Yearly Mental Health Checkup

You are supposed to get a yearly physical, right? What about a yearly
mental? :) How many people check their mental health on a yearly
basis--even if there does not seem to be a problem? Few people actually
do this. However, I can think of at least one of my friends that does
something like this.

Why go for a mental health exam if you do not need it? There are so
many people that have stress creep up on them without seeing it. This
is a great way to use the help of a professional to see if stress is
becoming an issue. Also, it is a great time to look at what successes
you have had the past year and what you need to accomplish.

Once you start a dialogue with a mental health professional, you will
likely be surprised at the successes you have had and also those
challenges that may benefit from a bit of consultation.

Teens

Teens are often a group of people who would significantly benefit from
therapy, but their parents often do not let them get the help they need.
This could be due to a variety of reasons. Maybe the parent does not
recognize the teen needs help, maybe there is too much of a stigma about
going to a therapist, or maybe the parent thinks the teen will "get over
it."

Getting help for your teenager is often the best thing you can do for
him or her. This is the time that the body AND mind of a teenager are
maturing while struggling to break out of an immature mind and body.

Therapy can help to get your teen on track and to help make it more
likely that he or she will be successful in school, which will
ultimately impact what career will be had, as well as his/her family and
so on.

Does your teen need help? Here are a few things to watch out for:

*Angers easily
*Suspensions/Detentions
*Stressed all the time
*Appears very anxious
*Frequent arguments in the family
*Appears depressed
*Isolation
*They just aren't themselves and you don't know why

I am available to consult with a parent about their teen's behavior. If
there are problems with your teen, then we will make a plan of
individual, family, and group...whichever combination is appropriate.