•Read books: Seek out resources and do your research! •Ask questions: Figure out the heart behind your child’s actions by asking “Why?”
helped you. Additionally, you can practice vulnerability at home by sharing things like ‘Mom had a bad day, and this is what I did to feel better.’” Don’t make it a big deal, and don’t be afraid to ask about the hard things. If you have littles, explain that just like how they go to the doctor for their physical health, they are going to see a cool new friend with skills to take care of their mental health. (Except it’s more fun because they play games!) HOW LONG SHOULD THERAPY LAST? Remember, therapy doesn’t have to last forever. “My goal as a clinician is for my cli- ents to have the right tools to help navigate complex feelings. We work toward their goals so they can thrive without therapy. When difficult situations arise, they can come back to therapy for additional support,” Kennedy states. Equipping your kids with the opportu- nity to go to therapy now is like putting tools in their toolbox so that they’ll be prepared when they need them down the road. TOOLS & RESOURCES: Watch Toy Story 5, Inside Out, & Inside Out 2. Read The Anxious Generation, Raising Worry- Free Girls, & Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life
kids learn to care for their emotions instead of shying away from the hard feelings.
“A therapist’s job isn’t ever to fix the prob- lem—it’s to empower their client to know they already have all the tools inside of them to tackle the situation at hand, and it’s our job to teach them how to do it,” she adds. SOCIAL MEDIA There are hundreds of studies that point to the fact that despite living in the most connected age ever, people are lonelier than ever. Add puberty to the mix, and it gets a whole lot worse. “Social media often gives you a false sense of connection,” Kennedy warns. “It tears away the vital benefits of in-person connection.” Even if you don’t allow your child to use social media, they have group chats with their friends—they know when they’re not invited to things. The key thing to remember is that what we have access to can foster mental health or be detrimental to it.
•Don’t jump to conclusions •Create a space to process
•Expand therapy’s safe space to the home •If teens use clinical terms like “trauma,” “triggered,” or “anxiety,” ask them why they are using that language, what those things mean to them, and what that looks like? Get specific. While the intention of therapy is to help your child, it is also to help equip you to parent well. “So much of therapy with kids involves equipping parents with tools and resources to help their children thrive,” explains Kennedy.
HOW TO TALK ABOUT THERAPY
Many teachers are leading the way in teach- ing kids how to talk about emotions. Even still, it can be intimidating to be vulnerable, share your feelings, and admit you need help. So normalize it in your home. Personally, I felt safe to go to counseling because I saw my dad go and open up about it. “Create space for vulnerability and practice healthy transparency,” Kennedy encourages. “If you go to therapy, open up and share how it’s
A PARENT’S ROLE IN APPROACHING THERAPY
Every situation is subjective, so the appro- priate involvement for you depends on the situation and age of your child. Nevertheless, there are several things you can do to com- plement therapy at home:
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