When a child who used to talk more begins giving one-word answers or spending more time behind a closed door, a parent can feel that connection is disappearing. The first impulse is often to ask more questions.

A teenager may need a different kind of parental presence: availability without constant interrogation, boundaries without humiliation and interest that still respects a growing need for privacy.

A parent can work on how conversations are opened, how their own anxiety is managed and when a concern needs referral to an appropriate professional for the young person.

Elena does not provide individual counselling to teenagers. This topic relates exclusively to counselling and support for the parent.