It's hard to know when to make that call to a therapist. Therapy can be time-consuming and expensive, and you don't want to over-react to something that may be quite normal.
First, please know that you can always schedule a consultation with a therapist. Most therapists of teens will talk to the parent first before meeting with the teen. It gives us a chance to speak in an unedited way about what you're seeing.
Every therapist does this differently, but if after the consultation, I don't think the teen needs therapy, I don't charge for that consultation time. I'd rather encourage parents to seek help early and lose money than have parents wait too long. It's always better to address problems now before they are on the "You Do Need A Counselor" list.
If there is a safety concern, take action immediately. It's better to be wrong than regretful.
It's probably normal if:
You might need a Counselor if:
You do need a Counselor if:
Of course the only way to be sure is to have a consultation. Talk to a counselor about your concerns.
Considering a consultation? It's like going to the doctor for your annual check-up. The counselor will probably ask a lot of questions, and either suggest counseling or not. Most counselors would be happy to say, "Your teen is fine. No need for counseling."
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Newport Beach, CA 949-241-0042