Teenagers Don’t Need to be Parented — They Need to Be Coached
As a certified teen life coach, I can tell you why teens are coming to us with their problems — not Mom or Dad
Got a teenager at home? I bet you’re on the struggle bus. Anxiety. Mood swings. Defiance. Lack of motivation. Teens are going through a lot, and the hardest part is, they don’t want to talk about it.
At least that’s how it appears. Of course they want to talk about their problems — they just don’t want to talk about them with you, their mom or dad. More and more Gen Zers are turning to me and other certified teen life coaches to share their thoughts and anxieties, find new perspectives, and feel less alone.
What is it that we do that so many parents don’t? We listen. Really listen. The well-trained teen coach understands kids’ realities, meeting their needs in a way that prompts dialogue instead of shutting it down. “A non-judgmental approach is needed so much more in this developmentally vulnerable stage,” says Leah Mazzola, PhD, the founder and director of Youth Coaching Institute, a youth life coach training organization. “The non-judgmental ear can make the difference between whether or not [teens] reach out for help when they’re struggling, and whether they get the support and guidance they really need…
