It is no secret that communication is not a strong suit of most teens. Oftentimes, these are the years when your child will begin to withhold information about their lives or shut you out entirely. Learning to effectively communicate with your child is a skill that needs to be honed whether they are a toddler or a teen. Teen counseling in Utah may be the answer you are looking for.
Here are some teen counseling tips that will help you communicate with your teen in those crucial years:
- Listen. It may sound simple, but your teen needs you to be a sounding board. By this point in their lives, you have taught them boundaries and what is and is not appropriate. Interrupting their every thought with your opinion of how they should proceed will deter them from wanting to share their lives with you.
- Control your reactions. Your teen may come to you with troubling news or problems. How you react will determine how much more they share with you. Take the time to reign in your knee jerk reaction to what they say.
- Avoid over-empathizing. If your reaction is always to take your child’s side, they may have a hard time ever learning that their actions are not appropriate or acceptable. It is okay to express your disappointment with their decisions, as long as it is coupled with their understanding that your love for them is not diminished by their actions.
If you are still struggling, teen counseling in Utah can help you develop your communication skills with your teens. Insight Child & Family Counseling has years of experience helping parents and teens learn to effectively communicate with one another. To get help from the comfort of your home, we offer Teleahealth sessions to help. Give us a call at (817)683-9303.