important teenage parenting tips! It could be that lately, you find yourself butting heads with your teen. Maybe mutual respect for each other is not present in your relationship with them. It could be that there is a current struggle in your relationship with your teen.

It’s understandable and very common that teens begin to want to have their own independence. They want to make their own decisions and do what they want to do. As they explore and gain more understanding of who they are, that may show more in their interests, hobbies, and social life. 

As parents, we just want to make sure that our teens are safe. That they are making the right decisions in life. It’s a common concern that our teens may experiment with substances, sex, or other things at this point in their life. This is all natural to being a teen, and we want to make sure that we as parents are helping guide them.

Parenting teens can be a rodeo. We may feel defeated or frustrated with our teens. It could be that it’s hard to speak to them without it turning into a heated argument. When you try to install boundaries or house rules, they may deflect them and not want to abide by them. This can obviously leave you feeling very fed up.

You want to help your teen open up to you, but you don’t know how. You want to be able to sit down and have serious, meaningful conversations with your teenager... Of course, you love your teen and want to ensure that you’re doing everything in your power,

Teens can be closed off and feel like no one understands them. If you try to ask about something, they might snap back at you and get even more closed off. In reality, all your teen wants to do is have you be there for them. Maybe they feel like they don’t know how to open up about it themselves.

Talking about mental health can feel like a sort of taboo to some. It's like maybe just an overreaction, a dramatic response to something going on. However, the distress of your teen is real and should be validated. As the parent, you have so much power in making your teen feel comfortable and vulnerable with their struggles, even if you don’t fully understand it. You have the power to help your teen open up.

Maybe it plays out for your family like this…

Your teenage son just got home from being out with friends. You hear the front door open and slam behind him. You are suddenly irritated by this behavior, as you hear him stomping upstairs to his room. He then slams his door again, maybe even louder this time. You hear a sort of sniffle, maybe even a cry escapes his mouth.

This is unacceptable, you say to yourself. You storm up there and knock on his door, asking him to unlock it. Ultimately you are standing there with your hands on your hips, frustrated at his behavior right now. You don’t understand why he can’t just spit it out and tell you what happened.

He yells out “Go away, I don’t want to talk to anyone!”.

This makes you feel disrespected as he did not open the door and apologize for his slamming. You just don’t understand how he can storm into the house and lock himself away in his room without saying anything.

Your son has a history of subduing his feelings. Ultimately hiding them away or even hiding himself away when it becomes too much to handle. Maybe your family has certain values or expectations they place on males. Maybe they’re expected to not struggle with mental illness and be “man enough” to face it on their own. 

You believed that too, but now you’re getting genuinely concerned about him. Did something happen to his girlfriend? Did he get into an argument with his friends? Maybe he’s been feeling bad about himself lately. He told me he feels stupid, he’s not doing too great in school right now, and it’s possible he’s really suffering and facing all these negative thoughts alone. 

The truth is a lot of teens suffer silently.

They feel like they can’t open up about certain things. Therefore, they’d rather suffer in silence than come to you and potentially risk having to deal with the consequences.

Fortunately, there are ways to manage serious, meaningful conversations with your kids without the fear of them being punished for their actions. As their parent, you have a lot of influence on how they think about themselves and others as well as interact with others. Ever since they were little kids, they’ve been watching you, imitating you, and trying to be the hero they imagined you to be. Now, it’s really time to be their hero.

In YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC, we are highly experienced in working with teens who are facing issues of anxiety, depression, body image, stress or anger management, and more. 

“You won’t get in trouble if you tell me what happened.” 

As mentioned earlier, teens may not come to you and spill all of the details if they believe they may deal with consequences for it. This could look like your teen smoking marijuana for the first time and having a bad experience, leading to them being in a really bad mood. They may be hesitant to tell you about their substance use in the fear that you’ll respond negatively, and not focus on the issue at hand.

Or your teen snuck out late one night with a group of kids that you get a bad feeling from. They may worry that you’ll take them away from that group, even though they don’t yet realize they shouldn’t be hanging out in the first place. 

A good starter sentence to face your teen in anguish is “You won’t get in trouble if you tell me what happened”.

