Children and adolescents, or teens, build social skills and emotional intelligence as they grow. These skills help them build a healthy life and improve their well-being , however, some kids have emotions or behave in ways that disrupt their wellness.

Learning about children’s mental health issues can increase your knowledge of how to help. Certain skills can teach you to interact more effectively with your child. Seeing a therapist can teach you these skills. Therapy provides a safe space for kids to process thoughts and emotions, in a non-judgmental environment.

Teens can benefit from meeting with a therapist to talk to about a variety of topics, ranging from relationship issues to questions about sexual identity. Here are some of the reasons teens go to therapy:

• Depression
• Anxiety Disorders
• Behavior Problems
• Substance Abuse Issues
• Stress

Other Reasons to Seek Therapy

Teens don’t need to be experiencing specific symptoms of mental illness to benefit from therapy. Some other reasons that teens might want to think about psychotherapy include:

• A desire to gain greater self-awareness
• A desire to talk about difficult topics to people other than friends or family
• A need to discuss sexuality, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Autism
• Dealing with a disability
• Difficulty adjusting to changes in life
• Eating Disorders Symptoms such as restrictive eating or Binge Eating
• Feelings of loneliness
• Problems with negative thinking
• Romantic relationships
• Self-Harm or risky behaviors
• Struggles with identity or self-worth
• Troubles coping with a chronic health condition
• issues stemming from racial or cultural discrimination