This post is made possible by Better Help online counseling, a network of professional and licensed online counselors to support your needs. Better Help supported more than 35 million sessions and still helps those individuals that need to talk to someone. With a network of experienced therapists and counselors, teen mental health is an issue the organization addresses with various types of communications.
As a teacher, I never thought discussing important teen mental health with parents and other staff members could be so important. Of course, you hear on the news how teens violently attack their schools, classmates, staff, and teachers. You're confident on the safety measures in your school district and go through all the levels of safety training to make sure your classroom is secure.
However, how often does teen mental health discussions come up as topics in professional development courses or staff meetings? Teachers are not psychologists or counselors, but we are humans. Having a group of teens in your classroom for an extended period, you get to know their behaviors. More importantly, the display of suspicious behavior easily manifests itself.
So how do parents and staff help those troubled students? With guidance, I'm sure many counselors would take steps to care for the teen. On the other hand, many parents don't know where to turn when it comes to their teen facing cyberbullying, suicide, depression, and other mental issues. Besides the school district that can help in these situations, online counseling becomes a possible alternative. In an era with fast-paced technology, parents can't help but seek answers online. After all, even the slightest remedies to a common cold are easily found through online search.
One specific organization, Better Help, offers various types of therapy and counseling online. The Better Help network consists of experienced licensed therapists and counselors ready to support any teen or individual with mental health issues. When I heard about Better Help, I thought about how teens could access a system of professional counselors. However, parents need to open up the online counseling session for a more secure meeting.
How would online counseling for a teen be any different from traditional advice? One of the most critical aspects of online counseling is the flexibility of communication. Parents and teens can communicate with a matched counselor via email, texting, or video chat. Aside from email and texting being simple methods of quick and brief talks with counselors, video chatting is the best option to communicate. With a video chat session, individuals are aware of body language and voice tone when they are face to face with counselors.
The Better Help counselors support teens with strategies and methods to express feelings in a safe environment. Better Help offers licensed expert counselors, flexible schedules, and secure ways to communicate for parents and teens.
If you know anyone that is in crisis or may be in danger - don't use this site. Go to the Resources list found on the Better Help site for immediate assistance or call 911.
