Youth Ministry: Youth Group Counseling

Don't of Teen Counseling

1. Don't force a teen into counseling. Want a quick way to shut teens down? Make them come to you for counseling. If it's not their idea to come, or at least partially their idea, little will be accomplished. By nature teens like to have control, and when pushed into a corner they feel trapped and unwilling to share.

We need to let teens know that we are available for any problem they may have. Listening to them well in casual conversations will make them more likely to come to us for private consolation. Encourage, but don't force, teens to visit you for counseling if you notice a problem that may call for it.

2. Don't act shocked. If a teen tells you that he has a sexually transmitted disease and he thinks he has given it to three girls, remain calm and resist saying, "You think?" Be prepared for anything. A teen may enter your office with anything from suicide to homicide on his or her mind. When we act shocked and give one of those of all the people, I never would have thought looks, it makes a teen feel very small.

3. Don't be too professional. Is the office the best place to meet with teens? Perhaps walking around a park would work better, or meeting at a fast food place near their school. If you have a close relationship with a teen, an informal setting may work best. No one likes being called to the office.

Do you wear a tie as part of your daily attire? Ditch it and take off your coat. The more serious you look, the more serious a teen may perceive their problem to be. On the other hand, if you're rubbing tanning lotion on when a teen comes to talk, she may feel that you don't take anything seriously. You'll be professional enough for a teen if you're dressed casually, and tuned into their needs.

Zone Members: Read the complete article of "10 Don'ts of Teen Counseling"

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