Adolescents

Teenagers are fascinating and fantastic people who can also be quite frustrating to their parents. They have so much potential and we can often see glimpses of their greatness in school, sports, and with friends. These moments fill parents with great pride and hope that their teens will grow into independent and successful adults. But sometimes your teenager can hit a rough patch.

Sometimes their difficulties are part of the common hurdles of adolescence. This can often happen during the big adjustments that are required of them when moving from elementary to middle school, or middle to high school. Whether it is finding friends, accepting the increase in effort required by teachers, or managing their need for increasing independence, growing up can be hard work. Sometimes kids just need a place where they can talk about the stresses of being a teenager and feel totally understood. Sometimes they need some practical advice and a fresh perspective to help them navigate the bumpy road of adolescence.

Many of the teenagers we work with report being anxious and stressed out by the demands of life. Whether it’s keeping up with homework, getting to sports practices and training, doing their chores, or managing their social network, they often say that they are worrying all the time. Layered on top of these demands are the expectations of themselves and others to always be performing at their best. They often acknowledge that they are terrified of failing to live up to these high standards. This level of stress is destructive to our bodies and our minds. Teens with these concerns are helped by knowing how to recognize and proactively manage their stress before it causes bigger problems. Our goal is to help them to continue to strive for their best, while also detaching the worry that often comes with it.

If gone unchecked, some teenagers become so distressed that they sabotage their own success with poor choices. It is very difficult as a parent to watch your teenager deal with the stress of growing up in negative ways. They might do this by withdrawing effort in school, defying the limits you set as parents, or experimenting with drugs or alcohol. We as parents can become panicked that they are hurting their chances for college and beyond by slipping into negative behavior patterns that can have consequences for the rest of their lives. Further frustrating to parents is that they can clearly see these consequences while their teen claims "it's my life, I'll live it the way I want."

The good news is that there is simple help available to you. At Carolina Strategies we have over 20 years of combined experience working with teenagers and young adults.  We continue to marvel at how interesting and complex teens can be. Whether it is motivation for school or sports, anxiety, social isolation, or frequent arguments at home, there are usually a number of potential solutions to your teen's problems. Parents want the best for their kids, and sometimes that means finding the right coach to guide their teen on their journey into healthy and independent adulthood.