The Role of Therapy in Building Teenage Resilience

Building resilience in the teenage years is more crucial than most people realize. As a parent or caregiver, you already have a lot on your plate when it comes to how to guide your teen, but helping them foster resilience now will make it easier for them to face challenges and keep moving forward as young adults and beyond.

There are many ways to help your teen build resilience. But, therapy can play a big role. Not only will it teach your teen how to prioritize their mental health from an early age, but it can build problem-solving skills and improve their self-awareness and confidence. 

Let’s take a closer look at the role of therapy in building teenage resilience. 

Teens and Mental Health

It can be hard to look at your teen and consider that they might be struggling with their mental health. But, think about everything on their plate. Teenagers have to deal with hormonal and physical changes while navigating relationships, thinking about school, and considering their futures. 

On top of those “normal” everyday worries, we’re living in a world with political unrest, wars, cyberbullying, and more. Today’s teens have been through a global pandemic, and continue to face challenges in the aftermath of COVID. 

So, your teen’s mental health is nothing to take lightly. Consider how resilient they have already had to be when faced with so many challenges, big and small. Now is a great time to step in as a parent, and offer a helping hand with therapy. 

How Does Therapy Help With Resilience?

Therapy can benefit your teenager in a variety of ways. If they’re struggling with their mental well-being, a therapist can help them understand where those issues are coming from. Therapy will also teach your teen healthy strategies to cope with those issues. 

Even if your teenager doesn’t seem to be struggling, therapy can help with emotion management, problem-solving, and coping with challenges. You can’t protect your teen from every challenge and hurdle. It’s important to let them fail sometimes. But, it’s their resiliency that will help them get back up and try again as they journey toward adulthood. 

Teaching Healthy Techniques

Therapy can also teach your teen techniques like mindfulness. Mindfulness has become a bit of a buzzword lately, but it’s highly effective when done the right way. 

Mindfulness is the practice of staying grounded in the present. Anxiety is regularly fueled by the “what ifs” of the world. If your teen is facing a challenge, they might start to worry about what will happen if they fail, or what they will do to keep going. 

Mindfulness will help them stay focused on the here and now, rather than worrying about what’s ahead or focusing on past failures. With a few simple breathing techniques, they can reduce stress and move forward, no matter what. 

The Role of Acceptance

In addition to mindfulness, therapy can also help your teen with acceptance. Teenagers don’t have fully formed prefrontal cortexes. As a result, it’s not always easy for them to see the big picture of things. So, if something goes wrong in their lives, it can feel overwhelming, and they might have a hard time seeing past it. 

Therapy can help your teen with acceptance — understanding that they will have challenges and failures, but they can learn from them and move forward. 

Family therapy is a great way for your teen to start prioritizing their mental health. They’ll learn healthy coping skills, be in better touch with their emotions, and build resiliency every step of the way. If you’re ready to set up an appointment for your teen, don’t hesitate to reach out today.