Not only does this encourage honesty and vulnerability, but you can also develop a much closer connection with your child. They know your rules and want to respect them, but teens can only want independence so much until they try to get a taste for it.  

You need to hold up your word that they won’t get in trouble, which may be difficult for you. You want your teen to feel like they can go to you and trust you, but you still want to implement important rules surrounding protecting them. 

When your teen explains what happened, and it goes against your household rules, just take a moment to breathe and think it over. You may even want to separate so you can think with a clear mind and reconnect later on to discuss how you want to be there for your child. 

Explain to your teen that you’re thankful for them opening up to you, and it must’ve been hard. You don’t want them to be nervous about facing repercussions for their actions. Of course, you care about them and want to ensure that they don’t do it again, but you need to earn each other’s trust. You can make a comment like, “I truly don’t want you hanging out with those people or using that substance again as it clearly upset you right now” and see if you can compromise with your teen on how you can trust them. 

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC can help support you and your teen to develop open communication so that you can create a relationship built on trust and connection. 

Help your teen open up: Show them that you care through your words and actions.

Starter sentences don’t have to be complex or specific, and they could just be something small and meaningful. You may ask them all of the time how they are doing and how their day was, receiving the response of “fine” or maybe nothing at all.  If you notice your teen’s behavior is off and they may be struggling with something internally, genuinely look at them and ask them, “Hey, I just want you to know that I’m here to listen to you and support you.”

This shows them that you recognize something is going on with them, and it makes them feel like they aren’t invisible to you – that you truly do care about their feelings. You can show them that you care at the moment of seeing them in anguish.

If you want to be more specific, you can tell them, “I’m concerned for you. You seem to be depressed/frustrated/angry/anxious right now, and I see it. I want to see if I can do anything to help you or make you feel better”. In ONLINE TEEN THERAPY, we can support your teen and help them use your support as well. 

Help your teen open up: “I may not understand fully how you’re feeling, but I want to get a sense”.

This statement has minimal pressure to open up fully right off the bat. It acknowledges the fact that you don’t understand fully how they are feeling. Our teens like to keep their emotional lives hidden from PARENTS and deal with that either within their social groups or independently. 

Different cultures and different generations bear different perspectives on mental health and its legitimacy. If you’re willing to challenge yourself and open up to this, you can truly be there for your teen. And they will know it too. 

Your teen feels like no one else could possibly comprehend what’s going on with them. They may feel so alone in their world, so different from the rest.

In reality, we all happen to experience similar symptoms of anxiety, stress, and feeling down.

But everyone’s story for feeling that way is very complicated and complex, not that easy to trace back. You can surely understand a state of worry or anxiety, like when you forgot your wallet at home halfway through a road trip, or that anxious feeling of your kid coming on at the school play when they were little. You can understand if they feel depressed, as you yourself have felt sluggish, unmotivated, and fed up with life. However, that’s just the tip of their iceberg. 

“I really care about you, and I want to be here for you. Can you explain what happened?”

Many teens don’t feel comfortable opening up to their parents. Why should I open up to you about anything?”, showing signs of obvious defensiveness, reluctance to open up, and feeling that I’d be judged or condescended. 

The truth is that parents just want to express how much they care about their teens and want them to feel like they can confide in them. Parents are the ones who raised them and have seen them through all developmental stages thus far.

Make it clear that it’s okay if they would prefer to speak to a professional. Sometimes, it may be better if you’re still unsure of what to say or to do to comfort them. Offer to help them by saying you can assist in finding a therapist. Let them know that they can talk to you whenever. 

Help your teen open up: “I see you’re feeling frustrated right now. Are you wanting to talk now, or should I check in with you later?”

Maybe your teen is unapproachable right now. And that’s OK. You don’t want to force them to sit down and talk with you as that can leave them feeling more irritable and less willing to talk. Imagine that your teen reacted like the son in our scenario – closed off, retreating, and needing alone time. 

Giving your teen space and alone time is very important so that they don’t feel pressured, cornered, or suffocated by your presence. Your teens will appreciate that you’ve given them some space, granted that there are no signs of physical violence towards themselves or objects in their room where you’d need to intrude. 

