This blog post will focus on the:

 

• Support for ADHD, Eating Disorders, and More
• Tools for parents and caregivers 
• Creating a Safe Space for Young People to Share Their Feelings
• Resources for Youth and Families
• Connect with At Ease Counseling 

 

Support for ADHD, Eating Disorders, and More

It can feel overwhelming and at times stressful for parents and caregivers supporting youth with their mental health. Some parents struggle to balance the needs of their teenage son or daughter with those of their younger or older children. Whilst there are mental health services for youth in BC, there are also steps which parents and caregivers can take to help support youth mental health. 

Here are some tools which parents and caregivers can try: 

1/ ADHD – If you are worried that your young person is struggling with ADHD, I would encourage you to get curious and access support. As a counsellor, I support youth who disclose that they may have ADHD as they struggle to finish tasks and are easily distracted. 

Getting help and support 

1/ Speak to your family doctor – if you think your young person may have ADHD, speak to your doctor. Your doctor can refer them for an ADHD assessment. An ADHD diagnosis is based on a combination of factors, including a specialist’s observation of your young person, questionnaires, insight from their school, and input from parents or caregivers.  

2/ Be patient and understanding – if your young person is struggling, they may feel overwhelmed by all the tasks they need to complete. It may help to be patient and to break down tasks so they are more manageable. 

3/ Organization – your young person may benefit from support with organizing their daily tasks. For example, tools like visualized timetables, sticky notes, reminders on their phone, and checklists can help ensure they remember and manage tasks.  

4/ ADHD support – youth can access individual or group therapy specifically for ADHD. In some cases, family therapy can also be helpful. 

2/ Anxiety – if your young person discloses that they are struggling with anxiety, I would encourage you to get curious with them and determine what is making them feel anxiety. As a counsellor, I support young people who disclose feeling anxious for a range of reasons, including attending school, engaging in social situations, delivering a presentation in front of their class, a life transition, or parents separating. 

Tools for Parents and Caregivers:

–Breathing techniques – I encourage youth to try different breathing techniques as often, when they feel anxious, and they are not focusing on their breathing. 

–Grounding techniques – I encourage youth to bring their attention to the present moment and to focus on their five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. 

–Visualization – some young people find it helpful to visualize a safe space and to focus on their five senses: touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. 

–Reassurance – some youth feel calmer if they receive reassurance from their parents or caregivers. Others may feel less anxious if they receive a hug or some form of reassuring physical touch. 

–Self-soothe box – some young people find it helpful to soothe their anxiety with items in their self-soothe box. I work with youth to place items in the box that focus on their five senses. 

–Teen counselling – some young people benefit from therapy as they feel more supported and relaxed talking to a counsellor about their anxiety. 

3/ Depression – if your young person discloses that they are struggling with low mood and depression, I would encourage you to get curious with them and discuss how their depression comes to the surface. As a counsellor, I support young people who disclose different symptoms of depression, including not enjoying activities they enjoyed previously, feeling low, numb, or more irritable, negative self-talk, thoughts of self-harm, or ending their life. 

Tools for Parents and Caregivers :

–Check in – some youth may become withdrawn or avoid spending time with their parents or caregivers. Checking in with them and starting a conversation about their feelings can help reassure them that others notice and care about how they feel. 

–Actively listen – young people want and need to feel heard by parents and caregivers. As a counsellor, I encourage parents and caregivers to make space for their young person’s feelings and to listen rather than trying to fix or solve things. 

–Creative outlet – some young people don’t feel comfortable talking about how they feel, but they may feel comfortable expressing how they feel through other means, such as drawing or writing down their thoughts. I work with youth who express themselves with dance or music, so I encourage them to use these outlets.

–Meeting their basic needs – some young people struggle to meet their basic needs when they feel depressed, and they may need support with this. For example, some youth don’t eat three healthy meals a day, and others don’t drink enough water. 

–Create a support plan– some young people need support from other people, like teachers, friends, or extended family members. Some individuals may also require professional support, benefiting from therapy or group therapy. 

