Empowering Teens with Emotional
or Mental Health Challenges

Warning Signs of Teens in Crisis

Is Your Teen in Crisis? Learn the Warning Signs Before it's too late.

As a parent, the angst, confusion, and feeling of powerlessness that arise when your teen is struggling with their mental health or showing troubling behaviors can be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. Your heart breaks, and you may feel unsure of what to next or how to help them. If your teen is in crisis, I can help you navigate this difficult time and find the support your teen needs. Please know that there’s still hope for your family to heal and find peace again.  

Sometimes, it’s tough for us to know the difference between the normal ups and downs of adolescence. Teenagers are good at hiding their struggles, so it is important that we recognize the signs of a deeper mental health crisis.

If you’re noticing changes in your teen—withdrawal, defiance, or emotional outbursts—it’s natural to feel worried.

Recognizing the warning signs of a teen in crisis today could  help prevent the situation from getting worse. Let’s explore those teen red flags in your teenage behavior together, and most importantly, let’s find solutions together before it’s too late. We can help your teen find a path back to a calmer, more connected family life.

Is Your Teen Struggling?
Know the Warning Signs of Teen in Crisis

Teen Mood and Emotional Challenges:

Warning Signs Teen in Crisis: Close-up of a teary eye, representing emotional distress and sadness in teenagers.

Teen Behavioral Challenges:

Warning Signs Behavioral Issues - Struggling Teens

Developmental & Learning Concerns:

Mental Health Disorders:

Side profile of a young child with a colorful brain overlay, representing cognitive development and learning challenges in children and teens.

Family and Social Issues:

Warning Signs of Teens in Crisis: Know how family and social issues can affect teens struggling with behavioral or mental health issues.

What You Can Do Next

If you’ve recognized these warning signs in your teen, know that you are not alone that there is hope.  These emotional and mental health struggles can be overwhelming, but with understanding, support and the right resources, healing and positive change are possible.

I’m Mary Warren, a trusted parenting coach and therapeutic consultant with over twenty years of experience helping families like yours.  We are here to help you navigate these uncharted waters and find the best path forward for your teen and your family. I offer compassionate guidance tailored to your family’s unique needs.

Whether you’re looking for one-on-one coaching or expert advice on the next steps for your family, schedule an appointment today to begin restoring peace in your home.

Additionally, check out our recommended reading resources below to gain valuable insights into supporting your teen through challenging times.

Please don’t wait for the situation to get worse.  Act now! Please, take the first step today by scheduling a free consultation with me.   Remember reaching out is a sign of strength, both for you and your teen. 

What Challenges is Your Teen Facing Today?

It can feel like everything is falling apart when your teen’s behavior spirals out of control. Raising a teen who is making poor choices and whose behavior has spiraled out of control, can make you feel like everything is falling apart and throw your world into chaos. 

The fear, confusion, and helplessness can be crushing. It’s okay to feel lost – you’re facing a situation that no parent expects. But you don’t have to navigate this alone. We understand the heartache and urgency you are feeling and I can help you find a path forward.

Although it doesn’t feel like it now, the truth is that even in the most challenging moments, it’s possible to find peace again. Please know that you don’t have to face this alone—together, we can create a plan to guide your family back to stability. Call me at 253-987-1779

The Digital World is Becoming a Nightmare

Teenagers in today’s world are face challenges, we could have never imagined. From the constant pressures and demands of social media to the ever changing technology landscape, games, virtual reality, Instagram, TikTok, SnapChat, YouTube, Twitch, Discord, it is nearly impossible to keep up.

It’s not only overwhelming to keep up, let alone recognize when something is really wrong. 

Overcoming Technology Addiction and Cyberbullying

It’s hard enough being a teenager, but the fear of online bullying, sexting, cyberstalking, and catfishing adds another layer of anxiety. Many teens are hesitant to confide in their parents about these experiences, feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or worried about making things worse.

Many teens today find it difficult to tell their parents if they are being harassed, they are embarrassed and ashamed or afraid of making the situation worse. 

We also need to acknowledge that teens are overusing technology.  This is a reality for many teens. The Surgeon General is asking for social media warning labels.   

Adolescents struggling with social media addiction or technology over use are suffering from self-esteem issues, isolation, anxiety, and depression and some are even hurting themselves. 

