Young people in their adolescent years may have a tough time adjusting to the changing expectations they face. Leaving school, starting work, university, or other types of study are all things for which there is no rule book. On top of this, young people are often trying to work out other parts of themselves. It may be gender or sexuality or simply their values and what they find important. They may be thinking about who they are beyond the family unit they have been part of for many years. They may be experiencing the loss of the school support system or a social group, which seems to disintegrate as year 12 finishes. New relationships are also tricky to navigate or, equally, the lack of a significant other when friends are all pairing up. These years can be some of the most complex emotionally faced by a young person.

Suppose a young person has anxiety or depression, or any other mental health concerns on top of the usual developmental challenges of this life stage. In that case, they have a complex cocktail to work through. Having a trusted, friendly and non-judgemental counsellor to work through things with can be a huge protective factor. It can help the young person navigate things with more confidence and some practical strategies. A good counsellor will also validate the young person’s experiences and help them to normalise what they are going through. One of the worst feelings people experience is feeling alone or strange in their experiences. This is never the case as we all experience this life stage, and normalising a young person’s feelings can be transformative.

If you are a young person experiencing some difficulties or the parent or carer of a young person who may need support, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Together we can lighten the load and make this stage of life a little easier. I accept new clients, adults, adolescents, teenagers and children at my counselling practice in Cleveland, Queensland, Australia, in person and via online and telephone consultation. I have a trauma-informed practice which comes with a narrative lens.