How to Support Your Teen (and yourself!) as Your Teen Goes to Therapy
Watching your teenager navigate therapy can stir up a lot of emotions—pride, worry, curiosity, and maybe a little nervousness. First, take a moment to recognize what a big step this is. Supporting your teen in therapy means you’re showing up for their emotional health in a way that matters deeply. That’s no small thing, and it’s worth acknowledging.
Give Them Space to Process
Teenagers need a sense of independence, and that includes their therapy experience. It’s natural to wonder what they’re talking about, but try to give them the space to process on their terms. Therapy is their confidential zone—a place to say things they might not feel comfortable sharing at home. That doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong as a parent; it means they need an “outside the bubble” person to help them work through their thoughts. Let them know they can share with you what they want, but there’s no pressure.
It’s entirely possible that your teen is talking about you in therapy. Maybe they’re working through frustrations or disappointments—it’s part of their development to process their relationship with you. But here’s the good news: a skilled therapist holds the balance of supporting your teen’s experience while keeping a broader perspective on family dynamics. The therapist isn’t there to villainize anyone—they’re there to help your teen understand their world and build skills for navigating it.
Soothe Your Own Curiosity
It’s hard not to wonder what’s being said behind those closed doors, especially if your teen’s struggles feel close to home. That curiosity comes from a place of care, but it’s important to respect the boundaries of therapy. Instead of focusing on what’s being said, remind yourself that the process is about helping your teen grow. If you find your need to know bubbling up, try talking to someone you trust, journaling, or even scheduling your own therapy session. It’s okay to feel what you’re feeling—and it’s also okay to let go.
Understand Their Growing Brain
Teenagers’ brains are in overdrive, constantly rewiring as they develop critical thinking and emotional regulation skills. They’re learning to make sense of their world, and that can be overwhelming. Having a therapist gives them a safe, neutral adult to process everything that’s going on—without the pressure of being in their usual environment. Therapy helps teens build a foundation of emotional health they’ll carry into adulthood.
Your support as a parent is the steady hand on the wheel, even if you don’t know exactly where the car is headed. Trust the process, trust your teen, and trust that therapy is giving them tools to thrive. You’re doing something amazing by giving them this space, and that matters more than any single conversation.
If you need some resources for parenting through these teen years, at Roots in College Station we have a few favorites, and you can even find them in our Client Library here in the waiting room (Just be sure to register with our Librarian in advance!). Girls on the Brink and How to Talk So Teens Will Listen & Listen So Teens Will Talk are here in our library. A few others that our popular in our clinic are Brainstorm, and The Teenage Brain. We have a number of clinicians that specialize in teen therapy, in family therapy, and in parent coaching/therapy. Reach out to our Care Coordinator if you or your teen need some support. Sometimes, we need more than a break from our families, more than “I can’t wait to graduate and get out of here”, and more than our fellow teen parent informal support groups over group chat.