“Support for young people struggling with anxiety, overwhelm, identity, pressure, confidence and difficult emotions”
Are you a young person struggling with your feelings? Or perhaps you’re the parent, guardian or relative of a teenager who needs some help?
We live in challenging times, and the world can be stressful and scary. Add to this the struggles of adolescence, a time of profound transformation, and it’s no wonder that teens and young people can experience anxiety, anger and/or depression. They may also have to contend with social media expectations, school pressure and friendship issues. All this can lead to shutdown and struggles to describe feelings, or difficulties containing emotions, resulting in angry outbursts that affect family life, school or college performance, and friendships.
A safe, confidential space to talk and reflect
Arts counselling can help. I provide a safe, confidential space for young people to share their concerns and worries. By encouraging them to bring awareness to warning signs of distress, they begin to ‘tune in’ to feelings and where they hold anxiety, depression, anger or other uncomfortable emotions. We identify ways to support self-regulation; using simple strategies can be effective in bringing calm before a meltdown or panic attack can take hold.
Creative approaches for young people
Through my teaching work in schools and colleges, as well as my private practice, I have supported young people experiencing issues with self-harm, gender identity, body image, social media and digital pressure, academic and social pressure, grooming and exploitation. No matter the issue, I am there to listen to whatever needs to be shared.
Arts counselling can help
I can help with expressing feelings in a healthy way, identifying positive strengths and attributes to boost resilience and confidence. We do this together using a range of creative processes to explore emotions and increase self-worth. Alongside more traditional art activities, we might use the sand tray and create masks, start a self-care diary or make an affirmation jar – I offer a range of activities that appeal to different age groups and personalities.
A creative outlet and regular space to share concerns with a trusted adult can support this complex time of life between childhood and adulthood.