29 Jan How to Help My Teenager With Anxiety
How to Help My Teenager With Anxiety
Practical life skills that build confidence, calm and emotional resilience
If you’re here, you’re probably watching your teenager struggle and wondering how to help without pushing, labelling, or making things worse.
Anxiety in teenagers doesn’t always look like panic attacks. Often it shows up as avoidance, irritability, shutdowns, or “I’m fine” walls. What many teens need isn’t therapy, it’s life skills that help them feel back in control of their own wellbeing.
That’s exactly what I offer.
Signs Your Teenager May Be Struggling With Anxiety
Anxiety in teens is often misunderstood or missed. You might notice:
- Emotional outbursts, anger, or sudden withdrawal
- Avoidance of school, social situations, or conversations
- Perfectionism, overthinking, or fear of getting things wrong
- Sleep problems or constant tiredness
- Physical symptoms (headaches, stomach aches, tension)
- “Shutting down” when asked how they feel
- Resistance to help, support, or anything that feels like pressure
Many of the teens I work with are ADHD, autistic, demand avoidant, or simply overwhelmed by the world around them.
This Is Not Therapy – These Are Essential Life Skills
My work focuses on emotional regulation, confidence, and self-management.
I help teenagers learn:
- how their nervous system works
- how to calm anxiety when it shows up
- how to feel confident handling big feelings
- how to trust themselves again
These are manageable techniques they can use anywhere, without relying on adults, apps, or constant reassurance.
How I Help Teenagers With Anxiety and Neurodiverse Teenagers with Anxiety
I use a combination of practical, teen-friendly approaches including:
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) – a simple, evidence-based method that helps calm the nervous system quickly
- Hypnotherapy – used gently and safely to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and reframe unhelpful patterns
- Regulation tools teens can choose and adapt themselves
- Language and approaches that don’t feel “therapeutic” or patronising
This work is collaborative, empowering, and respectful — especially important for teens who resist being told what to do.
A Quick Reassurance About Hypnotherapy
One of the biggest misconceptions is that hypnotherapy involves losing control.
It doesn’t.
Your teenager is always awake, aware, and in control.
There is no mind control, no forcing, no loss of agency.
Hypnotherapy simply helps the brain access calmer, more resourceful states, the same way daydreaming or getting absorbed in music does.
Teens often find it relaxing, grounding, and empowering.
Why This Works (Even When “Help” Is Rejected)
- It doesn’t label your child as “broken”
- It gives them tools, not lectures
- It respects autonomy (crucial for demand-avoidant teens)
- It builds confidence through experience, not pressure
- It helps them feel capable, not dependent
Parents often tell me: “This is the first thing my teen hasn’t resisted.”
A No-Obligation First Conversation
I offer a no-pressure, no-obligation call for parents (and/or teens if they’re open to it).
We’ll talk about:
- what your teenager is struggling with
- what they’re resisting (and why that matters)
- whether this approach feels right for them
What I won’t do is:
- start asking them about their feelings. I am not a counsellor and don’t need their life story to help them
- invite them to share uncomfortable experiences
- have any expectations other than an open chat about how I can support them manage and navigate tricky feelings
If you want your teenager to feel calmer, more confident, and in control of their own wellbeing, this is a powerful place to start.
Get in touch to book a no-obligation call and explore how I can help your teenager manage anxiety with confidence and resilience. I am a Nottingham based practitioner experienced personally and professionally with ASD, PDA, ADHD and neurodiversity.
Request a call here: https://calendly.com/
More on teenage anxiety in this blog post here: https://rebeccadakin.com/
Aromatherapy roll on for anxiety: https://amzn.to/4q7p3Aa