There is an Urgency to Move Beyond Diagnosing: Instead, We Must Elevate Youth’s Mental Health

As Mental Health Action Day approaches this May 2024, it is important to reassess the approach to supporting the mental well-being of today’s youth. Instead of fixating on the question - ‘What is wrong’, one must shift focus to ‘How can others support this kid in becoming the best version of themselves?’ and explore alternative methods of support, outside the traditional format of therapy.  

One needs to also keep in mind that the issues that cause adolescents to suffer are often different to those of adults. Hence, the approach should be different. While traditional psychotherapy, where a person can articulate their emotions and experiences more explicitly may be effective for adults, most youths need something different and more. Imagine walking into the therapist’s room, sitting down, and this therapist tells this already self-doubting individual what’s wrong with them. For these intense teens who grapple with overthinking, self-doubt, and a hunger for deeper connections getting this message can be far more discouraging than it is helpful. 

This, combined with concerned parents being lost and trying to get their child into different therapy treatments, adds more pressure onto these growing adolescents. Now imagine instead of the above scenario, the same adolescent sitting down with a trusted adult, an expert who will patiently empower them with the confidence, skills, and knowledge they need to overcome their personal challenges. Perhaps all they really need is a roadmap and the skills needed to thrive in the world. In short: Teach, not treat. 

It is inevitable that an adolescent will have problems with friends and suffer through disappointments. Rather than simply supporting them emotionally and validating their feelings, it is far more empowering to give them the perspective and skills they need to manage these life challenges - helping them solve the problem now and giving them the necessary tools to prevent it from happening again. 

Perhaps, these adolescents simply lack the necessary tools to navigate the world and need the experience of an adult without any judgment.  

A parent himself and the man behind Evolution Mentoring™, Jeffrey Leiken, understands such complexities, spending three decades working directly with adolescents from all over the world, using his innovative mentoring methodology that inspires, educates, and empowers. It is through this experience that he has touched the lives of adolescents from all walks of life, while giving their parents the peace of mind they have been searching for.   

“When our kids are young, we can easily teach them things like how to ride a bike and encourage them to get back up when they fall… but when they are on the cusp of adulthood, oftentimes parents give great advice but are the wrong source! Of course, mom thinks you are brilliant and beautiful, but that’s what moms do. These words though often carry far more gravitas when they come from a credible adult who has no emotional attachment.” 

Even when parents still have their teen’s ear, they are not necessarily experts in the complexities of the personal lives of adolescents. “Ironically a parent can be the CEO of a major corporation and have world-class knowledge on international relations but be clueless about the intricacies of teens and the subtleties of social dynamics that cause them so much stress.” 

Leiken emphasizes, “Growing up doesn’t just happen between 9 and 5. Getting support and advice at this age cannot always wait until a week from Tuesday at 4 pm for their next therapy appointment.” Because of this Leiken’s own practice includes the ability for his clients to call or text him any time they want and need. “So many critical moments of life growth happened because of being there for them in the moment they needed the support and suggestions… sometimes saving them from making decisions that could have been hugely detrimental.” 

Furthermore, the traditional psychotherapy model generally excludes parents. Leiken, however, found that including parents in the process is often critically important. “That old African proverb It Takes a Village is as true now as ever,” says Leiken. “By including parents in the process we can get perspective, give suggestions, and just be a thought partner with parents, supporting them and including them in ways that often bring them all closer together. The mental health support then becomes not an ‘instead of a parent’ but an ‘as well as a parent’” In an age where there is so much disconnect, helping families connect in deeper healthier ways is more valuable than ever. 

There are few that would argue that the mental health statistics individuals read are extremely concerning. It is clear that our kids are telling us how much they are struggling and more must be done. This Mental Health Awareness Day let’s dare to challenge the status quo of how quick people are to put kids in psychological treatment and instead rethink how to support them. Giving them a positive education in life and adults who prioritize being there for them may prove to be the best intervention of all. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.