The hardest identified age for a teenager is between 14 – 16 years old! This is when we tend to see intense hormonal shifts, identity struggles, increased peer pressure, the development of abstract thinking and seeking independence.  This is when parents describe more familial conflict or witness social challenges like body image and social media pressure.  I have heard parents repeatedly ask, where did my sweet child go???

Since Covid (aka the Covid kids), we have seen an unprecedented rise in anxiety disorders amongst teens.  The level of social anxiety, difficulty making and maintaining friendships, attending school and sports has left the school, family and mental health systems unequipped to manage the numbers of teens needing support.  Teens have more access to substances, each other through social media (can we say snapchat maps) and pornography than ever before.  The struggle to maintain concentration for an extended period has decreased substantially.  Teens struggle with feeling safe, coping skills, setting boundaries and recovering from challenges and obstacles.  

As a parent of teenagers and provider of mental health treatment to adolescents and teenagers for over 6 years, I hear you, I see you and I know this can be a very scary and frustrating time as a parent, guardian and/or caregiver.