Mental Health Toolkit For Your Son

By: Quique Autrey, MS, LPC Associate

Teenage boys are wild, quirky and full of life. Many of them are running at full speed. They may be smart and passionate, but many struggle to make the best decisions in life. They seem to be more driven by their appetite and hormones than reason and common sense. Then there’s the fact that we rarely pay attention to our teen’s mental health. Focusing on our boy’s mental health is as important as caring about their physical health and academic performance. In fact, the more we help our teens improve their mental health, the greater chance they have of succeeding in all the areas of their life. Teen boys need access to a mental health toolkit that can help them feel good about themselves and to relate more positively to others. 

Here’s a List of Mental Health Tools For Your Son

1. Friends

Teenage boys need strong friendships. Positive friendships provide shared experiences that help improve a guy’s self esteem. Making friends is not always easy at their age. Young boys have a much easier time making friends at school or in the neighborhood. Teens have to worry about status, expectations and all the other stressors that make cultivating a friendship a real challenge. Don’t completely write off online friendships. Online friendships can have an important place in a teen’s life. In our current day, it is not always possible to hang out with friends face to face. Teenage boys have developed creative ways to connect with their peers on social media, video games and other digital platforms. Parents should be careful not to take away social connections when giving a consequence. There are other ways to discipline a teen than taking away their access to friends. 

2. Hobbies

We all benefit from having interests outside of work and school. A hobby is anything creative or active a teen can engage in that will help them take a break from their daily stressors and routine. During the last year many teens have been forced to stay home in front of a screen. Encouraging a hobby that requires physical exercise and time outside could be a real plus. Many teens benefit from martial arts or rock climbing. For the more creative types, learning to play the guitar or work on a car can be a good idea. A hobby does not have to cost an arm and a leg! There are plenty of options out there that are affordable. The important thing to remember is that your teen needs active and creative time away from their normal schedule. 

3. Adult Connection.

Teen boys do not always want to talk to their parents about what’s going on. That’s not always a bad thing. Since there are some things teens feel embarrassed to talk to their parents about (SEX!), it’s important that we help our teens connect with other mature adults. If your son plays sports, getting to know the coach is a good idea. Coaches can help teens practice self-discipline and teamwork. If your family attends church, encouraging a relationship with the youth worker can be a huge positive. Your son can learn important lessons about compassion, service and making wise decisions. A therapist can also be a great adult relationship for your son. In therapy, your son can learn the value of talking about feelings and creating attainable goals. 

4. Mastery

It is important for teen boys to feel they are in control of some aspects of their life. Teen boys often fall into depression when they feel like nothing they do really matters. What is something you can encourage your son to do that will give him a sense of control and mastery? One simple thing is asking him to clean his room. Are you serious? Yes! Of course they won’t like this suggestion at first. But think about it. Their room is their little kingdom. If a teen can begin to take responsibility for cleaning and maintaining their room, this can spill over into other aspects of their life. Your teen may start to take greater control over their schedule, their friendships and their emotions. It has to start somewhere. 

5. Exercise

Exercise could be the most significant tool in your son’s mental health toolkit. It helps relieve stress and release hormones. With Covid-19, many teens have stopped exercising and their mental health has suffered. It’s never too late to start an exercise routine. There’s no one right approach here. You don’t have to run a marathon every weekend! Some teens prefer to lift weights with their friends. Others enjoy putting on their favorite playlist and jogging around the neighborhood. Playing basketball or soccer are great options too. The key is to be consistent.

Counseling Can Help Your Son Develop Their Own Mental Health Toolkit

Movies and TV shows have given counseling a bad rap. Counseling is not about lying on a couch, staring at the ceiling and relating all of your problems to your mom! Counseling is more about building a genuine relationship with a professional that can help you take positive steps in the direction you want to go. Teen boys that come to therapy need help creating their mental health tool kit. They benefit from a place where they can talk about their friends, their stressors and goals. A counselor can help them devise a plan to cope with their struggles and accomplish their dreams. 

Begin Teen Counseling in Katy, TX 

If you are ready to improve your teens life, one of the therapists at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch can help! We provide counseling to both teens and adults for a variety of issues. To begin counseling in Katy, TX follow these three steps:

1. Contact our office to set up an appointment or to get more information on CBT therapy. 
2. Meet with one of our skilled therapists
3. Find ways to cope and thrive in life!

Other Therapy Services We Offer

Here at The Counseling Center at Cinco Ranch we offer counseling services in areas including counseling for kids, counseling for young adults, teen counseling, couples counseling, eating disorder treatment, men’s issues, women’s issues, anxiety treatment, depression therapy, trauma counseling, family therapy, and group counseling. Our therapists strive to regularly post blogs with helpful information on a variety of mental health topics. To learn more about our therapists and our counseling services, please reach out to the Counseling Center today!