The teenage years aren’t easy. Teens need space but love and care from a distance (and up close.) all at the same time. They need to know you’re there for them to protect them and provide for them but want a sense of independence as well. 

If you feel you need some additional support, CALL (805) 871-6023, YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC to learn more. We value working together as a family and believe that family dynamics are important for effective communication, managing stress or anger, and being able to function together again as a whole. YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC wants to make sure you have the tools to best support your teen and help your teen open up. 

Now Offering TELEHEALTH Therapy in ALL CALIFORNIA,  Los Angeles, and Online Counseling Ventura County. At YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC  practice we offer Child therapy and family counseling, Teen therapy, Anxiety AND Depression Treatment, and Anxiety and Depression Therapy.

We want to make sure that we are able to parent our teens in a healthy, safe way. We want to provide them with an environment where they can be themselves and they can flourish. As parents, we want to help them explore who they are and who they want to be when they are older. We also want them to have mutual respect and understanding with us. 

Here are 3 teenage parenting tips that may help. The first one is to show interest and support in your teen for what they like or who they are. The second tip would be to share your own life experiences, such as sharing what being a teen was like for you. The third tip would be to seek out parenting therapy to set and achieve goals for the family as a whole.

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC provides your teen with a safe place to explore their emotions.

Teenage Parenting Tips: Show interest and support for what they like or who they are…

It’s important to your teens that their parents are supportive of them. They want their parents to be proud of them for who they are and what they like. Having your parents as your own personal cheerleaders is a major thing and can do more than you know for your teen. Showing interest in the things they like is also encouraging and can help you bond with them.

Showing interest and support for what they like or who they are can be applied in a few different ways. One major way to show interest and support is through how your teen likes to spend their free time (such as through arts and crafts). Maybe it could be their sexuality if they are on the LGBTQ spectrum. You know your teens’ individual interests, so try to connect with them on a regular basis to learn more about them.

How to support your LGBTQ+ teen.

As parents, we always want to make sure we are supporting our teens in the best ways possible! Even though we can butt heads and disagree, at the end of the day, we love them for who they are. We are proud of the person we have raised them to become and want them to know that. 

LBGTQIA teens endure significantly higher levels of bullying, depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety compared to other teens. Due to the unfortunate presence of homophobia and transphobia, LGBTQIA teens can’t seem to catch a break. Whether they are invalidated for their feelings, or bullied for things they can’t control, they suffer. 

As a parent, you want to be the last person to ever cause your teen harm. You want them to know how valued and treasured they are in this world. It can be difficult for parents who have never experienced LGBTQIA and may be confused with what that all means.

It stands for: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual! There are also many different flags associated with each letter. The flags are important symbols with their own individual colors, honoring each identification.

It may seem unnecessary or confusing for you for your teen to want to identify as this. Maybe, you even feel embarrassed about it. You’re not sure how your family or friends will react to it, and maybe are even a little upset about it to begin. It’s normal to feel stressed out, maybe even worried about this. What’s most important is how you address this with your teen. You’re allowed to have your own feelings but want to make sure your teen feels supported no matter what.

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC  provides a safe space for you and your family to discuss difficult topics.

Ways to Support Your LGBTQIA Teen: Let them know they are loved

First and foremost, it’s important to note that LGBTQIA teens can be at greater risk for suicide or suicidal thoughts. Make sure you let them know that they truly belong here! The world would truly be missing without their presence. Family and friends would be lost without them in your lives. 

It can be defeated when teens are not accepted for who they are. They don’t feel validated or understood, and it can leave them feeling depressed. Although today’s society has been working towards becoming much more inclusive and accepting, it’s not always applicable. 

Your teen needs to know that no matter what, they are included and accepted. They are valued for being who they are and who they want to be. And you want them to know that they deserve to love themselves too! Life can be extremely difficult for LGBTQIA teens. They may feel hopeless, worthless, unlovable, or invaluable. However, that is the exact opposite of how much they truly mean to the world. Make sure to emphasize to them that they matter, and they are loved, even if some days, it doesn’t feel like that. 

