Getting Your Teen to Counseling

Chances are your teen has mixed feelings about coming to counseling or does not want to come, period. This is understandable, as your teen is more likely to think his or her situation is unique, and cannot be understood by adults. I don’t suggest you press your teen for why he or she does not want to come to a first session with me, but if you did, you might hear something like, “The counselor wouldn’t understand me, and even if he did, there’s nothing he could do to help.”

There is not much you can tell your teen to make him or her feel more comfortable about counseling. It’s my role to make your teen feel comfortable – you just need to get him or her to my office. What I find works is to ask your teen to come to just two sessions, and if he or she does not want to continue, you can discuss it at that time.