Your teen’s first counseling session is probably not going to look anything like what either of you imagined. It is not a formal evaluation. It is not a room full of clinical questions and clipboards. It is, genuinely, just a conversation. At Davis-Smith Mental Health, we have walked a lot of teens and families through…
Teen therapy is not adult therapy with a younger person in the chair. The goals look different, the approach looks different, and the relationship between therapist and client is built in a completely different way from the very first session. At Davis-Smith Mental Health, working with teens is not an add-on to what we do….
Learning real coping skills for teens is one of the most important things a young person can do, but most teens have never been taught how to build them on purpose. They are figuring it out in real time, often leaning on habits that feel helpful in the moment but quietly make things harder over…
Figuring out how to get your teen to go to therapy is one of the hardest things a parent can face. You can see your child struggling. You want to help. But every time you bring it up, the walls go up. The good news is that resistance is normal. It does not mean therapy will not…
Parenting a teenager has never been easy, but knowing the signs of teen anxiety versus normal stress is one of the hardest calls a parent can make. Anxiety in teens often looks different from anxiety in adults, and it can hide behind behaviors that seem like attitude problems, laziness, or social awkwardness. If you have…
Anxiety in college students rarely looks the way most people expect. Your college student seemed fine in high school. Maybe a little stressed before exams, a little anxious about getting in. Nothing that raised real flags. Then they left for school, and something shifted. The calls got shorter. The grades slipped. You ask if they’re…
Parents often wonder, “How do I know if my teen needs counseling?” It can feel as though your teen could be going through the typical challenges of just the teenage years or what if it’s just a phase? These questions constantly plague parents. In this blog we will go over: As a therapist, we want…
Parenting a young adult in your home isn’t an easy job. You’ve guided them through life since birth, and now, as they’ve reached adulthood, your expectations have shifted. You hope for them to launch into independence, but the journey might not be going as planned. If your young adult is not working or attending school,…
Young adulthood can be a challenging journey, filled with twists, turns, and unexpected detours. For many young adults today, navigating the path into adulthood has become more complex than ever. In the wake of a global pandemic, many found themselves confined to their homes or dorm rooms for an extended period, disconnected from the world…
Learning how to handle tantrums is one of the most challenging parts of parenting, and if you are in the thick of it right now, you are not alone and you are not failing. Tantrums are a normal part of childhood development, but that does not make them any easier to live through. Children struggle…
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Are you tired of the pandemic? Do you find yourself feeling exhausted when exposed to another breaking news story? Do these questions sound like the start to a really cheesy infomercial? FOR JUST 3 EASY PAYMENTS OF 19.99 No, no, no. Let’s talk about relieving some pandemic stress. ~for free~ With our phones and TVs…
Vaping is creating a major problem for teens and families. It feels like this year there have been more teens stating that they are vaping and how “cool” it is. It doesn’t matter if your teenager is a star athlete, a brainiac, or just a teen being a teen, every teenager is susceptible to vaping….
It’s that fabulous time of year when you’re finally out on summer break and don’t have to think about school until fall. But somehow, the fears and worries about leaving home for college begin to set in and the dread of leaving home begins to flood your mind. Homesickness and fear of missing home are…
As counselors we often hear the following statements when it comes to teenage depression: My son doesn’t want to go to school anymore. I feel like I am losing my daughter. My daughter is sleeping all the time. I can’t even get my son to do small things like shower and take care of himself….
Have you ever felt like you don’t want to go home? You are so tired of the uncomfortable feeling there, that you’d prefer to work more just to avoid the stress of home? If this is you, you aren’t alone. I have had teens in my office ask, “Can’t I just stay here longer?” They…
This generation of teens has to deal with most of the same stressors as previous generations, but their challenges have also been compounded in a different way. It’s never been harder to connect with peers, even though they are now right at our fingertips. This generation has an overwhelming amount of pressure to succeed and…
The SAT and ACT are coming up fast, and if you’re feeling the pressure, you’re not alone. A lot of teens walk into this season already consumed by it. What will it be like? How will I do? What if I don’t hit the score I need? And on top of your own nerves, there’s…
Maybe you have seen ads online for various organizations that are advertising for volunteer assistance. Maybe it has crossed your mind to want to volunteer, but you don’t know where to start or if you have the time. There is a strong argument for making the time, though; research has suggested that people who volunteer…
We’ve all been there, whether it was the loss of a pet, a grandparent, or even a close friend. Losing a loved one is never easy, and often leaves one brokenhearted and down in the dumps. Grief happens in different stages for everyone. No one person will experience grief in the same way as another….