No matter who they are or who they love, you will support your teen through it all. You want them to have a close relationship with you where they feel safe and secure talking about things that matter to them. It’s important that you trust they are surrounding themselves with those who have good intentions as well.

TELEHEALTH teen therapy in ALL California, Los Angeles, Ventura County, ensures your teen can receive support from wherever is most convenient for them. 

Ways to Support LGBTQIA Teen: Educate yourself

A popular response to finding out your teen is LGBTQIA teen is bringing religion into it. It may be that you attend a church that has roots in homophobia and believe that being gay or lesbian is a sin. There may even be offerings for conversion therapy or some sort of “fix” for your teen.

Educate yourself to know that there is truly no “fix” or “cure” to being LBGTQIA. As a matter of fact, nothing truly needs to be fixed or cured in them. Programs such as conversion therapy can be incredibly damaging and traumatic and destroy your relationship with your teens. 

There may be books, blogs, or other forms of media directed at parents of LGBTQIA teens. It’s possible that there are communities out there for parents who may not initially accept or agree with LGBTQIA. However, with more education, understanding, and awareness, you can learn to be okay with it. 

As mentioned before, there are various flags associated with the different letters within the name. Take some time to educate yourself on what your teen’s sexuality means, and the flags associated with it. You can use this as a bonding experience with your teen to possibly create art together using the flags as inspiration. 

Finally, educate yourself on the history of LBTQIA how it came to be, and how it is today. Learn about the iconic individuals who created history and landmarks for the community. Understand the struggles that they went through, including hate crimes endured. 

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC can address everyone’s individual concerns and goals for therapy as a team.

Ways to Support Your LGBTQIA Teen: Create and maintain a supportive environment.

Finally, create and maintain a supportive environment for them, both inside and outside the home. You don’t want to only stand up for them in private, and when it comes to being in public, you don’t do what’s right for them. Let’s say that in private, you express acceptance and inclusion for your teen. However, when in public surrounded by others, you may express different opinions and even joke about them. 

It’s important to stand up for them against discriminatory or homophobic/transphobic family members, friends, or neighbors. You have a big role in breaking the cycle of that casual abuse. And you would even come off as a role model for your teen. Another way to maintain a supportive environment could be attending pride rallies or pride festivals with them as a way to show your support!

Try to understand how your teen’s school is working to support LGBTQIA teens as well. Whether it be that they have school psychologists on board, clubs to allow teens to mingle with each other, or protection against bullying and harassment. If none of these programs are installed, consider advocating for them. At the end of the day, there could be conflicting opinions about being LGBTQIA in the household. It can be a difficult topic when people do not agree with who your teen is. Perhaps their siblings or your partner do not agree with it. This can be extremely difficult and tense. It may take some time through self-education, awareness, and understanding, but you can learn to leave behind your preconceptions about what it means to be on the LGBTQIA spectrum.

Considering family therapy with an LGBTQIA-affirming therapist is a great way to gain support for the whole family. Not only will it provide a safe space for your teen, but the therapist will understand the family’s concerns and areas they can grow together as a team! 

It can be easy to show interest and support for your teen. You don’t need to break the bank in supporting their interests, for example, constantly buying them art supplies. Rather, you will want to express curiosity and interest in what they may be presently working on. You may want to understand what their art piece means or what it is. By doing this, you are creating opportunities for bonding and understanding with your teens.

Alongside showing interest in who they are as well as interest in their lives, you want to show support for it. Even when things get rocky in your relationship with them, you want them to know that you’ll be their number one supporter. Your goal is for your teen to feel safe expressing who they are and what they love.

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC is very family-oriented and works to support the family unit as a whole. We want to individually support you as an individual member while collectively supporting you as a family.

Teenage Parenting Tips: Share your own life experiences.

Build a healthy relationship with your teen. 

You’re here as you’re looking for ways to build a healthy relationship with your teen. It can feel difficult to find ways to connect with them. Maybe you have totally different interests or hobbies. Perhaps you are currently learning how to grow as a parent to work with them as well as possible. While you remain their parent, you still want to have a positive, open relationship with them. Lately, your teens may have been feeling teenage angst coming on. They’re feeling irritated more easily, are quick to react, or overall have an attitude. Maybe they’re the exact opposite. That they’re isolating themselves, not opening up, or simply avoiding talking about difficult things.

