Teenage Counselor Helps Your Anxious Teen With College Applications
Teenage Counselor Helps Your Anxious Teen With College Applications
It’s that time of the year - college application deadlines are looming. You see your teen wracked with nerves as these deadlines creep up. You notice the overwhelm they’re experiencing as they fill out each form, submit transcripts and test scores, and then anxiously await a response. What can you do to help them through this difficult process?
My name is Elizabeth Yoak, I am a licensed counselor who specializes in helping teens overcome anxiety.
If your teen is currently going through the college application process, read on for tips on how to help them cope with this stress.
1. Check in with your teen.
Before knowing how to help your teen with their college application anxiety, the most important task is checking in with them to see how they are feeling and what may be causing distress to them. Asking for feedback on what part of the application process is bringing up anxiety can help guide you in your next steps. Are they indecisive about where to apply? Overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into the application? Or are they focused on worst-case scenarios that they won’t get in anywhere? These are all frequent concerns for many teens, particularly if your teen has anxiety.
A common experience for teens with anxiety is catastrophizing or seeing only the worst possible scenarios coming true. As mentioned above, this may look like your teen thinking they won’t get into any college that they apply to. Being able to both validate the concern they have while also helping them to see a more balanced viewpoint can be helpful in calming your teens’ nerves.
2. Ask, “How can I support you?”
If anxiety has taken over, sometimes it helps to just be heard by someone else. Having a sounding board for your worries can go a long way in easing tension. One of my favorite questions that I encourage parents to use with their teens is “do you need to vent or do you need my help?” Asking this can provide clarity for you on what they are seeking at that moment. If they need to vent, encourage them to do so and actively listen to and validate their concerns. For more tips on validating your teen, I encourage you to take a look at this blog on helping validate your teen so they feel more understood.
If they ask for help rather than just needing to vent it out, what help can you offer while still helping them to have some independence? Finding the balance between being a helpful parent and doing much of the work for their applications can be tricky. However, it’s important to emphasize that this is a significant step towards adulthood, and completing some of these tasks on their own helps foster a sense of independence and accomplishment.
3. Break down applications into smaller steps.
Applications can be time-consuming - a lot of work goes into them! While navigating this process, your teen is figuring out how to submit SAT/ACT scores, essays, grades, the list goes on. If your teen is prone to anxiety in the face of having many tasks at hand, college applications can be intimidating because they may be unsure where to start with the application process.
One way to help with this is by assisting them in breaking down college applications into smaller steps rather than one big looming task. Can they start by filling out their basic information today and then work on sending their SAT/ACT scores next week? If an essay is required, can they write half of it now and then the rest later in the week? Your teen will find what works best for them but helping them break down the process can go a long way in overcoming this task.
4. Schedule college tours.
Being indecisive can add an extra layer of stress when applying to college. If your teen has many colleges in mind and can’t seem to choose between them, touring the campus may help them with this decision. Stepping foot on campus and getting a feel for what the environment is like can give your teen an idea of if they feel like a particular college is a good fit for them or not. Seeing the campus can also help provide extra motivation for completing applications if you’ve noticed this is an area they’re struggling in.
5. Help your teen breathe through their anxiety symptoms.
One of the first skills I teach teens is how to regulate their anxiety through specific breathing techniques. Our breath is strongly tied to our emotional state and therefore regulating the breath can help with decreasing anxiety. Often when anxiety comes up, so does shortness of breath and rapid heart rate, which breathing techniques can help with. A common tool that is taught is known as box breathing, which is further taught in our blog Box Breathing. I encourage you to practice this along with your teen to help them calm their anxiety when it peaks.
College can be an exciting yet overwhelming time for many teens and parents. I hope this has helped provide some practical tips to help your teen with college application anxiety. If you feel your teen would benefit from additional help to sort through their anxiety, please feel free to contact us at 407-579-3779. We are happy to help provide further information on our teenager counseling services in Orlando, FL, and assist with any questions you may have.
How to find a Teenage Counselor Near You
Need help finding a counselor for your teen near you? Our office provides in-person counseling in Orlando, FL as well as virtual counseling sessions throughout the state of Florida. If you are outside of Florida or seeking in-person counseling outside of the Orlando area, here are some tips on finding a teenage counselor near you:
Search “teenage counselor near me” on Google
Ask friends or family members if they personally recommend any teenage counselors
Ask your teens’ guidance counselor at school if they have recommendations
Ready to start teenager counseling in Orlando?
Elizabeth Yoak, LMHC at Mindful Living Counseling Orlando is here for your teen. Elizabeth helps your teen regain control of their emotions again, helps improve their self-esteem, and brings peace and calm back to your home. To get started with Elizabeth:
Fill out our New Client Consultation Form
Schedule a consultation call with our Client Care Coordinator
Start the journey of helping your teen heal
Not Quite Ready for Teenager Counseling?
Elizabeth Chambers is highly trained and ready to help your teen on their healing journey. As an Orlando therapist, Elizabeth will help you gain tools that will help you overcome any anxiety your teen may be struggling with. If you’re not ready, we understand. In the meantime, feel free to read the articles below.
Additional Teen Counseling Resources
Teen Counseling: Social Media and Teen Mental Health
Teen Counseling Orlando Resources
Orlando Therapist Helps Your Teen Navigate Through College Rejection Letters
How to Validate Your Teen So They Feel More Understood
How to Find an Orlando Therapist for Teens
What to Expect: Teen Therapy Orlando
Therapist Orlando Spotlight - Elizabeth Chambers, LMHC
8 Questions to Ask a Teen Counselor in Orlando
How to Talk to Your Teen: 6 Helpful Steps
An Anxiety Therapist Shares Everything You Need to Know About Anxiety
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando, FL
Our therapists understand that anxiety may not be the only challenge you may struggle with. That’s ok. We offer a variety of therapy services at Mindful Living Counseling which include Trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, Eating Disorder Therapy, Toxic Relationship Therapy, and Anxiety Therapy. We encourage you to check out our Guided Meditations. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
About the Author
Orlando Therapist Elizabeth Yoak, LMHC offers Teen Counseling at Mindful Living Orlando. Elizabeth specializes in working with teens struggling with anxiety, trauma, self-esteem, and depression. Elizabeth is also an EMDR Therapist. Utilizing EMDR and mindfulness practices helps clients move beyond anxiety and depression.
As an Orlando Therapist specializing in Teenager Counseling Elizabeth enjoys helping teens work through anxiety and self-esteem issues, as well as helping teens and their families rebuild their relationships.