Mental Health Care for Teenagers

If your adolescent is experiencing emotional distress, you naturally want to help them, but sometimes it can be incredibly challenging. Conflicts with them can be unbearable, and often they may experience significant anxiety, depression, an eating disorder, or other challenges. If you have been referred to mental health treatment after you have reached out for help, you may have many questions about the process. We have gathered all the information to guide you safely through the treatment process, helping you cope with this confusing situation.

Children, adolescents, and adults often struggle with significant mental distress, affecting their functioning and causing acute suffering. If your child is going through such distress, it is advisable to talk to a mental health care professional to obtain the best professional tools to cope. It is recommended to schedule an introductory meeting with a mental health professional at your HMO, local council, municipality, or school.

Nice to meet you: “Intake”

The introductory meeting, also known as an intake session, is designed to build rapport with you, the parents, and the adolescent. During the intake, you will be asked to inform the therapist about your personal and family history to allow them to understand the challenges you are facing and their severity and identify the key issues to address in therapy.

Mental health care professionals possess extensive experience in analysis and therapy; therefore, it is vital to be open and share all relevant information without holding back any information. You have nothing to fear because they are bound by medical confidentiality laws, ensuring that all information shared during session's remains between you and the therapist.

By the end of the introductory meeting, the therapist will conduct a summary discussion where they will present their assessment findings and provide recommendations for an appropriate intervention plan. Recommendations may include parents' guidance, individual therapy, group therapy, or system-based intervention such as recommendations for an alternative class or educational setting. The therapist may also recommend other elements that may help, such as referring to psychiatric consultation for discussing the diagnosis and an intervention plan, which may sometimes include medication, or a recommendation for an appropriate therapeutic framework, such as a clinic, day hospitalization, full hospitalization, etc.

Following the development of an intervention plan, you will be referred to a professional from a range of therapeutic fields, including clinical psychology, educational psychology, psychotherapy, clinical social work, expressive arts therapy, or mental health occupational therapy. Emotional therapy methods are diverse; however, they share common ground, and it is crucial that you feel comfortable asking questions to ensure you fully understand the plan that suits you best.
Subsequently, depending on the current caseload, we will schedule your first therapy session as soon as possible and then continue with weekly sessions (or more, depending on the severity of the situation) to allow the therapeutic process to develop.

Alongside therapy, it is crucial to identify and foster your child's strengths and interests. Fostering their involvement in areas where they excel and find fulfillment is essential. This might include regular volunteering, pursuing personal passions, engaging in physical activities, participating in social groups or youth movements, cultivating meaningful relationships with adults, or exploring more suitable educational environments.

Change lies with the parents

The therapeutic process should not be rushed, and both parents and adolescents will likely require several sessions before they feel secure and capable of initiating change. When treating children and adolescents, parental guidance is of the essence because mental symptoms often manifest within an emotional and familial space. Therefore, your role and significance as parents in the change process are paramount. You are the key factor in creating change, and your child’s ability to navigate this process depends on your ability to be accessible to understand their struggles and to receive guidance on how to tailor a response that is most appropriate for their needs.

We parents also often bring our emotional, mental, and marital complexes and difficulties with us into the family space, and therefore we too will often need support in order to bring about change.

More empathy, less judgment

Emotional therapy for adolescents can be different from emotional therapy for adults, as the motivation and the will for treatment often come from the parents, while their child may resist or disagree with the way the adults who surround them define or describe the situation. Many adolescents feel embarrassed to seek therapy; they may feel angry at their parents for suggesting it or blame them for the issues at hand. This is particularly common in situations with high levels of tension between the parents and the adolescent when there is ongoing tension in the family or prolonged periods of conflict, such as tension between the parents, parental separation, etc. Additionally, many mental issues are difficult to become aware of, such as eating disorders and psychotic disorders. Naturally, some adolescents actively seek help, making them less likely to resist therapy.