The Hidden Dangers of Social Media for Teens: Cyberbullying and Online Predators

Cyberstalking and technology overuse has become an unfortunate reality for many adolescents. It can cause deep psychological trauma, leaving victims feeling helpless, isolated, and overwhelmed.

Fortunately, various methods exist to treat this kind of trauma.  Nature-based therapy programs are often helpful because they offer an immediate change to a new peaceful and natural environment. Many parents find that nature based therapy as a form of technology and social media detox it’s helpful for many teens in these situations. 

The good news is that there are many options to help these teens learn to overcome the damaging effects of cyberstalking and technology overuse. 

If you are worried about your teen’s relationship with technology, schedule a free consultation today to learn more about creating healthy boundaries and speak about your teen’s and family’s specific needs. 

For Neurodiverse Teens and with ADHD or ADD

1.  Parents working with a Parenting Coach.

Teens who are neurodiverse or struggle with ADHD symptoms can benefit from a combination of structure, understanding, and targeted strategies at home.

A parenting coach can guide you in creating routines, implementing effective behavior management techniques, and fostering a supportive environment where your teen can thrive.

Together, you can explore ways to improve focus, organization, and time management skills, empowering your teen to manage their unique challenges and reach their full potential.

2.  Specialty Schools for Neurodivergent & ADHD Teens

There are more specialized schools for neurodivergent children today than ever before. Some are conveniently located in metropolitan areas and surrounding communities.

3.  IEP and 504 in Public Schools

While public schools offer support through IEP and 504 plans to provide children with ADHD the accommodations they need, some families find that a specialized environment is more beneficial.

4.  Specialty Boarding Schools

These schools are designed specifically for children with ADHD, are available across the country and cater to a range of income levels. These schools offer focused attention, structured routines, and a community that understands the unique challenges ADHD presents.

Today, specialty schools offer tailored education and support for neurodivergent and  ADHD Teens

5.  Therapeutic Boarding Schools

There are therapeutic programs explicitly designed to help teens with ADHD (ADD). They provide a structured environment, essential for teaching time management and energy regulation skills. These programs often focus on working with teens to develop organizational strategies and improve focus, allowing them to manage their unique challenges better.

For Teens with Learning Differences/Disabilities 

Similarly to ADHD teens, the options for parents include:

 1.  For the parent to work with a Parenting Coach to learn and find solutions to help their teen with learning disabilities. 

2.  Find coaches and therapist  to work directly with the teen and help them with strategies that help them build confidence and do better in school.

3.   Enroll your teen in a specialty school.

4.   Consider whether a therapeutic boarding school is right for your child.

Therapeutic schools offer specialized instruction and smaller class sizes to level the playing field for teens facing learning differences or disabilities. These environments help students build confidence and achieve academic success in a supportive setting.

For Chronic Defiance and Out of Control Entitlement

  1. For teens struggling with defiance or entitlement, therapeutic programs like Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs) and Therapeutic Boarding Schools (TBS) can be transformative.

Through a combination of therapies, teens learn to take responsibility for their actions, cultivate empathy, and respect others. They gain valuable skills in managing their emotions and resolving conflict, paving the way for healthier relationships with their parents and others.

 

Teenagers with ASD or Asperger’s Syndrome

Every child is different and only you know whether your child needs a more intensive therapeutic program to help them achieve their best life.

  1. Therapeutic boarding school offer  therapy programs for these teens to help them develop communication and social skills. 

These programs empower teens with ASD  to understand, manage, shape appropriate behavior,  and accept their condition. 

They provide a safe and nurturing environment where these kids can thrive. These schools will offer personalized care to fit the child’s individual needs. 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Teens with OCD struggle to manage their symptoms daily.  Therapeutic programs can provide a lifeline, often utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT),  to reduce obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.

Exposure and response prevention therapies, can help teens gradually overcome their fears,  while individual psychotherapy, provides additional support as needed.

If you are not sure whether your child needs an intensive therapeutic program, working with a therapeutic consultant is the best way to sort through what’s going on, assess and validate your concerns about your teen and strategize on next steps.   Schedule a Discovery Consultation with Mary to discuss your child’s individual needs or you can schedule a free consultation to see if working with Mary is right for you.

  1. Do you feel overwhelmed by a child who is spiraling or has already spiraled out of control?
  2. Are you considering sending your teen to an out-of-state therapeutic program like a teen residential treatment center (RTC) but feel lost in the decision making process?
  3. Do you want to feel confident that you are making the best decisions for your out-of-control or struggling teen?
  4. Are you trying to choose the next steps but need mental clarity and guidance on the best path forward for your teen? 