–Reassurance – some young people may feel like they are a burden or a bother to loved ones around them. Reassuring them that this is not true and letting them know that they are loved and cared for can help. It is also helpful to remind them that they are not their depression.  

4/ Eating disorders – If you are worried that your young person is struggling with an eating disorder, I would encourage you to get curious and access support. As a counsellor, I support youth who are afraid to gain weight, worry about their body image, and struggle to eat three meals a day. 

Getting help and support 

1/ Speak to your family doctor – if you have noticed how your young person behaves around meal times and you are concerned, you can share this with your doctor. If your young person is reluctant to speak or meet with the doctor, you can talk to them and learn more about eating disorder support. 

2/ Eating disorder support – you can access specialist support for your young person and be referred to services like the eating disorder program at Vancouver Coastal Health and BC Children’s Hospital. For more eating disorder resources, please click on – https://keltyeatingdisorders.ca/finding-help/resource-library/ 

3/ Eating disorder help – youth can access individual or group therapy specifically for eating disorders. In some cases, family therapy can also be helpful. 

Creating a Safe Space for Young People to Share Their Feelings

It is essential that young people have a safe space to express and explore their feelings. As a counsellor, I create a safe, non-judgmental, and confidential space for all clients. I build a rapport with them and discuss confidentiality, including its limits. I actively listen to young people, validate their feelings, and empathize with them. I let young people know that they are the experts of their life, and as their counsellor, my job is to empower them.  I work with youth at their own pace. I don’t rush them or dictate what we should talk about in sessions. 

Young people also need to feel safe outside of counselling, including;

• At home, young people need support from primary caregivers to share how they feel. They need their feelings validated, and they don’t want to feel judged. As a counsellor, I support young people who were abused and, in some cases, removed from the care of their primary caregivers. I also support youth who do not feel safe in sharing how they feel and thus avoid, withdraw, or shut down. Sometimes young people share feelings that are misunderstood or struggle with how their primary caregivers react. Finally, I support young people who worry about their primary caregivers, which leads them to minimize their feelings.

 

• In school, young people need support from teachers, learning assistants, and peers to help them share how they feel. Youth need to feel like they belong in a culturally sensitive, inclusive environment that is respectful and accepting. As a counsellor, I often support young people who experience bullying and consequently, they do not feel safe at school. I also work with youth who don’t want to go to school because they don’t feel supported by teachers or peers. As a result, they feel lonely and isolated. Finally, I support young people who feel anxious going to school, and some share that they have panic attacks. 

 

• Online, young people need to feel safe while using social media, playing games, and interacting with friends. Primary caregivers can ensure young people are safe by preventing overstimulation and exposure to age-inappropriate materials on sites. Primary caregivers can also limit how much time young people spend online and who they interact with. As a counsellor, I support young people who experience bullying on social media, and consequently, they do not want to leave their homes. I also work with youth who have more friends online, whom they haven’t met, compared to in-person. These youth would rather spend more time online than hang out with people in person. 

 

Resources for Youth and Families 

Anxiety Canada – Support for youth who struggle with anxiety. 

BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services: A government-funded program providing a range of mental health and substance use services for youth in BC. 

Foundry BC – Access free and confidential mental health services for young people ages 12-24 and their caregivers. 

If you are a child or youth and would like to talk to someone, call the Helpline for Children at 310-1234.

Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre: A resource centre that provides resources on mental health for children, youth, and their families. Call  1-800-665-1822

Kids Help Phone Text CONNECT to 686868 or message online from anywhere in Canada, any time, about anything. Call 1-800-668-6868

KUU-US Crisis Line: A 24-hour crisis service specifically for Indigenous youth. Call 250-723-2040.

 

Connect with At Ease Counseling

I offer teen counselling in-person in Burnaby and virtually in BC. If you would like to learn more about how counselling can help you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. To determine if I’m a good fit, please book a free 15-minute consultation.