Orlando Therapist: How to Validate Your Teen so They Feel More Understood

You find yourself often at odds with your teen - bickering, fighting, and disagreeing. Your teen often says “you never listen to me” or “you don’t understand.” You try to show them that you are present, listening, and understanding, but this message doesn’t seem to sink in with them.

You want to improve the conversations you have with your teen, but you don’t know where to start. A powerful tool in communication is validation - giving your teen the recognition that you understand their emotions, thoughts, and perspectives. Validation can be a powerful tool to use in conversation. Using this technique can convey that you are present, listening, and seeing where your teen is coming from. When your teen feels understood and heard by you, this often helps improve the desire to hear you out as well.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an option for those who want to gain the control back from their emotions and/or behaviors that are causing them anxiety, overwhelm, and helplessness.