As a therapeutic treatment consultant and parenting coach, I help parents like you explore their options and offer personalized guidance and strategies to help you help your teen.

For those parents who know their child needs an RTC or TBS:

  1. I can help your find the right program.
  2. Assist you or manage the enrollment process.
  3. Support you while your child is in a program ( up to 12 months of parenting support) so you are never alone.
  4. Help you with after-care solutions and strategies. 
  5. Help you get ready to welcome your child home at the end of the program. 

I have personally vetted the best RTCs, nature-based therapy options, and therapeutic boarding schools. After 20+ years of working with families and visiting programs, I know which programs have great outcomes and excellent reputations and which programs you should never consider.

Keep in mind, program websites and marketing material are intended to make the program appealing. You need more, you need an expert and an advocate on your side. 

If you are pondering questions like:

• How does enrollment work?
• How do I get my teen to agree to go?
• Will my teen resent me for sending them away?
• Is an RTC or TBS too drastic of a choice?
• Do therapeutic programs really work?
• How much do these programs cost, or how will I pay for them?
• What if now is not the best time? Maybe we should get through the holidays or summer or [another event]?

Let me be your objective advocate and help you find the right solution for your family.

Recommended Reading: Empower Yourself and Your Teen

Raising a teen in crisis is tough, keep in mind that you do not have to be alone in this journey. 

The books I recommend are lifelines, offering compassionate understanding and practical advice to help you weather the storm and come out better!

These books are filled with real-life stories from other parents who’ve been there, expert guidance to help you chart a course, and strategies to rebuild your connection with your teen. 

Take the first step to a healthier parent-teen relationship. Discover books filled with expert tips and real-life stories.

Recommended Books for Parents of Struggling Teens

 
Mary Warren, Educational and Therapeutic Consultant for Struggling Teens

Get the Help You Need,
Talk to Mary About Your Teen!

Mary is the absolute gold standard that all professional coaches, consultants, and advocates should strive to be. Her guidance over the years has been invaluable. She has a gift for explaining complicated problems and developing effective responses and action plans. Thank you for all your help.
I cannot say enough good things about Mary Warren and the services she offers parents and teens in Crisis. As a therapist who has collaborated with Mary, i can attest to her savvy in coaching parents in difficult situations, problem solving with clinical team members, and effectively working to generate solutions in tough moments for her clients. She is someone I would refer friends and family to if needed.
I came across Mary in a time That I needed unbiased guidance. She was a wonderful listener and coach . She listened To what we Wanted as a family- not pushy…. It took us a year to find what we were looking for our teen son. Mary understood our needs and wants and everything she recommended we did not regret . Very professional and respectful especially of our teen son. Our son is doing well and my husband and I are too. This type of situation is such a hard thing to think and go through - you need someone who has need n there, experienced and knows the options. I trust Mary- Jane
Mary has been an absolute rock for us. She brings clarity and years of experience to the complex, confusing, and high-stakes process of helping our kid with multiple challenges. There have been countless times that we have been torn up about how to handle the numerous difficult decisions that have come up and just a few minutes of talking it through with Mary has made all the difference in the world. She is extremely professional, dedicated, and absolutely passionate about her work helping struggling teens and young adults, and she brought all of this to bear on our struggles. I recommend her to the highest degree possible. We feel extremely lucky to have her on our kid’s team!
We discovered Mary 5 years ago when our son was failing 9th grade, heavy into drugs and starting down a path with gangs, and there was nothing more we could do to help him. Here we are now, after two RTC's and two wilderness programs with a son who graduated high school and is working full time. Mary's advice was spot on at each turn in the road. Not sure where we would be without Mary and the focused programs she advised us on. And even though our son is on a good track, we continue to use Mary for coaching to make sure the whole family stays on track.

Parent Success Stories – Real results from struggling and at-risk teens

What Parents Say About Working with Mary Warren

Read inspiring testimonials and success stories from parents whose teens found a brighter future, and see how Mary can help your family find healing and hope. 

Get the Help Your Family Needs

Please complete this form and we will get back to you, right away.

Get The Free Sleep Guide

Subscribe to get my free sleep guide with essential tips for your baby sleeping success