Brief Counselling for Parents of Adolescents
Adolescence, spanning approximately from age 12 to 24, is oftentimes the most challenging period for parents. As a natural consequence of development, young people tend to pull away from their parents and look for autonomy. They question parental values and authority.
It can be a daunting task for parents to remain supportive and loving when they feel helpless and frustrated about the lack of mutual understanding and respect.
It is not uncommon, however, that just the opposite happens: our teens are too afraid of losing us to gather the courage to rebel. They are too obedient to parental authority and control to avoid becoming a burden to their parents. Rebelling against parents is healthy, even though it is important what way it is carried out. Similarly to their parents, young people can find it difficult to connect with their parents. They need their parents: for adult experiences and wisdom, however, they require more independence, the opportunity to learn responsibility, trust, attention, but the safe parental boundaries as well.
Parenting adolescents requires new skills and sometimes radically different attitude to problem solving and discipline than with younger children. However, the necessity of change can be viewed as an opportunity for personal growth for parents rather than as a burden.
Our short-term skill-based approach aims at providing you with some effective strategies and tools that you can try out at home while receiving support and feedback from us, so you will not feel alone in your journey through a different territory of parenting.