If you see that your teen is struggling with their mental health, your instinct as a parent or guardian is likely to try to help immediately. However, it’s possible that they don’t want to open up to you when you bring up your concerns. Or perhaps you recognize that they need further support than what
Read More

For many people, it seems like stress is just an expected aspect of their day-to-day life. When you’re a teenager, it can seem like stress is unavoidable because it’s coming from every direction — from school and extracurriculars to friendship conflicts and planning for the future. Many teens can feel overwhelmed by stress. It can
Read More

We all feel angry every now and then. Maybe you didn’t do well on an exam or a friend said something rude behind your back. It’s also OK to want to be alone sometimes. Taking some time to yourself can be beneficial after a long day at school or a packed weekend. But if you
Read More

When you see that your teen is experiencing a panic attack, you can feel stressed, nervous and helpless. Educating yourself about panic attack symptoms and triggers is one of the best things you can do if you have a teenager who experiences them. A panic attack refers to a physical manifestation of intense anxiety. It's a
Read More

It appears adolescents today are struggling more with their mental health than those in previous generations. From 2012 to 2018, there was a 34.6% increase in the prevalence of mental illness in children ages 4 to 17. Many parents find themselves seeking treatment for the first time when their kids need help. There are more
Read More

The teen years are a critical time in a young person’s life. As we go through our teenage years, we begin to form ideas about ourselves and the world we live in. It's a period of big changes and the time when most people start feeling a lot of social pressure. Teens today are growing
Read More

There's a point where obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors become disruptive and can negatively impact the social and mental development of a child or teen. When teens spend more than an hour or so each day worrying, and when they perform "rituals" or repetitive behaviors to prevent certain things from bothering them, they may be
Read More

Childhood trauma is a widespread issue that continues to affect many people throughout their lifetime. Until recently, most studies on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have focused on the trauma of distinct or acute life events, such as combat exposure or natural disasters. Now we're starting to understand more about emotional trauma that stems from relationships
Read More

Our earliest relationship with a caregiver is a predictor of what our close relationships will look like in adolescence and adulthood. However, it’s not the only influential factor, and our attachment styles aren’t set in stone. Anyone can decide to change their attachment style. It takes both self-reflection and help from others, like a therapist,
Read More

Finding out that your teen has been having suicidal thoughts can be devastating. You may feel lost and totally unprepared to handle this situation, but it’s crucial to be there for your child. Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among high school-aged students, so if your teen is experiencing suicidal ideation, don’t wait to get
Read More

Having suicidal thoughts can be scary. You may be overwhelmed or feel like these thoughts may never go away, but no matter how you’re feeling, you’re not alone. You have people in your life who care about you and want you to get the help you need. You may feel like nothing you do can help
Read More

“Is it laziness or depression?” This is a question many parents ask themselves when their teenager spends long periods in isolation, withdraws from face-to-face interactions, or experiences an academic decline. They might withdraw into video games or online communities, stop doing their homework, or try to avoid school. But what’s the difference, and how do
Read More