It is always imperative to put yourself in their position; imagine how challenging it is for anyone to decide to go to therapy, develop an awareness of the need for change, or actively implement change, even when the will for change is strong.

It is quite common for adolescents referred to for therapy to experience low self-esteem, feelings of disassociation, or anger towards parents whom they perceive as judgmental and misunderstanding. Individuals experiencing chronic difficulties tend to perceive their environment as judgmental and unsupportive after years of struggles within the family, education, or social systems.

To be ready for the assessment and therapeutic processes, it is essential to come with empathy and without judgment. It is recommended to have a conversation with your child, take a walk, and talk openly and gently about the difficulties. The opportunity to meet a professional who can help both of you feel a little better is essential to give them enough time to process the conversation and avoid putting pressure on them. Allow them a few days to reflect before trying to foster cooperation. Often, when there is significant resistance and the emotional condition is challenging, try to schedule a parental meeting with the therapist to seek support and guidance.

Recommendations for dealing with stigmas

The experience of emotional distress is often accompanied by concealment, fear, and prejudice. Unfortunately, we live in a society that often struggles to understand and support individuals experiencing difficulties of emotional distress and its implications. Consequently, numerous struggling adolescents feel lonely and avoid sharing the process they undergo with the environment because of shame and fear of family and personal complications, criticism, and judgment. It is important to point out that there are certain groups and communities where the stigma surrounding mental health issues is particularly strong, making it even more difficult for people to share their experiences.

However, it is worth noting that Israeli society has undergone a significant shift in its perspective on mental health in recent years. There is now more compassion and understanding of mental health issues, with widespread consent to the need for change. It is now imperative to develop mental health infrastructure and to enhance rehabilitation and support systems within society.

Therefore, when adolescents experience distress, it is vital to encourage them to involve adults they rely on and protect their privacy within their social circle. If an adolescent has a close friend or partner, it can be beneficial to encourage them to share their situation with that person. It is important to provide accurate information without overwhelming the friend or partner or placing an unnecessary burden on them. Instead, the goal should be to enlist their support in a positive way that respects personal boundaries and friendship.

When the struggle is very evident and cannot be concealed, it is advisable to consult with a professional at school or a mental health professional in the HMO to mediate the issue with the rest of the class or group and minimize the disclosure of personal details. For example, if an adolescent is struggling with anorexia, it is vital to mediate this with the class to identify if any other students struggle or require support.

Available therapy frameworks in Israel

There are currently numerous therapy frameworks available to address mental health issues where you can seek help to support your adolescents:

• Regional support: Inquire about local or municipal support systems in your area. Consult with your physician or school consultants to get to know the relevant resources.
• Distant therapy: There is currently also a mental health system that is conducted from a distance via platforms such as Zoom meetings or phone calls and is particularly well-suited for adolescents.
• Community support: The various HMOs serve as insurers for mental health services; therefore, it is advisable to obtain the necessary services through your HMO.
• Realization of rights: Inquire with the National Insurance, Yad Mechavenet centers, or other organizations that assist in realizing medical rights, whether you are entitled to additional resources and rights due to your mental health condition
• Municipal support systems: These systems may encompass educational-psychological services, counseling services, state-run mental health clinics, and other relevant organizations, including family support services for parents.
• Support groups or social-skills groups: These groups provide a safe space for meetings and involve other adolescents facing similar challenges. These groups operate within HMOs, community centers, and various organizations.

It is recommended to explore all appropriate treatment options specific to your child’s needs so you can actively participate in their care and become true partners in their journey toward recovery and healing.

Dear parents, we do not doubt that coping with your child’s mental distress may cause a lot of concern, worries, and often a sense of helplessness. It is important to remember that you are not alone: many responses and expert professionals can help you and your loved ones recover. Seeking help is a step of hope and parental accountability, not of failure. Keep in mind that just as you support your children during these challenging times, so will the professional system support you. Patience, empathy, and appropriate support will get you through this difficult time, and you will emerge stronger.