It’s important to remember that the teenage years are very difficult for them, as well. They have a lot to figure out about themselves. On top of that, they may have pressure to shape their identity, pick a life career, focus on school, sports, or more. These years are developmentally crucial for them in being able to persevere through hard times.

As a parent, you want to be a positive role model for them while they navigate their teenage years. You want to be someone that they can trust and lean on. Rather than be a negative figure in their lives, you want to help them get to where they want to be. As parents, we can sometimes be viewed as the villain or persecutor. However, you want to be able to play a positive role in their lives!

Building and maintaining a healthy relationship with your teen is an amazing goal to have for your family. Not only will you be a great support system for them, but they will also reciprocate that back to you as well. Having mutual trust, understanding, and respect for one another goes a long way. 

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC Can help your family identify areas where you can all grow as a unit. 

Ways to Build a Healthy Relationship with Your Teen: Play an active role in their lives

Remain curious about your teen’s interests, hobbies, and activities. Maybe they really enjoy playing a certain video game and are passionate about the characters. It’s a great idea to inquire about their interests and allow them space to speak about them. If they are passionate about a certain topic, give them space to get excited talking about it.

By playing an active role in their lives, you will be staying up to date with what’s going on with them. If they engage in any form of sports, you can remember to offer encouragement prior to the game or plan to attend any of their games. If they enjoy hobbies such as hiking or skateboarding, you can find ways to be interested in that as well. Such as inquiring about their favorite hiking spots, or current tricks they’re learning to land.

This doesn’t mean that you would begin to participate in these activities with them. Or be around them 24/7 when they do engage in them. But rather, show interest in them. Find out what your teen likes or dislikes about it. Maybe they want to show you something or teach you something. It’s important to them that their interests matter! Whatever goals they have to achieve, hobby-wise, sports-wise, or anything else, matters greatly to them. And it means so much to them when you are validating that. 

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC provides your teen with coping mechanisms for when difficult feelings arise.

Ways to Build a Healthy Relationship with your Teen: Remain open and honest

Encouraging openness and honesty can be tricky with teens. They may think you’re trying to trick them into opening up about something that might get them into trouble. However, it’s important to remember that in order to build trust, you need to show them that it’s a good thing to be honest. For example, we don’t want our teens to be experimenting with drugs/alcohol or hanging around the wrong crowd. It concerns us and makes us worried – which can sometimes translate into frustration, even anger. 

It’s important to model the openness you want to see from your teens. This can look like you are sharing your own experiences you had as a teen. Maybe you also struggled in school with certain subjects. Or you were picked on or teased for something. Maybe you struggled with friendships or relationships as well. Sharing your story will help normalize talking about topics that may be difficult to talk about. Maybe you tried drugs/alcohol as a teen, and had an experience, whether it be good or bad. Or you experimented with sex at that age as well. 

Regardless of what happened, find some things you can share with your teen. Whether they are relatable to what they are currently going through or not. It will help paint you in a light that you were their age once, too. And you made mistakes and had to learn from them the hard way.

When we act like we are perfect, we aren’t being authentic with our teens, or ourselves. It’s good to admit that maybe we messed up and made the wrong choices as teens. Our teens may feel more comfortable asking questions. Maybe even confiding in yourself in a bad decision they made.

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC helps strengthen the relationship between a teen and their parents.

Ways to Build a Healthy Relationship with Your Teen: Remain interested in their mental health

Remain interested and offer support as needed for their mental health. Make it a point to check in with them frequently. You can do this directly, by asking, “How are you feeling today?” or “What emotions came up for you today?”. You can also ask how school is going, how friendships are, or their relationships.

It can be difficult for teens to open up about their feelings. They may feel hesitant to do so or avoid talking about difficult topics. Teens may even act like everything is okay, just to avoid having a conversation about it. It’s possible that they may choose to hide their feelings from you.

