While the challenges of the teen years are a natural occurrence, it’s also crucial young people perform well in school, particularly during their time in high school.

There are so many reasons kids may experience school troubles. It can include something as simple as burnout, or something more serious, such as a learning disability. Today’s schools are a very competitive environment, so kids may even start to experience problems because they’re being overloaded with too many commitments, leading to the feeling they just can’t do it all.

Teens tend to fall into negative patterns when they’re feeling stressed, anxious or even depressed. Once a teen experiences even a small problem in school it can begin to snowball and lead to larger problems. If something isn’t done to remedy the problem, students may find themselves in a situation they’re not able to get out of. School issues can range from slipping grades to attendance or behavioral issues.

As a parent, you may find yourself constantly worrying about your teen’s school performance, and wondering what you can do to make a difference.

Therapy can be a valuable way to address not just lagging school performance but also other underlying issues that serve as contributors.

As a parent of teenagers, one of the biggest questions, however, is how to know when therapy may be necessary for your child and how it can help.

Know the Red Flags

Many parents don’t even realize the depth of their teen’s problems, most of which can be addressed with therapy. The most common red flags are often dismissed as being an unavoidable part of the teenage years, but as a parent it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with these signs, which can occur independently or in addition to school-related problems:

• Does your child seem particularly angry or impatient? Even if your child isn’t violent, excessive anger can be a concerning sign of problems.
• If you see there’s a change in your child’s friend group this can be problematic, particularly if you have concerns about the new friends.
• Is your teen overly defiant? Of course, some defiance is part of exploring independence, but if it’s causing problems or seems to be happening as part of a larger power struggle, it may be time to seek the advice of a counselor.

If you’ve noticed in any of these red flags, along with school performance issues, it’s likely time to turn to the help of a professional therapist. Unsure of how a therapist can help your teen and your family?

Consider these ways:

Uncovering Root Causes

Performing poorly in school, particularly if it reflects a new change or pattern, is often not the problem itself, but is rather symptomatic of a larger issue. Many parents may consider only the issues in school, without being able to uncover what’s happening to cause declining grades or performance.

This is one of the ways a therapist can be an invaluable resource.

A therapist is trained not just to look at the results of a problem such as bad grades, but to see other symptoms combined with this outcome that may all highlight to a condition such as anxiety or depression.

Parents may not realize this, but therapists can also be a means to identify potential learning disabilities, including ADHD. Parents and students themselves may go through their entire school career without realizing they have a learning disability, but during the teen years, a therapist can bring this problem to light and then suggest appropriate treatment.

A Neutral Third-Party

A therapist can be someone teens feel comfortable confiding in, in a way they may not be able to with their own family and friends, including their parents.

A therapist represents someone who’s not just a sympathetic ear, but also someone who will remain neutral and teens can have confidential conversations with this person. This can go a long way in determining why teens aren’t doing well in school, and how the problem can be remedied.

It’s difficult for teens to talk to their parents in many cases, for fear of judgment or punishment, and this is removed from the equation in a relationship between a teen and a therapist.

Alleviating Stress

Sometimes a teen’s problems in school may be as simple as feeling too much stress or being overwhelmed. Today’s teens have full plates and are expected to juggle significantly more than previous generations.

Speaking with a therapist can be a treatment in and of itself because it gives stressed out teens an outlet to express their emotions without fear or without being self-conscious. Just the ability to go to therapy sessions and explain their feelings, concerns and anxieties can be an excellent coping mechanism that can lead to positive changes in school.

It can also build teens’ confidence, which can help them adequately tackle other challenges in their life and strengthen communication skills.

Teaching Coping Mechanisms

If your teen doesn’t have a larger issue, such as bipolar, depression or ADD, poor school performance can be due to a lack of coping mechanisms or the ability to manage their time effectively.

You may not realize it, but this is a place therapists can help as well. Therapists can help your teen identity ways to cope with stress, anxiety and school work in a way that is advantageous to their particular needs, and then put those coping mechanisms into action.

Many therapists, particularly ones who specialize in working with teens, can also work to help patients determine better ways to handle their schedules and teach them valuable time and life management skills they can put in place for long-term success.

Initiating Therapy for Your Teen

If your child is not performing well in school, whether in terms of grades, behavior or both, it may be time to seek the help of a therapist. Additionally, the red flags listed above can also be a sign therapy could be beneficial.

Consider speaking with your child’s school counselor for suggestions of outside therapists that could be beneficial for your particular situation.

Once your teen realizes the positive impact of therapy on his or her life, you’re likely to see the results, which will include improvements in school performance.