by Lisa Grant-Feeley, LPC
Transitions are the experience of moving from a place that
is familiar to a place that is new, different and unfamiliar. The transition a
teen faces as they move from being a child who is protected and governed by a
parent to an adult who is responsible for protecting and governing themselves
can be a difficult time for them: both exciting and frightening.
Teens are in a stage of life in which they are struggling to
reach the stage of independence and their parents are transitioning from being
responsible for their children’s safety and welfare to preparing them to face
the world on their own.
For many teens, this is a confusing and frightening
time. Questions like, “Will I be
able to handle being on my own?” “Will I make the right choices?” “Will I be
successful?” “How will I know what
to do?” The world can seem a scary and lonely place when not returning to the
safety of a home and family at the end of each day. On the other side of the coin, they are driven to independence,
which is the next stage of their development. They long to be self determined, to not have “someone always
telling them what to do” which is how it can seem to them, to test themselves
and to answer the many questions they have about themselves and their
abilities.
For many parents, this can also be a frightening and
confusing time. Parents remember
the tiny, vulnerable infants who are now moving away from their care in an
effort to become independent adults.
Even though that is the ultimate goal of parenting, that moving away can
be a painful, conflict-filled time.
Having someone to guide both the teen and the parent through
these uncharted territories can be supportive and helpful. By helping the teen learn to evaluate
their values and priorities for themselves and develop a strong, self-directed
inner voice, they can begin to see themselves as competent and capable. This makes the uncertainty of the
future less anxiety-filled as they become the captain of their ship.
Lisa Grant-Feeley is a
Licensed Professional Counselor who supports teens and their families. She works from strength
based perspective and utilizes a person-centered approach. If I can support you on
your journey, please reach out to connect at lisagrantfeeley@gmail.com
or
267-625-2565.
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