Mental health counseling has a lot of benefits for people of all ages. However, for young people and teenagers, it can have hugely transformative effects — not least because it is something those young people come across early in life. From the impact that therapy-inspired social activities can have in terms of bonding, to the role that direct therapy can play, there is a mental health counseling route for all teenagers and young people. Those in this age group who are suffering from mental health challenges to begin with are likely to be particularly positively affected if they come into contact with counseling services in one of their various forms. This blog post will explore the main methods of change.
Therapy sessions
When people hear the word ‘counseling’, what they often think of is its most obvious manifestation: one-on-one therapy sessions with a person who has been trained in the subject. Standard one-on-one therapy sessions can make a massive difference to the life of a young person struggling with their mental health. As is the case with adults, therapy is there to provide young people with a chance to put words to how they feel— for a young person who has so far not felt heard, or who has not been given the opportunity to vocalize their thoughts, mental health counseling can make a real difference. Even just the use of ‘unconditional positive regard’, a common therapeutic tool designed by therapist Carl Rogers to encourage therapists to let their clients know they will always be treated well no matter what they say, can help a young person to open up and let the therapist help them.
However, children and young people often need therapy that is tailored to their age. For example, it could be contextualized against a framework of how the young person’s parents have been involved in their lives, and what attachment styles they might have demonstrated. Children and young people also benefit from a youth-focused therapist because that therapist is likely to be additionally trained in child safeguarding. If the young person in question is experiencing issues like abuse or neglect, then a sufficiently trained mental health counselor with safeguarding experience is likely to be able to help them stop what is happening and reduce the risk of further trauma. This, in turn, can allow the young person to begin to rebuild their life and focus on the future, such as finding an educational or career path that suits them.
Workshops
While therapy sessions are often the most recognized type of mental health counseling work, it is also the case that young people can benefit from therapy-inspired workshops. These workshops could take many forms. For example, a workshop exploring emotional intelligence could help young people who are struggling to engage with their peers to learn how to understand their parents, friends, siblings and others. By equipping them with tools like open questioning and demonstrating empathy, it is even possible that the young people in question could improve their chances of getting a job in the future.
They may one day use these skills in an employment interview context: by asking their interviewers what their own view on projects and work streams are, they could mark themselves out as an emotionally intelligent candidate. Those who are studying for an online master’s in clinical mental health counseling at an institution like the American International College are encouraged on their courses to think about the people they plan to help in a holistic manner — they are encouraged to see clients as people with rounded interests and goals, rather than simply as end users.
There are also other workshop forms available. Take, for example, the idea of ‘theatre of the oppressed’. This type of practice, which was developed by the Brazilian author Augusto Boal, is designed to allow people’s relationships to be vocalized and demonstrated by the person in question. The therapeutic benefits of this are clear for all to see: by allowing young people who have previously been denied a voice a chance to experience what it is like to be involved in shaping their own future, they may feel more positively about what is to come in their lives.
Social activities
Finally, it is also important to look at socializing as a potentially therapeutic exercise. Ordinarily, socializing or hanging out with buddies is not seen in this way, it is seen simply as a standard part of growing up, or a rite of passage. But it is worth thinking about what the therapeutic benefits of socializing are — it is a way for young people to take gentle risks in their relationships with peers and work out what they want from those they are around, for example, while it is also a ready-made support network when things go wrong. There is not necessarily any need for a mental health counselor or practitioner to be involved in the socializing a young person does. But such a counselor needs to be aware of what the young person’s social situation is, so that they can get a full picture of their client.
In short, then, mental health counseling — in all its many forms — is a huge boon for teenagers and young people. When people in this age bracket are able to access therapy, workshops, social activities and more, they really can develop stronger mental health, and improve their way of thinking and preparing for adult life, too. If those young people are experiencing mental health problems, then everything from one-on-one therapy to relevant and engaging counseling-inspired social activities can make a difference. It is vital, though, to make sure that young people get the help that suits them and their situation, and this is where qualified professionals and those with service signposting experience come into play. When that is in place, young people can make empowered decisions about their mental health care and achieve positive outcomes.
