Talking to your teen about mental health and Introducing Art Therapy as a solution.
By Ana Brown B.A. Psy (she/her). Reviewed by Dr. Pascale Piron, Psy.D.,M.A. LCPC (she/her).
Nothing can prepare us for parenthood. And absolutely nothing can prepare us for when our children become teenagers. The first years of being a parent are mainly focus on trying to keep our kids alive and safe. We have control over almost everything surrounding them, from what they eat, to what they wear, who do they play with and what makes them happy or sad. Until puberty hits, and everything changes. Suddenly, we are no longer their focus, their friends are, and a wall of silence and distance is now between us and them. Although every child is different, this shifting in behavior is pretty normal and contrary to what some parents believe, this is expected and necessary for them to acquire their own identity.
According to The World Health Organization “Adolescence is the phase of life between childhood and adulthood, from ages 10 to 19.It is a unique stage of human development and an important time for laying the foundations of good health.” It also adds that although the teenager years are thought of “as a healthy stage of life, there is significant death, illness and injury in the adolescent years. Much of this is preventable or treatable.”
Talking to teenagers about mental health is not invading their privacy, it’s an act of love. Teenagers nowadays are experiencing a significant increase in mental health issues and disorders due to an elevated number of societal stressors such as but not limited to:
- social pressure: they need to fit in a world where our value is measured by the number of followers on social media. The constant comparison to unachievable professional goals or body image, leads to a severe decline in self-esteem that can lead to heighten levels of anxiety and depression.
- Family dynamics: Witnessing divorce between parents and financial struggles in families can significantly increase stress in teenagers. In addition, teenagers are seeking their own identity which sometimes clash with their parents own values and expectations, causing conflict and disappointments.
- Peer pressure: Teens seek constant approval from their peers, and the desire to fit in can lead to risk behaviors such as experimenting with alcohol, drugs and vaping. Often leading to under performance in school, strained relationships and/or legal problems.
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR TEEN ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH:
Although teens communication skills are far better than when they were children, their prefrontal cortex (the part that controls reasoning and emotional regulation) is not fully developed yet.Here are some tips on how to approach your teen about mental health:
- Go for a drive together: face to face conversations with a teen about mental health can be intimidating and they may feel in the “hot seat”, making it harder for them to open up about difficult feelings. In a car, nobody needs to face each other, creating a more relaxed setting, teens may feel uncomfortable with intense eye contact.
- Share your experience: connection is what makes people put their guard down and be more prone to an open and honest conversation. By sharing a time when you also made mistakes, you teen will also feel ok to be vulnerable, and hopefully will in return share important feelings as well.
- Ask open-ended questions: avoid asking questions with “yes” or “no” answers, which will limit the amount of information exchanged. Try questions like “tell me about your sleepover” or “tell me about the party”.
- Don’t interrupt: practice intent listening, allow your teen to finish their train of thought, avoid giving lectures, sometimes all they need is someone to just listen and allow and encourage them to learn on their own.
SIGNS YOUR TEEN NEEDS PROFESSIONAL HELP:
There are several signs your teen is struggling with their mental health. As a parent or a caregiver, you should be able to recognize behaviors that differ from normal patterns, and determine if it is time to seek professional help. Healthychildren.org explains that “aside from mood swings, irritability, anger and tear fulness, you may see:
- Changes in sleeping patterns, eating and weight.
- Loss of interest in activities previous liked
- Social isolation
- Canceling plans with friends for no apparent reason
- Failing in school
- Intrusive and running thoughts causing extreme anxiety
- Sudden new group of friends
- Refusal to discuss mental health challenges or feelings.
- Obsession with goals.
- Use of drugs, alcohol or other substance abuse.
- Self-harm (cuts, burns, bruises).
- Impulsive behaviors
Data from U.S Centers for disease control and prevention shows concerning statistics on high school teenagers mental health in the US (2023-2024):
*40% reported persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
*20% reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year.
*22% reported drinking alcohol within the past 30 days
Now you have determined that the best course of action is supporting your teenager mental health with therapy, but which type of therapy?
Art therapy helps clients process trauma, anxiety, depression and many other behavioral disorders.
Art Therapy is one of the most beneficial and recommended types of therapy for teenagers struggling with mental health. Art Therapy is a non-threatening way for teenagers to express emotions, it helps them open up about their negative feelings by creating a bridge to communication with caregivers about mental health.
Talking to our teens about difficult or uncomfortable topics can be daunting, challenging, and may even feel impossible. Teens may not have the language, understanding, or comfort needed to discuss complex issues around mental health. Art Therapy is a unique tool that has the ability to allow people to express themselves without having to search for the words to do so. The creative and emotional parts of our brains are intertwined in an extraordinarily powerful relationship. Art allows us to connect with feelings we may not have even known existed. Art therapy is a safe, organic, nontraditional instrument that can be used to connect to teens, and even more important, given them space to connect to themselves.”
Jasmin Portaz, M.A., LPC, ATR-P (she/her) – Emerge Psychology Group
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”
Pablo Picasso
HOW DOES ART THERAPY SUPPORTS YOUR TEEN MENTAL HEALTH:
Art Therapy is a creative path to mental health healing for teenagers and involves a variety of tools and methods to allow teenagers to express their feelings through the use of art, such as collage, painting, drawing and sculpting.
Art Therapy Activities:
- Painting
- Drawing
- Sculpting
- Collage
- color wheel
- art journaling
According to The American Congress o Rehabilitation Medicine “making or even seeing art can impact the brain.”
Art Therapy benefits:
- Communication skills improvement
- boosts self-esteem
- Emotional regulation
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- New tools to cope with depression
- Self-expression
- Emotional resilience
It’s disturbing and heartbreaking to know that many teenagers do not receive the appropriate treatment for mental health struggles during adolescence. Without support teenagers will develop long lasting mental disorders which will negatively impact the rest of their lives as adults.
As a parent, I understand the challenges of raising a teenager. Embracing adolescence and all the ups and downs of teenager years pretty much feels like a roller coaster. You are aware it’s scary but you still want to embark in this journey together, knowing there is always sunshine after the storm. With patience, an open heart and if needed, professional help, you and your teenager can navigate these turbulent waters together until reaching calmer waters.
Find a therapist: here
Don’t just go through the teenager years, GROW through it.
Be kind. Be brave. Be well.
Always with love,
AB
HELPFUL LINKS
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – CALL OR TEXT 988
The Teen’s workbook to self regulate
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