Nonetheless, make efforts to check in with them. Remind them that they can talk to you about anything, judgment-free. And that it is safe for them to tell you things. When your teen does open up and is honest, praise them for their honesty and trust. It’s important to keep an eye on their performance in certain areas of their lives. If you see they are doing poorly in school, make sure to check in about how they’re feeling. Rather than reprimand them for bad grades, ask if they are okay, and what’s going on. Maybe they are falling behind in understanding the subject. 

At the end of it all, it’s always a great idea to consider teen therapy or family therapy. Therapists will be able to guide your family to best grow individually and support one another. They are very experienced in understanding your personal needs, as well as the family’s needs as a whole. 

You know what it was like being a teenager. It could have been awkward, cringe-worthy, depressing, scary. Maybe it was exciting, fun, adventurous, and full of good stories. Everyone experiences teenage years and adolescence differently. We may have had different circumstances than our teens do today.

Rather than be upset with your teen for sharing that they experimented with marijuana or snuck out to see friends one night, find this as an opportunity to connect with them. To share your story with them. You can help normalize this part of the teenage years and also maybe share some fun laughs with them.

Even if your teen did not do something that went against your house rules, find time to connect with them. It can be interesting for them to hear about what life was like for you as a teen. They may even gain a greater understanding of who you are from this, and you can develop mutual respect.

Maybe you’ll want to share what your experience was like to help provide education and awareness to your teen. This could be for their own safety experimenting or just out of wanting them to be aware of their surroundings. Also, when your teens may be in similar circumstances, they may feel more comfortable opening up to you on their own.

It can be difficult for your teen to be open and honest with you about what’s going on in their life. They may be ashamed, embarrassed, or scared they’ll get in trouble. Always encourage and praise honesty and find ways to address concerns in a safe and healthy manner.

Read about how to talk to your teen about sex and drugs. 

You’re wanting to know how to talk to your teen about sex and drugs. It’s likely that as they enter teenagerhood, they are exposed through music, media, or other mediums. They may have stumbled upon something on the internet or shown things by their friends.

You wonder, at what point should I bring up talking about sex and drugs? Lately, with the rise of electronic vapes, it seems like teenagers are engaging in substance use at younger ages. This also stands for teenagers engaging in sexual acts at young ages. You want to make sure your teen is staying safe and educated as they navigate their adolescence. 

It’s important to you that your teen understands the reality of engaging in sex and drugs. Although it’s common for teens to experiment in these areas, you want to ensure that they feel comfortable talking to you about these things. Being able to ask you questions and talk about things in confidence should be your goal when discussing sex and drugs with teens. 

Teen therapy in YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC Can, provide your teen with a safe space to express themselves. 

The topic of sex and drugs may feel pretty taboo. It can even be an uncomfortable discussion with you and your teen. Chances are, they may have already explored and got a glimpse into what sex and drugs are. You know that even though it feels uncomfortable, you want to get the message across to them. 

Better Understanding Substance Abuse in Teens

Talking to Your Teen About Sex & Drugs: Encourage and praise honesty

Teens aren’t going to want to tell you straight-up that they just engaged in sexual activities or tried a drug out. Most likely, they are afraid of your reaction and response, and would rather keep it a secret. Maybe even lie about it and deny any history of engaging in the two. 

These topics don’t have to be full of shame and disgust, but rather interest and curiosity.  It’s important to understand that the more you are receptive to hearing the truth, even if it’s a harsh one, the more likely your teen will open up to you about it. Being receptive to hearing the truth includes asking questions and not reacting strongly to their answer. 

Encourage and praise honesty from your teen. It can be hard to get them to open up about personal or embarrassing things. You can start by encouraging them that you will not judge them for anything they are about to say, and that they will not get in trouble for being honest. 

Thank your teen for opening up and being honest about whatever happened. You can disclose that you, yourself, are pretty nervous about having this conversation. But it’s important for their safety! 

Family therapy in YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC Can provide a safe space for everyone involved.

Try not to respond with discontent. Focus on the fact that they trust you. Your teen is being vulnerable in sharing this information with you, which is quite hard to obtain. It may not always be the coolest conversation to have with your teen. They may feel embarrassed about talking to you about things. Consider their point of view when talking about sex and drugs. As parents, you have probably experienced it, either indirectly or directly. You want to ensure your teen is on a safe path, is educated, and feels comfortable talking to you.

