5 Common Myths about Teen Counseling
Orlando Therapist Shares Myths About Teen Counseling (written for the teen)
You’re overwhelmed, you’re confused, and you're realizing that you need more help than talking to your friends can give you. You want to talk to your parents about getting counseling, but you don’t know if they’ll understand. You worry about your parents’ reaction if you even bring up counseling to them - will they blame themselves? Get upset with you for asking for counseling? Ignore how you’ve been feeling?
You feel lost and you’re unsure what to do next or how to break free of the overwhelming feelings that keep coming up. Maybe you did a Google search on counseling and it has brought you here. You want to reach out for help but aren’t totally sure what counseling is about.
My name is Elizabeth Chambers, I am an Orlando therapist specializing in teen therapy. I help teens overcome the anxiety, sadness, and overwhelming emotions that affect their daily lives. I truly enjoy working with teens and helping them live happier peaceful life.
Today, I will discuss some of the common myths that I have heard throughout my time working with teens. I have seen these myths hold teens back from wanting to start therapy or from opening up once they are in therapy. I want to help provide information on these myths so that you can fully benefit from counseling.
Myth 1: “Teen Counseling is just talking about your problems.”
Maybe you think that a counselor is just there to listen to you vent about your problems. You may think “why to go to a counselor when I can just talk to my friends?”. This is a common belief about counseling - that counselors are only there to listen to you. Although we love hearing about you, your interests, and what has brought you to counseling, it is much more than just listening to you vent as a friend would.
Of course, your counselor will listen, but your counselor will also help you learn ways to get out of the despair of depression. Your teen therapist will help you feel settled when it feels like anxiety is holding you hostage. A skilled teen counselor will help you learn to work through all of these struggles as well as help you heal from the events that set these difficult emotions in motion.
Also, counselors don’t listen as your friends and parents do. Have you ever just needed to vent to someone and instead of listening, they give you their opinion or talk about what they would do? Super helpful, right? When we need a place to express ourselves and we are met with advice and opinions, this doesn’t usually help. When talking to a counselor, they stay neutral throughout the conversation. Since counselors aren’t involved in your day-to-day life, it is easy to stay neutral. We don’t come in with our own opinions on what is “best for you” or use our values to influence what choices we make. We are in your corner and here for you - not for our own interests.
Myth 2: “My parents will know what I said in my sessions.”
You’re worried that if you do see a counselor, they will tell everything to your parents. What if you open up to someone, just for them to share everything you talked about? Although this is a common concern, this is not the case.
Counselors are required (by law!) to have confidentiality in your sessions. This means that they cannot go tell your parents or others every detail of your sessions. There are a few exceptions to this rule that are in place to keep you safe and keep others safe. These exceptions are: if you intend to harm yourself, harm someone else, or in cases where a child or elderly abuse is disclosed. These rules are not in place to give away your private information but to prioritize your safety.
Everything else you tell your counselor is confidential. Your counselor will not go and tell your parents everything from your session. You deserve a safe and welcoming space where you can freely express yourself. You deserve privacy and deserve to have someone who you know will not spill your private thoughts and feelings.
Myth 3: “Teen Counseling is for “crazy” people.”
Have you heard people say that you have to be “crazy” or “unstable” to see a counselor? Yeah, me too. For whatever reason, counseling and mental health have gotten a bad reputation for many years. Because of this, people often have the idea that you have to be “crazy” to go to counseling. This is simply not true.
People go to counseling for a lot of different reasons. Maybe they are so anxious that they cannot give a presentation at school. Or maybe they’re so sad that they cannot get out of bed, do their homework, and don’t even want to hang out with their friends anymore. These are all things that happen to many teens and they don’t mean that you are “crazy”. When these things happen, it means that you are having a hard time and you need help. Sometimes more help than friends and family can offer - and that’s okay.
Myth 4: “Going to counseling is a sign of weakness.”
Asking for help from a counselor takes a lot of courage! Speaking up about what you are feeling or what you have been going through is no easy task. First, you have to talk to your parents about what’s been going on. Then, you have to talk to a person that you have never met before and talk about what you’ve been feeling. Does that sound like something a “weak” person can handle? I think not.
Counseling can be hard work. You are sharing your inner struggles and talking about things that have been impacting you on a daily basis. Being able to be vulnerable and open up to someone else takes a lot of strength. It is okay to ask for help when you need it and there is no shame or weakness in doing so.
Myth 5: “This is just a phase.”
So you keep hearing from your parents or teachers that this is just a phase you’re going through. How tired are you of hearing that? Many of the teens that I have worked with have heard this from a parent or another adult. It is frustrating and discouraging.
Many teens that I have worked with wish that it was just a phase, but it is often something deeper than this. In fact, by the age of 14 around 50% of people need mental health support for what they are feeling. Meaning that 50% of teens struggle with some sort of symptoms, such as anxiety, trauma, depression, or self-esteem issues.
If you have been told time and time again by your parents or other adults that you are going through a “phase”, I encourage you to share these statistics with them. For more information on these statistics and others, I recommend reviewing this informational handout from NAMI, “Mental Health Facts - Children & Teens” sometimes, seeing the numbers can really get your point across to others.
You are not alone in your struggles and you deserve help to navigate this. I hope that reading about these common myths has helped give you more information about counseling and reaching out for help. If you have more questions about the counseling process, please feel free to contact us here on our website or give us a call at 407-579-3779. We are happy to help you with any assistance you may need to start counseling.
Are you ready to start teen therapy Orlando?
Click here to schedule your 15-minute phone consultation.
Additional Teen Therapy Orlando Blogs
Teen Counseling Orlando Resources
What to Know About Teenager Counseling
How to Validate Your Teen so They Feel More Understood
5 Things Your Therapist Wants you to Know
How to Find an Orlando Therapist for Teens
What to Expect: Teen Therapy Orlando
Therapist Orlando Spotlight - Elizabeth Chambers, LMHC
About the Author
Elizabeth Chambers, LMHC is an Orlando therapist at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando. Elizabeth specializes in working with adults and teens struggling with anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, and depression. As an EMDR Therapist, Elizabeth utilizes EMDR and mindfulness practices to help clients move beyond anxiety and depression so they can feel confident and in control again.
As an Orlando Therapist specializing in teen therapy Elizabeth enjoys helping teens work through anxiety and self-esteem issues, as well as helping teens and their families rebuild their relationships.
Mindful Living Counseling Orlando is a trauma healing center. Our Orlando Therapy Services include anxiety therapy, trauma counseling, eating disorder recovery, teen counseling, and healing from toxic relationships. At Mindful Living Counseling Orlando, we use a down-to-earth approach infused with cutting-edge therapies that go beyond traditional talk therapy so clients can heal at the root level and experience lasting change. Feel free to access one of our Guided Meditations to help you feel settled and calm now.