3 key strategies to get your teenagers to open up more.

Have you ever felt like you're in a constant battle with your teenage adolescent? trust me you are not alone. Many families go into therapy in a state of war with their adolescents. It seems like it's them vs you. I may hear, "She just doesn't open up" or "He stays in his room all day". There needs to be a way that you can change the atmosphere at home. I'm going to share with you the key 3 strategies you're going to need to get them to open up more.

1.) Strengthen your rapport.

Rapport is about building relationships, establishing trust and credibility with one another. You can ask your teenager all day about their experiences, but if there is no positive rapport, they may be reluctant about the information they provide. you build rapport by creating more positive interactions. Imagine a night in the house with just you and your teenager spending quality time. How would it go if you were to explore the positive changes you recognize throughout their infant, toddler, and adolescent years with them? shed more light on their positive traits rather than their negative traits. Not only do you strengthen your rapport, but you also nurture your relationship with your teenager by focusing more on their strengths. Research shows kids living in a nurturing home persevere more, progress more, and are considered more well-behaved to their counterparts in a non-nurturing environment.

2.) Accept your child completely.

How can your teenager achieve the courage to express their true feelings if they do not feel accepted by their caregivers? It would be extremely difficult. Acceptance does not imply the approval of bad behavior. It only allows your teenager to be their authentic self without judgment at home. This can lead to feelings of permissiveness in the relationship which in return will lead them to feel free to express their feelings completely.

3.) Change the emotional climate at home.

strengthening your rapport and accepting your teenager completely creates a foundation of emotional safety. You are well on your way to creating a safe space for your teenager to open more in the house. Finally, there needs to be an emotional shift. Change the emotional climate by tapping into different emotions besides anger. Frustration and anger are often what family members present first. Give voice to the emotions of worry, fear, and sadness you may expect to lie beneath their anger. You can do this by addressing these emotions in a conversation. Instead of yelling back maybe say, "I've noticed the worry you've been experiencing lately. It shows when you don't leave your room".

Consider my 3 key strategies. recognize that these are not the only approaches to create an environment of open dialogue for you two. It’s a start in a positive direction. Good luck!