Troubled Teens

Parenting a teen is never easy, especially if they are taking part in reckless behaviors like abusing alcohol, using drugs, or is violent and depressed.  While parenting a troubled teen can often seem like an impossible task, there are steps you can take to ease the chaos at home and help your teen become a successful adult.

As they grow older, teens begin to assert their independence, because of this, they may experience behavioral changes that can seem bizarre to the parents.  Therefor, it is important for parents to understand which behaviors are normal during adolescent development and which are indicators of a more serious problem.

• Changing in appearance is typical teen behavior, although if it is accompanied by problems at school or self-harm it is a problem.
• Mood swings are normal due to hormone changes, although sudden persistent sadness, anxiety, or sleep problems can be a sign of depression.
• Increased arguments is typical teen behavior as they begin to seek independence, although violence at home, getting in fights at school, and run-ins with the law are all red flags.

If you see a red flag behavior in you teen you should consult a doctor, counselor or therapist. At Star Point Counseling Center, we specialize in helping troubled teens get back on the right track. We can help your teen through the stages of change, to increase compliance with rules and laws, encourage positive peer selection, improve academic status, and overall goal directed behavior. If you have any questions or wish to speak to a counselor please give us a call at (813)-244-1251.

Family Stress

Family dynamics significantly impact one’s health in both positive and negative ways. Having a close-knit and supportive family provides emotional support, economic well-being, and increases overall health. Although, the opposite is also true. One’s health tends to be negatively affected by family stress and conflict. Families characterized by conflict, anger, and aggression have a particularly negative effect on the children in the home.

At Start Point Counseling Center, we can help you identify specific family dynamics that compromise the quality of home life for you and your children. We encourage strong, loving, high functioning, and spiritually grounded family lifestyles.

Without pointing the finger of blame, shame or chastisement, we work to identify the factors that may contribute to a breakdown in communication in the home. So, if you are experiencing tension and stress from your family dynamic please visit our website starpointcounselingtampa.com or give us a call at (813)-244-1251.

Enjoy the little things…Holiday stress!

Sometimes it is difficult to remember to sit back and enjoy the holidays with the people you love. We spend so much time shopping, wrapping presents, returning presents, and attending holiday parties, all while already attending to our already busy schedule.

Here are some times to help you enjoy the holidays:

• Try to find peace and joy in the season and focus on the moment you are in and not about the future.
• Plan ahead, sometimes starting early with the decorations will help set your mind to ease. It’s never fun procrastinating setting up the Christmas tree and spending weeks worrying about it.
• Try to keep the same routine for your kids, because they feel more secure when their days follow a predictable order. This helps keep your household peaceful and running well.
• Remember what the holidays are about. Try not to get caught up so much with the physical aspects of the holidays, but instead remember its about spending time with the people you love. Try to shop less and focus on family time and de-stressing. Don’t forget to laugh! Laughter is the best medicine! 🙂

Grieving the loss of a loved one

Grieving is something that everyone endures at one point in their life. It is an individual experience that depends on someone’s personality, coping style, life experiences, and faith. The grieving process takes time and cannot be forces or hastened.

Here are some misconceptions are grieving:

• The pain will go away faster if you ignore it.

Trying to ignore your pain or keep it from surfacing will only make it worse in the long run. For real healing it is necessary to face your grief and actively deal with it. This may be in the form of therapy and talking it out.

• It’s important to be “be strong” in the face of loss.

Feeling sad, frightened, or lonely is a normal reaction to loss. Crying doesn’t mean you are weak. When grieving, it is important to be patient with yourself and allow the process to naturally unfold without holding yourself back, from fear or being “weak.”

• Grief should last about a year only

There is no right or wrong time frame for grieving. How long it takes can differ from person to person. Some people start to feel better in weeks, while it takes others years to cope with their loss.

At Star Point Counseling Center, we have licensed counseling therapists available to help you get through the loss of a loved one. So, if you are having a problem coping with a loss and want to talk about it and learn ways to move forward please visit our website at  starpointcounselingtampa.com  or give us a call at (813)-244-1251.