- Is your teen missing assignments in school?
- Does it seem like he is just not motivated?
By the time kids with ADHD reach their teen years, they have often had years of not feeling good enough. They may own labels like “lazy”. Sometimes they have anxiety as well. Anxiety and ADHD are a combination many people have. They get anxious because they are worried they will miss a deadline or because they forgot where they put something or they weren’t paying attention during the directions…again. Then because they are anxious they have an even more difficult time focusing, which…makes them more anxious. It is an incredibly painful (and common) cycle for many people who have ADHD. Other people with ADHD check out by their teen years. By the time they are teenagers they feel they have tried for so long they are done. They reason that if they are not good at school, why keep trying? They may start to engage in risky behaviors that are scary for you to see. If this is happening there is likely increased conflict at home. Everyone is tired.
ADHD teen counseling can help
If your teen has ADHD, then it is likely these years have some extra stress build in. Not only are they going through the typical challenges all adolescents go through as they are trying to figure out who they are, they are doing it through the lens of someone who has ADHD. Counseling can help these kids through facilitating an understanding of who they are (including their strengths) and who they want to be in the world, by assisting them in learning strategies to better deal with the ways in which ADHD impacts their lives, by helping them address the ways in which having ADHD may have shaped their sense of self, and by working on ways to make decisions that will enable them to reach their goals. In addition, through ADHD teen counseling often times family tension decreases.
You may still have some concerns
There are typically a few concerns we hear from parents seeking teen counseling. For example, you may be concerned your teen will refuse to go to counseling. If your teen does not want to go to counseling there are some helpful ways to address the situation. First, you can communicate your love and support to your teen. You can let him know you want to try counseling to support him because you see him hurting. You can let him know that although counseling is not negotiable you want his input to be sure who you see is a good fit for him (research strongly indicates a good fit between therapist and client is the best predictor of change…REALLY important!).
You may be worried about the expense of ADHD counseling for your child. It is true counseling can be expensive. That said, getting help sooner rather than later for your teen can make a huge positive difference in his well-being now and in his future.
At MVP we have teen counselors who specialize in working with teenagers who have ADHD. Our therapists love working with teenagers and have the have the training to support your teen through the challenges of living with ADHD through adolescence.
Let Us Help
To learn more about how we can help your teen please continue to check out our website. Get connected with a counselor who specializes in helping teens with ADHD. Give us a call at 720-583-9332 to schedule an appointment.