Teen therapy in YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC will help them express themselves in a positive and healthy manner.

Talking to Your Teen About Sex & Drugs: Discuss boundaries

If you feel that your teen may be engaging in sexual activity, hold a conversation regarding consent, boundaries, and respect. This goes for using substances as well. The art of peer pressure can be detrimental to teens, oftentimes leading to bullying. It’s important that your teen understands basic respect for others and their decisions.

It can be a matter of just wanting to fit in with “the cool crowd”, however, they have a right to say no, just as another teen does. Sometimes, teens may be teased for not wanting to vape or try beer, for example. Make sure you are able to talk to your teens about setting up boundaries for themselves.

You may have read about setting boundaries with your teen, but now it’s important that your teen knows to set boundaries for themselves. This means being able to say no and be firm in standing their ground. Being able to deny or reject anything they do not want is an important skill to develop. 

Remind them that it’s okay to not give in to what the bigger crowd is doing. It doesn’t define them if they are not engaging in substances or sexual activity. Peer pressure is a major factor in teens making the wrong decisions, as they are not confident in their choices. They are only giving to peer pressure to satisfy other’s desires. 

Encourage your teens to trust their guts and intuition – if something feels like a bad situation, it probably is. 

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC is available for in-person and virtual sessions now.

Talking to Your Teen About Sex & Drugs: Consider Family Therapy

At the end of it all, it’s always a great idea to consult with a teen therapist for family therapy. Within family therapy, all members are included to feel supported and validated. It creates a space for everyone to voice their concerns and hear each other’s perspectives.

Perhaps your teens are figuring out their sexuality, and you are not sure how to approach this topic. Connecting your teens with the best-fit therapist will allow for them to comfortably express themselves in a positive environment. 

The same goes for curiosity in experimenting with substances. Maybe your teen has already dabbled in marijuana, tobacco, or alcohol and understands the experience. However, you may feel that you don’t know what boundaries to install or conversations to have to retain their honesty and trust. 

Family therapy will also help support you in parenting and navigating difficult topics with your teen. You will be fully supported by your therapist throughout the process. They will address your questions, concerns, and goals you have for your teen.

Remember to love your teen throughout it all for who they are. Forgive their mistakes and help guide them through learning about sex and drugs. Be there for them with open ears and open arms, and you will be able to support them!

Teenage Parenting Tips: Seek out parenting therapy

In the end, it is always a great decision to seek out parenting therapy. Parenting therapy can be something short-term to address specific concerns. Or, it can turn into long-term therapy, where concerns arise, you have your therapist to consult with. 

What is Parenting Therapy?

It could be that you are wondering if you are really getting through to your teens. Are you and your teen making progress together in your relationship? Maybe it feels like you two are stuck in this power struggle with one another. Mutual respect and understanding are lacking, and you are getting frustrated with this.

It’s important that as parents, we welcome healthy feedback to our parenting styles. We want to continue to grow not only as parents but as humans for our children. Being open-minded to reducing common communication problems, such as yelling or giving “the cold shoulder”, can help us pinpoint where change would be beneficial. 

Parenting therapy works to help support the parents in the family. It helps address any questions or concerns in regard to your parenting. It could be to find ways for you to be more involved with your teens. Parenting is not easy, and having non-judgmental, third-party support can make it feel a whole lot easier.

Online counseling is also available now. Online therapy can be more convenient to work around busy schedules and cut out commute time!

If you feel you need some additional support, CALL (805) 871-6023, YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC to learn more. We value working together as a family and believe that family dynamics are important for effective communication, managing stress or anger, and being able to function together again as a whole.

YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC wants to make sure you have the tools to best support your teen and help your teen open up. 

Now Offering TELEHEALTH Therapy in ALL CALIFORNIA,  Los Angeles, and Online Counseling Ventura County. At YAS MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC  practice offers Child therapy and family counseling, Teen therapy, Anxiety AND Depression Treatment, and Anxiety and Depression Therapy.