Teen Therapy

Why didn’t he tell an adult?

Darren* was outgoing, athletic, and had many friends. He had no problem finding girlfriends and could have gotten into any college he wanted.

But for some reason, Darren suffered from depression.

As his friend, you knew there were times when he struggled with low self-esteem. It didn’t make sense to you because he seemed to have it all – brains, friends, and girls.

One time, he told you he had thought about suicide but changed his mind. Your friend’s suicidal thoughts scared you, but you didn’t tell anyone because he said he was not thinking about it anymore. And then, a few months later, he ended it.

Life will never be the same without Grandma.

Grandma’s struggles with cancer led her to decide to stop treatments. You didn’t like her decision, but you tried hard to understand, even though the thought of losing her was too hard to comprehend.

Although you tried to see her as often as possible, it was hard to see her deteriorate. She seemed to know who you were, but most of the things she said didn’t make any sense. When you provided her with updates on all your activities and showed her pictures of your family, her mood seemed to increase positively.

When your mom called, you could tell that something terrible had happened by her voice. She said, “Grandma passed in her sleep.”

Tears started streaming down your face as all those memories of your grandmother flooded your thoughts – Christmas cookies, weekend sleepovers, shopping trips, sneaking you money when your mom wasn’t looking. As a teenager, life without Grandma was hard to contemplate.

Those thoughts of Grandma made you wonder, “What will my family and I do now without her? It just isn’t fair!”

It is not your fault.

It’s hard to remember the last time your parents were in the same room and not arguing. Mom can’t say anything without Dad making a rude/disrespectful comment back.

Any time Dad tries to discipline one of the kids, Mom undermines his authority right before him. Her actions always lead to a screaming match about how to raise children.

Your brother thinks your parents have money problems, which worries you because you have recently cost them a lot of money by being in sports, 4-H, and having large medical bills.

Then, your parents break the news of their decision to get a divorce. Although they say it’s not your fault, you don’t believe them because they spent a lot of money on you.

Sometimes, we all need a helping hand.

And I am here to offer you the help you need to overcome some of life’s most challenging experiences.

Your friend’s suicide was not your fault, and he would not want you to suffer due to his decision. Realizing this does not make the tragic loss easier to accept. But when you think that no one understands, I do, and I am willing to help you work through that loss.

Losing your grandmother is painful to experience. But she is no longer in pain, and the memory of her is not lost. She would not want you to feel sad. Let’s work together and honor your grandmother by focusing on those positive memories. She would like you to move on, and I can help you do that.

Divorce sucks. But don’t keep blaming yourself. Being honest with your thoughts and open with your parents is essential when navigating a divorce. I can help you process your parent’s divorce and guide you through hard conversations with mom or dad.

Connect with me today, and let’s talk about what’s keeping you stuck!

*Name changed to protect client confidentiality.